Welsh competitors punch above their weight at UK National Skills Finals

Building on the successes of last year, out of the 118 Welsh competitors who took part, Team Wales won 16 gold, 20 silver, 22 bronze, and 12 highly commended.

The WorldSkills UK National Finals, held in venues across Manchester from November 19th – 22nd, saw more than 400 young people from Wales, England, Northern Ireland, and Scotland compete in a series of vocational challenges to be named the best in the UK.

Meanwhile, in Milton Keynes, one of the nine Welsh heat-winners competing in the SkillBuild final brought home Gold in Plastering. Delivered by the Construction Industry Training Board, SkillBuild is the largest multi-trade skills competition in the UK for construction trainees and apprentices.

The Inspiring Skills project supports young people to compete in skills competitions, promoting best   practices and raising standards across a range of skills from aircraft maintenance and carpentry to confectionary and patisserie to forensic science, and covering apprenticeships and technical education.

Team Wales also excelled in the Foundation Skills competitions, securing a total of 19 medals. These competitions highlight the abilities of students with special educational needs and disabilities, additional learning needs, or those requiring extra support.

The official results were announced on November 21st for SkillBuild and 22nd for WorldSkills during medal ceremonies.

Competitions begin at a local level with Skills Competition Wales which is coordinated by the Inspiring Skills Excellence in Wales project, and progress through to national and international competitions.

Partly funded by the Welsh Government and run by a dedicated network of colleges, work-based learning providers and employer-led organisations, the competitions aim to inspire and upskill future generations by developing young people’s vocational skills while celebrating their achievements.

Victoria Steele, aged 23 and from Ystradgynlais, trains with the NPTC Group of Colleges and won Gold in Automotive Refinishing. After her win she said:

“I am thrilled to have won Gold in Automotive Refinishing in WorldSkills UK. Being recognised as the best in the UK in my field feels amazing. The whole journey has been such an amazing experience, from the regional heats all the way to the national final. I feel so grateful to my training provider, and so proud I could represent Wales in this way.”

21-year-old Harry Sutherland from Penllyn trained with Grwp Llandrillo Menai and won Gold in Plastering. He said:

 “I am delighted to have taken the Gold in Plastering It’s been such a good experience, testing my skills against people in the same line of work as me. The SkillBuild competitions are a great way to make sure the standards in the construction sector are always at their highest and to show the world we’re always striving to improve on them.”

Welsh Minister for Culture, Skills and Social Partnership, Jack Sargeant said:

“I congratulate Team Wales on their remarkable success at the WorldSkills UK and SkillBuild National Finals. Once again they demonstrated their excellence, emerging triumphant with an impressive haul of medals, highlighting the dedication and talent within our country.

“Skills competitions celebrate individual achievements, but they also reflect our commitment to nurture the talent of young people across Wales, preparing them to be the highly skilled workers of the future.

“We’re especially excited to welcome the WorldSkills UK competitions to Wales in 2025. Hosting these finals will be a fantastic opportunity to showcase the best of Welsh talent on home soil and inspire even more young people across the country to pursue their ambitions and strive for excellence.

“We’re committed to supporting the next generation, providing opportunities for them to expand their horizons and accomplish national recognition. Congratulations to all who took part and the people that supported them.”

Ben Blackledge, Chief Executive, WorldSkills UK said:

“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.

“Our competition-based training programme, underpinned by global insights, plays a vital role in raising standards in teaching and assessment in apprenticeships and technical education.  Working with our partners across industry and education, we are championing the emerging skills that are critical to drive investment and business growth in the UK.”