Coleg Cambria to take largest team of apprentices from Wales to UK ‘Skills Olympics’

COLEG CAMBRIA will take the largest team of apprentices and foundation skills learners from Wales to this year’s WorldSkills UK finals.

The event will take place from November 19-22 at colleges, independent training providers and universities across Greater Manchester, including Bolton, Rochdale, Wigan and Leigh, and Oldham.

The 17 representatives from Cambria – which has sites in Wrexham, Deeside, Llysfasi, and Northop – and industry partners are:

Aircraft Maintenance –Aiden Williams, Kleo Pepa, James Prescott, Kieran O’ Loan, Hannah Back, Robert Jones (all Airbus UK/Coleg Cambria)

CNC Milling –Jamie Duncan (Magellan Aerospace), Tomas Ankers

Beauty Therapist – Darcy Watson, Lilia Jones

Foundation Skills Enterprise – Stephen Jackson, Michael Lewis, Lewis Higgins

Metal Fabricator – Mark Wright (International Crusher Solutions), Jimmy Smith (Kendley Steel)

Network Infrastructure Technician – Bartosz Dobrzynski

Welding – Zachariah Winn (Kendley Steel)

More than 400 finalists from across the UK will compete in 40 skills categories, including 3D Digital Game Art, and Landscaping, before the medallists are announced at the Bridgewater Hall in Manchester.

Cambria’s Learner Experience and Enterprise Manager Rona Griffiths congratulated the team on their achievements and said: “We continue to punch above our weight in this competition, year after year sending talented, dedicated apprentices to take on the country’s best.

“Making it to the finals means they are among the top eight in the UK in their chosen skill, which is incredible, and testament also to their tutors and employers.

“We are so proud of them all and wish them the best of luck.”

Ben Blackledge, Chief Executive of WorldSkills UK, added:  said: “We are thrilled to be back in Greater Manchester for our National Finals in November and very grateful for the support of the Greater Manchester Combined Authority and all our host venues.

“We look forward to welcoming competitors and partners from all over the UK to showcase excellence in technical skills and drive forward the development of world-class skills for all young people.”

The news comes as former Airbus Aeronautical Apprentice Rosie Boddy – now a Technical Training Officer at Coleg Cambria Deeside – prepares to compete in the Aircraft Maintenance category at WorldSkills 2024, to be held in Lyon, France, this September.

Rosie is one of just 31 participants from the UK and can’t wait to take on the challenge of facing young people aged 25 and under from more than 65 countries.