Apprentices selected for UK squad as 120+ college learners contest Wales-wide skills tournament

COLEG CAMBRIA learners have again demonstrated they have the skills to succeed on the global stage.

Three apprentices have been selected for the WorldSkills UK squad in advance of the WorldSkills international event to be held in France next year.
They are:

Bella Bailey – Beauty Therapy Practitioner – Afon Spa, Aura Leisure Centre Deeside

Rosie Boddy – Aeronautical Engineering – Airbus UK, Broughton

Timoteusz Rozanski – Aeronautical Engineering – Airbus UK, Broughton

The trio also won medals at last autumn’s WorldSkills, where Cambria finished among the top four FE institutions in the UK.

Bella, Rosie and Timoteusz are among 94 people across 27 different fields who will now undergo an intensive 18-month training programme to try and prove they have what it takes to compete against representatives from all over the world in Lyon in September 2024.

Learner Experience and Enterprise Manager Rona Griffiths said: “We are so proud of the three of them for again operating at such a high level, they are a credit to Coleg Cambria and the organisations they work for.

“Together with our partners we have a strong reputation for producing talented, skilled apprentices and this year is no exception.

“We wish them the best of luck and know they will work hard to try and make the final squad for Lyon.”

The group will now work with industry experts, former champions, and high-performance coaches to hone their abilities.

Designed to promote best practice, WorldSkills competitions develop skills, build confidence, and help drive economic progress. After climbing to an impressive 10th at last year’s event, the squad is looking to further improve the UK’s standing.

WorldSkills UK Deputy CEO Ben Blackledge said: “Squad members have done so well to get to this stage and are fantastic examples of the very best of our further education system, but the hard work really starts now as they prepare for international competition.

“Competitors have the opportunity to show off their skills on the international stage and we can transfer the insights and best practice gleaned from other countries to drive up standards at home.

“Through our Centre of Excellence, we are now cascading that international knowhow through to thousands more young people across the UK.”

The news comes after 124 Cambria learners competed at Skills Competition Wales in a wide range of areas. The results will be announced at a celebration event in March.