NPTC Group of Colleges was once again chosen to host the prestigious Inspiring Skills Awards 2024.
Watch parties were held in Neath and Newtown Colleges, while the event was presented by Mari Lovegreen live from the ICC in Newport. Watch parties were held so that friends and families from all over Wales could watch.
The College was thrilled to have enjoyed its most successful medal haul to date with an amazing eight gold medals, two silver and six bronze medals.
First to receive Gold was our Renewable Energy team TATA Tide made up of Engineering students Charlie Humphrey, Jay Morris, Jessica Cook and Will Miller. There were a further two Golds in the Health and Social Care competition for Jodie Riddell and Brooke Williams-Jones plus a Silver in the same competition for Mollie Learoyd-Cross.
Forensic Science had a brilliant night for the second year in a row with two Golds; Josh Punchard in the Forensic Science competition and Samuel Morgan in the Laboratory Technician competition, with a Silver for Jackson Cole.
More medals were won in the Patisserie and Confectionary Competition with Serah Morgan-Page taking Gold and Jack Lawrence taking the Bronze. Another Gold was won by Tommy Williams in Inclusive Skills: Food Preparation with Ethan Pierce taking the Silver.
Wolfram Northmore-Thomas took the top spot with Gold in the Inclusive Skills: IT Software Solutions for Business competition, while fellow student Sofia Plummer took Bronze.
Bronze medals also went to Jaiden Daly in the 14-16 Construction Skills competition, Kieran Rees in Vehicle Refinishing, Krystal Moorman in Horticulture, and Willow Williams in Inclusive Skills: IT Software Solutions for Business.
Finally, two students were recognised as the ‘best in their region’ meaning they received the highest score of all the competitions held their geographical areas. Tommy Williams won best in region for Mid Wales and Wolfram Northmore-Thomas for West Wales. What an incredible achievement!
Over 280 talented young people from across Wales have been recognised for their outstanding vocational skills at this year’s Skills Competition Wales awards, securing 96 gold, 92 silver and 97 bronze medals.
The announcement follows a series of competitions that took place in January and February, where a record-breaking 1,129 representatives from every corner of Wales competed to be named the ‘country’s best’ in their sector. Competitions covered skill areas including culinary arts, web development, aeronautical engineering and renewable energy.
This year’s competition also saw a steady and encouraging rise in female participation in the traditionally male-dominated construction categories, including carpentry, painting and decorating, and renewable energy, making up 20% of the competitor numbers – an increase of 10% since 2020.
Chief Executive of NPTC Group of Colleges Mark Dacey was proud of the students’ achievements, he said:
“The fantastic results speak for themselves, I am incredibly honoured to hear and be part of this amazing success and results. The evening wouldn’t be possible without the hard work and determination of each student who chose to compete, but also the College staff who spent many hours on top of their normal teaching hours mentoring and training our competitors ready for the competitions.”
Edward Jones, Skills Champion for Neath College, said: “The fact that so many of our students have won medals speaks volumes about not only the commitment these students show to their trades but also about the quality of the teaching and training that takes place at the College. We consistently do well at competitions in all disciplines, but to see such a diverse range of skills coming through shows that students in all areas are trained to the very highest standards right across all our College sites.”
Lisa Brandon, Skills Champion for Newtown College added: “I’m very proud of all the winners, and I’m excited to see how many of these students go on to take part in WorldSkills.”
Minister for Economy, Vaughan Gething, said: “Skills Competition Wales serves as the perfect platform for our youth to push their boundaries and showcase their talents.
“One of my priorities for a stronger economy is to focus on young peoples’ skills and creativity, giving them the support they need to achieve ambitious futures here in Wales.
“Having had the privilege of supporting and attending numerous competitions, including this year’s Renewable Energy competition hosted at the Senedd, I’ve witnessed firsthand the remarkable talent pool we have in Wales. It’s truly inspiring to see these young individuals take pride in their work and continuously strive for excellence in their chosen fields.
“I extend my heartfelt congratulations to each and every competitor for their outstanding achievements so far. Each of you has a very exciting journey ahead.”
As Wales looks ahead, Lyon, France, will host the 47th International WorldSkills competition, where Welsh competitors will represent Team UK to be in with a shot at being crowned the best in the world at their vocational skill.
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