Three Welsh competitors will be battling it out in this year’s international ‘Skills Olympics’ to bring home medals for Wales at Coleg Cambria in Wrexham from tomorrow.
The WorldSkills Special Edition 2022, brings together 1,000 competitors from 58 countries across Europe, North America, and East Asia.
The international competition will be hosted in 15 countries across the world - with Wales flying the flag as the UK’s official host at Coleg Cambria in Wrexham and Cardiff and Vale College in the capital from November 1-4.
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Nicknamed the “Skills Olympics”, WorldSkills competitions are designed to inspire and upskill future generations by developing young people’s vocational skills and showcasing best international practices in apprenticeships and technical education.
Charlie Samson, 24, represents Coleg Cambria and Chirk-based Kronospan alongside his South Walian colleagues George Denman and Michael Jones for the Manufacturing Team Challenge against representatives from Japan, Chinese Taipei, Korea, and France.
Previously an apprentice with Magellan Aerospace, Charlie is looking forward to the event and said: “It has been a long time coming for all of us, but well worth the wait.
"To be one of three Welsh participants representing the UK is a huge honour, we are confident about winning a medal and hope it will be gold."
As the team’s primary project, they have been challenged to build a scale-model radio control crane to perform different technical tasks. The team must follow a strict 36-page brief and have been given a total of three days to showcase their skills.
On the final day, the competitors will also work together to tackle nine surprise projects including tasks in CNC Milling, Manual Turning, Welding, Fabrication, 3D Printing and Electronics Design. The team will have two-four hours to complete each task and be judged against the best of the best from different countries around the world.
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Wales’ Economy Minister Vaughan Gething said: “The Welsh Government is committed to investing in our future generations and the WorldSkills competitions are a fantastic opportunity to encourage and inspire creative and driven young people to share their skills and ambition with the world. This will also help provide them with the tools they need to build successful future careers.
“It's a huge honour for Wales to host the WorldSkills Special Edition 2022 on behalf of the United Kingdom, and we look forward to welcoming talented competitors from across the globe.”
“I wish Mike, George, Charlie and Ben the very best of luck as they represent Wales on Team UK.”
WorldSkills UK and the Inspiring Skills Excellence in Wales programme is supported by the Welsh Government to promote the importance of a highly skilled workforce for the future.
Inspiring Skills Excellence in Wales delivers a programme of activities that raise awareness of vocational education, training and career pathways that positively impact on businesses in Wales.
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