Architectural technology graduate Gabija Gailiunaite hopes to win a place at this year’s WorldSkills International finals in Shanghai

A ginger-haired woman with glasses on her head looking at a computer screen — Gabi Gailiunaite, who hopes to represent Britain at the Skills Olympics

A Middlesex University graduate is aiming to win a place to represent Britain at an event known as the ‘Skills Olympics’.

Gabija (Gabi) Gailiunaite, who graduated in architectural technology from the Hendon-based university in 2024, is one of three contestants selected to compete for the chance to represent Britain at the WorldSkills International finals in Shanghai in the Digital Construction skills competition.

The competition tests skills in the collaborative building design and management process BIM and involves using an architectural software package to recreate the architecture and specifications of a huge university-campus style building in digital 3D.

Other tasks contestants face over four days include doing an energy analysis of the building design, then maximising its sustainability credentials; and putting architectural renders onto the skeleton.

“When I found out that I was selected, I felt a wave of disbelief, pride, and sheer joy!” Gabi says. “It felt surreal, so much so that it made me reflect on everything I poured into getting here”.

She adds: “Training for Digital Constriction is not just about practicing tasks, it’s about understanding the processes, workflows, and industry standards inside and out.

“You need to know what you’re learning and why. Training becomes a cycle of analysing your work, identifying gaps, practising purposely and constantly improving on technique.”

Gabi first took part in the WorldSkills UK national competition for Digital Construction two years ago. Last year she reached the national finals in Wales, where she was highly commended.

In her final year at Middlesex, Gabi did a two day a week work placement with BPTW Architects, leading to her being taken on full-time after she graduated.

Dr Homeira Shayesteh, Senior Lecturer in Construction, Architecture and BIM and Programme Leader for Architectural Technology at Middlesex says the innovative part-time work placement model is “very much a win-win situation… There’s value of [the students’] work to the company, and students learn a lot on the job that helps them improving their course performance.

She adds: “From the beginning, Gabi has been an exemplar and always aspired for excellence – we are very proud of her.”

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