GCU student Adam Lyon wins silver at WorldSkills UK Digital Construction final

Fourth-year Building Surveying student Adam Lyon has won the silver medal in the WorldSkills UK Digital Construction national final, held this week in Wales. His achievement places him among the country’s strongest emerging digital construction talents.

Adam secured his place at the national final earlier this year after progressing through two qualifying rounds open to students across the UK. He was one of only six competitors to reach the final stage.

The WorldSkills UK Digital Construction competition asks students to use industry software to create a detailed 3D model of a building and organise all the information that would be needed to construct it in real life.

Competitors work to a brief, solve design and coordination problems, and complete each task against strict time limits − much like a real project but condensed into a few hours.

Throughout the competition week, Adam represented Glasgow Caledonian University with confidence and steady performance. Although many of the finalists came from institutions offering specialist Digital Construction programmes, Adam entered the competition having completed just one module in the area. His ability to interpret briefs, solve problems and manage pressure allowed him to hold his own in a demanding environment.

Michael McGuire, lecturer in Digital Construction, provided mentoring and support in the lead-up to the event.

He said: “The competition has been an important milestone for Adam, helping him grow in confidence and recognise his potential within the field. Adam’s progress highlights the value of competition-based learning, which is becoming an increasingly important part of skills development at GCU.

“WorldSkills events are often described informally as the ‘Skills Olympics’, drawing attention from educators, industry and government. Adam’s silver medal demonstrates not only his personal commitment but also the strength of the University’s approach to practical, skills-driven learning.”

Adam said: “The Digital Construction module at GCU introduced me to a whole new side of the construction industry, and it just clicked with me. It helped me discover something I’m genuinely passionate about, and it gave me the skills to begin my journey into digital construction and BIM. I never imagined I’d make it to a national final, but thanks to the support of my lecturers, I was able to develop my skills to this level. I’m really proud of how far I’ve come, and I’m looking forward to graduating and seeing where this path leads next.”