Coleg Cambria students to compete in international skills competition

Coleg Cambria students are feeling on top of the world after being selected for prestigious international skills events.

Continuing the college’s success in the Euro Skills and World Skills tournaments, 11 learners will be competing at the upcoming finals in Budapest, Hungary, and Kazan in Russia.

Among those representing the college in the Manufacturing Team Challenge are Sinead Beck, Lewis Nolan, Dylan Edwards, Kendal Irvine and George Walker, in partnership with Magellan Aerospace (UK) and JCB Transmissions.

Also competing are Davey Brookes and Balazs Sparing (Airbus) in the Aircraft Maintenance category, Joshua Jones for Automotive Technology, Emily Watson for Beauty Therapy and Ieuan Evans in the Construction Metal Work section.

WorldSkills Europe raises awareness about the demand for skilled young professionals across the continent, promoting excellence and competence development by orchestrating the biennial EuroSkills event, a spectacular promotion of different careers for young people.

David Jones, chief executive of Coleg Cambria, said the encouragement of these skills at an early age is vital to the students’ development and supports them when they enter their chosen fields.

“The WorldSkills and EuroSkills competitions have always been important to the college because they give the trade industries in particular a platform on which to showcase the carers young people can pursue,” said Mr Jones.

“We’ve had a lot of success over the years and will continue to support both events as they instil a real value in work-based learning and apprenticeships, which are a staple of the education they receive here and key to our partnerships with some of the region’s biggest companies, including Airbus, Magellan and JCB.”

He added: “I would like to wish all of the students the best of luck in representing Coleg Cambria, they are a credit to both the businesses they represent and our community.”

The news comes after 28 Coleg Cambria students represented Team Wales in the WorldSkills UK national finals in Birmingham in November 2017, having successfully qualified in regional heats. The college had the highest number of participants of any college in Wales.

The 11 taking part in Kazan and Budapest were chosen from the winners at this event.

Rona Griffiths, deputy director for learner experience and enterprise at Coleg Cambria, echoed Mr Jones’ words and said the college is one of the UK leaders in the development of vocational skills.

“We have so much talent here so it’s pleasing to see that is once again represented by the WorldSkills and EuroSkills organisation,” she said.

“Our students and staff work hard in collaboration with industry to progress these skills and showcase that ability – we wish them the best of luck in the competition.