Queen's Birthday Honours: MBE for Nottingham student who survived head injury

Aircraft engineering student Haydn Jakes was recognised for his services to WorldSkills, an international vocational skills competition

An engineering student who survived a near-fatal head injury at the age of 12 has been appointed MBE.

Haydn Jakes, 24, was told by doctors his beanie hat probably saved his life in the accident on a building site.

Mr Jakes was recognised in the Queen's Birthday Honours list after winning gold in an international aircraft engineering competition.

The Nottingham University student beat competitors from 75 countries in the WorldSkills competition in Russia.

He said: "To get recognised in that way is really great."

Mr Jakes has a plate in his skull, dating from an operation he had after the accident in which he was hit by a breeze block while playing with friends on a building site.

The engineering student was initially nominated to enter WorldSkills - an international vocational skills competition - after completing an apprenticeship in 2017.

After beating fellow UK competitors, he represented Great Britain in Kazan last year.

"I wasn't expecting a medal, as other countries trained so hard, so to be told I was the best aircraft engineer in the world was a big thing for me," he said.

During the competition he had to compete in tasks such as building aircraft parts out of sheet metal, wiring, mechanical component removal, damage assessment, and aircraft inspection.

Mr Jakes won a gold medal at the 2019 WorldSkills competition in Kazan, Russia

The RAF cadet - who wants to be a test pilot one day - hopes his MBE will improve the recognition of WorldSkills across the UK.

He said: "I think any UK competitor deserves one because of the amount of effort we put in to our individual skills.

"To have that recognition for our achievements and the amount of effort we've put in, it puts it into perspective, it cements the achievement."

Mr Jakes' journey was described as "inspirational" by WorldSkills UK.

Chief executive Dr Neil Bentley-Gockmann said his story demonstrated "apprenticeships and technical education as a prestigious route to success in work and life".

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