WorldSkills UK Wales

What does it take to be a successful competitor?

How can skills competitions open doors to your future? Come along to skillscymru and listen to Gareth Evans and Cliff Williams talk about their experience. As former WorldSkills UK competitors, both are more than qualified to provide top tips to help you achieve success in your chosen field. This session starts at the skillscymru theatre at 11.45am on Friday 17 September at the Millennium Stadium.

Gareth and Cliff have been extensively involved in WorldSkills UK competitions over the past couple of years. Both competed in a number of carpentry competitions, culminating in a place on the WorldSkills UK Squad for Gareth, whilst Cliff went on to compete for Team UK at the last international WorldSkills competition, WorldSkills Calgary 2009. So, they have plenty of advice to offer on what it takes to compete with the best in your field!

Both Gareth and Cliff have put their skills to good use in starting up and developing their own businesses. Gareth has also been appointed as Skills Competition Co-ordinator for Coleg Sir Gâr’s carpentry section where he is turning his career towards teaching.

Have you go what it takes to be a successful competitor? Come along to skillscymru and find out!

Help raise the profile of vocational skills, WorldSkills and skills competitions in Wales

Auto-matically a Winner!

Well…not exactly automatically, but after some hard work and intense competition! Our congratulations go to Phil Roberts, studying at Coleg Llandrillo Cymru, who won the silver medal in the SkillAuto 2010 competition.

Phil, who is employed by Central Garage, Llanrwst, competed against the best automotive technicians across the country in this WorldSkills UK competition. At the BMW Group Academy, near Reading, the six finalists had to demonstrate their diagnostic and repair skills on a variety of vehicles and systems. Take a look at some of our photos to see Phil and other competitors in action at this event.

Phil will now be considered for the long list of candidates for the Team UK selection for WorldSkills London 2011. We’d like to wish him good luck for this - but in the meantime, proving yourself as one of the best in your field in the UK, makes you an auto-matic winner in our book, Phil!

Help raise the profile of vocational skills, WorldSkills and skills competitions in Wales

WorldSkills UK Environmental Science Final 2010

Chevron apprentices Ashley Bolton, Jessica Holmes and Craig Robertson, from Pembrokeshire College,won the gold award at the recent final of the WorldSkills UK Environmental Science competition. This was the first time that the competition has been staged in Wales. The competition was organised by trade union Prospect and the British Geological Survey and hosted at Pembrokeshire College.

Six teams entered from across the UK, in addition to a team competing from the Netherlands!

The theoretical element of the competition presented students with information and data about a mythical island facing an energy crisis. Competitors were tasked with designing a sustainable and affordable energy solution for the next generation. They needed to consider many factors to see how the island’s resources could provide sufficient energy, water supplies and food whilst protecting the environment. Competitors’ problem solving and team work skills were also tested as they undertook the task of building a solar oven to harness the power of the sun.

Richard Bamber, Director of Technology at Pembrokeshire College said “we were delighted to be this year’s host for the competition and with such a successful outcome – this has been a valuable experience for our students”.

Congratulations to all winners and well done to all participants!

Help raise the profile of vocational skills, WorldSkills and skills competitions in Wales

Hannah and Polly Win Bronze at SkillVM Final

They did it! Proving that they are the third best visual merchandisers in the UK! Here are Hannah Cook and Polly Crane receiving their bronze medal from the Queen of Shops herself, Mary Portas.

Both studying for a BA in Fashion Promotion at the University of Glamorgan, they competed against other teams from across the UK at the SkillVM Final in London. Under the full gaze of thousands of retail industry insiders, the competition saw them building their full-scale window in four hours and with a budget of just £200.

Hannah said “to be one of the top three teams of student visual merchandisers in the UK feels amazing. I am extremely proud and it is such a valuable experience and one that I will certainly remember. It is a fantastic end to our first year at university.”

Polly added “the pressure of performing in front of a big live audience was challenging – but the adrenalin rush was fantastic. All of our hard work and passion has been recognised by industry experts and that is out of this world!”

Well done both. We are really pleased for you!

Help raise the profile of vocational skills, WorldSkills and skills competitions in Wales

Dream Team Secures Place in SkillVM Final

A big congrats to Hannah Cook and Polly Crane whose success at the recent Welsh SkillVM heat will see them compete at next week’s SkillVM grand final.

The duo, from the University of Glamorgan, competed in the student category of SkillVM held at the ATRiuM in Cardiff. The SkillVM competition – which seeks to find the best retail artists in the UK – is organised by Skillsmart Retail, is part of WorldSkills UK and is supported through our skillscompetition Wales.

This year’s brief asked competitors to design a window display in the year 2060 when Company Y are launching their Y-Dream pillow. Each of the 16 teams (made up of 2 competitors) was provided with a small scale window pod and Y-dream pillow. The challenge required the teams to install their window display in one hour followed by a 3 minute presentation of their design to the judges.

Geraint Vaughan and Jay Samson, also from the University of Glamorgan, competed at the Cardiff heat and performed exceptionally well. Check out their design and other photos of the competition in our flickr gallery.

The judging panel featured former Big Brother housemate and professional visual merchandiser Kris Donnelly. He said, “When I came into this competition I had no idea just how many amazing VMs there were, and to see them spread across the whole of the UK and not just in London is also testament to the great strength we have in retail. All finalists have produced eye-catching designs and I now can’t wait to see how they translate these ideas from paper into the real thing”.

Neither can we! Next week Hannah and Polly will compete in the live final held at the In-Store Show in London. Good luck!

Help raise the profile of vocational skills, WorldSkills and skills competitions in Wales