A total of 101 competitors have been awarded gold medals for their achievements following the Skills Competition Wales celebration event.
This announcement follows a series of regional competitions that took place across Wales, hosting more talented young people than ever before.
The competitions challenge competitors across five different sectors to be named best in their skill, these are: Construction & Infrastructure, Engineering & Technology, Health, Hospitality & Lifestyle, IT & Enterprise and Media & Creative.
In total, 1096 young people competed over the past three months, with 101 gold, 104 silver and 88 bronze medals awarded in total.
The celebration event was held virtually again this year, with six satellite and 3 watch party events taking place at Welsh providers across the country, so that friends and families from all over Wales could watch.
Funded by the Welsh Government and run by a dedicated network of colleges, work-based learning providers and employer-led organisations, through the Inspiring Skills Excellence in Wales project, Skills Competition Wales aims to inspire and upskill future generations by developing young people’s vocational skills while celebrating their achievements.
Gold medallist Luke Jones, who competed in the Plumbing and Heating category, explained the impact competing in Wales' biggest skills competition had on him: “The immediate aftermath of the competition was great. You put a lot of hard work into a timed and pressured task so standing back to see the result at the end is really rewarding.”
“As an apprentice, competing has developed my skills on site and improved my time management. It is brilliant to win and see the hard work pay off. I think my work is at a high standard but so was everyone’s. The competition was tough.”
Lucie Price, Silver medallist in the Creative Makeup category, added: "I’ve really enjoyed competing. It has developed my confidence both personally and professionally by interacting with likeminded contestants and gaining so many new skills.
“The brief was so open, it really allowed me to express my creativity. I even used the images from my final competition look in a university application, and I got in!
“I would definitely recommend Skills Competition Wales to other people. It’s a perfect way to build up to other competitions like WorldSkills too.”
The finalists of Skills Competition Wales will have the opportunity to compete in the national and international competitions of WorldSkills UK, EuroSkills and WorldSkills International, subject to a pending round of applications. Applications for this year’s WorldSkills UK competitions close later this month.
Next year, Lyon, France will be hosting the 47th International WorldSkills competition otherwise known as the ‘Skills Olympics’. 38 competitors across Wales have started their training journeys in hope of representing Team UK at Lyon 2024, and possibly being crowned the best in the world at their chosen skill.
Minister for Economy, Vaughan Gething said: “Skills Competition Wales is an excellent platform for young people to challenge themselves and put their skills to the test.
“Having supported and attended several of the competitions in the past, I have seen first-hand the amazing talent Wales has to offer. I was particularly impressed by the enthusiasm of the participants. Their passion for their craft was evident as they put their best foot forward and competed for top honours.
“It is inspiring to witness young people take pride in what they do and strive to be the very best versions of themselves. Programmes like Skills Competition Wales help to promote a culture of growth and excellence at every level.
“I’d like to congratulate each and every competitor on their accomplishments this far. Each of you have a very exciting journey ahead.
“I’d like to congratulate each and every competitor on their accomplishments this far; each of you has a very exciting journey ahead.”
A full list of medallists and an organisational league table are available here.
For more information on Skills Competition Wales and to be in with a chance to represent your country in 2024, visit https://inspiringskills.gov.wales/