Eva and Madeleine in Squad UK for WorldSkills Lyon 2024

Grŵp Llandrillo Menai’s Eva Voma and Madeleine Warburton have been selected in the UK squads preparing for WorldSkills Lyon 2024.

Eva and Madeleine have been shortlisted for two new events at the 47th WorldSkills Competition, which will take place from September 10-15.

Eva, an engineering lecturer and former student at Coleg Menai, has been named in the squad for the additive manufacturing category.

Madeleine, a wind turbine technician apprentice with RWE studying at Coleg Llandrillo, is in the squad for the renewable energy competition.

They will now compete with other shortlisted candidates to be named in Team UK when it is announced in May.

Ben Blackledge, WorldSkills UK Chief Executive, said:

“Congratulations to Eva and Madeleine for their inclusion in Squad UK for WorldSkills Lyon 2024. 

“They have done so well to get to this stage, but the hard work really starts now as they prepare for international competition. The members of Squad UK are role models for the next generation, they will demonstrate that apprenticeships and technical education can lead to fantastic careers.”

WorldSkills, known as ‘the skills Olympics’, is the largest international skills competition, held in cities around the globe every two years.

Pearson is the official partner of Team UK for WorldSkills Lyon 2024. This year’s event will see 1,500 young people from more than 65 countries compete in 62 different technical skill disciplines, from engineering, manufacturing and technology through to creative, digital and hospitality, in front of an audience of 250,000.

During the course of the event, they will gather the latest global best practice in skills standards, training and assessment to share with educators, employers and governments back in the UK.

Eva studied the Level 3 Diploma in Engineering at Coleg Menai, progressing on to a Higher National Certificate in Engineering and eventually to a degree apprenticeship with International Safety Components (ISC) in Llandygai.

She graduated last summer with a 1st class BEng in Applied Mechanical Systems, awarded by Bangor University, before returning to Coleg Menai as a lecturer.

Eva was selected for the additive manufacturing squad along with Oscar McNaughton from University of Wales Trinity Saint David, Jakub Strzelczyk from Midlands Technical College, and Lucas Langley from UTC Sheffield.

All four were chosen following a selection event at Coleg Menai’s Energy Centre in Llangefni. The session was led by the college’s lecturers Iwan Roberts and Bryn Jones, who have recently been appointed World Skills UK training managers for additive manufacturing.

Eva, who earned bronze in the WorldSkills UK National Final last year, said:

“The tasks at the selection event were definitely a step up from the previous level and challenged us.

“The event revealed where I am strong and where I need sharpening. During the selection event, we were definitely being prepared for what the international stage is like – even the sounds and distractions were simulated for us during the competition!”

Eurfon Davies, Engineering Programme Area Manager at Coleg Menai, said: “Eva has been part of Coleg Menai’s Engineering department now for more than six years, right back from when she started with us as a full-time Level 3 student. 

“It’s been an honour watching such a talented individual grow and develop these advanced skills. More so, as a department we are privileged that we have been able to teach her the technology and knowledge required for her to develop these skills to such a high calibre, which is also testament to our highly skilled and energetic staff. We wish her all the best as she competes on the World Stage!”

Madeleine is studying Level 3 Advanced Manufacturing Engineering at Coleg Llandrillo’s new £13m Engineering Centre in Rhyl.

She was chosen along with Danny McBean from UHI Moray, Harry Stewart from Glasgow Clyde College and Thomas Turner from JTL, following a selection event at the South Yorkshire Institute of Technology.

Madeleine said: “I’m proud to have got to this point. I had a great time in Doncaster learning about how the systems work, and am really looking forward to the next stages. 

“I hope my studies so far will help me along the way, and look forward to how the training I receive will help me progress my studies too.”

Phil Hughes, Wind Turbine Apprenticeship Coordinator at Grŵp Llandrillo Menai, said:

“Madeleine has done very well in the first place to gain a place on the apprenticeship, as it’s very competitive to get onto the course.

“She has already excelled enough at college that we’ve got every confidence she can take on this challenge at the same time as her apprenticeship.”