North Wales college strikes gold at UK skills Olympics

COLEG CAMBRIA was represented by the largest team of apprentices and foundation skills learners from Wales at this year’s WorldSkills UK finals.

And once again the college – based in Deeside, Wrexham, Northop and Llysfasi – achieved medals and was highly commended in a raft of categories, including:

Welding: Zac Winn (Gold)

Aircraft Maintenance: Robert Jones (Silver), Aiden Williams (Bronze), and James Prescott (Highly Commended)

Metal Fabricator: Mark Wright (Silver), Jimmy Smith (Bronze)

Beauty Therapist: Darcy Watson (Silver), Lilia Jones (Highly Commended)

CNC Milling: Tomas Ankers (Highly Commended)

It was an “incredible return” for the 17-strong group as more than 400 finalists from across the UK competed in 40 skills categories.

Cambria’s Skills Competition Lead Robert Jones said he was “immensely proud” of the team, adding: “They were all amazing and performed so well under pressure, showing dedication, skill and passion for their work.

“As a college we are known for developing young talent in partnership with industry leaders from across north east Wales and beyond, and this year was no different.

“A huge thank you and congratulations to every one of them, and to the lecturers and staff who worked so hard to get them into this position, and those mentors, training officers and judges – notably Jamie Mapp-Jones, Rosie Boddy, Caleb Maxfield, Adam Youens, Tony Commins and Ruth Payton – who also represented Coleg Cambria on the national stage.”

The WorldSkills UK finals took place at colleges, independent training providers and universities across Greater Manchester, including Bolton, Rochdale, Wigan and Leigh, and Oldham.

The other learners and apprentices proudly representing Cambria and local employers were Kleo Pepa, Kieran O’ Loan, Hannah Back (all Airbus UK/Coleg Cambria), Jamie Duncan, Stephen Jackson, Michael Lewis, Lewis Higgins, and Bartosz Dobrzynski.

Skills Minister Jacqui Smith congratulated everyone who participated in this year’s “magnificent competition”.

“Each of you has showcased the exceptional talent and promise of our future workforce,” she said.

“Competitions like WorldSkills UK are so important in nurturing talent, providing a vital platform for young people to develop the skills they need to seize opportunities and achieve growth.”

Ben Blackledge, Chief Executive of WorldSkills UK, added: “Congratulations to this year’s medal winners.  Being named the best in your skill is a tremendous achievement and reflects the dedication of teachers in our colleges, universities and training providers, who are the bedrock of our skills systems across the UK.”