A YOUNG carpenter from Aberystwyth has scooped a medal at an awards ceremony to celebrate skills in Wales.

Competitors from colleges in West Wales have been awarded 65 medals for their successes following this year’s cycle of Skills Competition Wales.

An awards ceremony took place virtually last night, where winners were able to receive acknowledgement for the demonstration of their skills and hard work. In West Wales, students gathered at Coleg Sir Gar, Coleg Ceredigion and Pembrokeshire College to watch and celebrate their achievements in front of their friends and family.

Daniel Morgans from Aberystwyth competed in the Carpentry category and received Bronze at last night’s ceremony.

He said: “The best thing about my experience has been competing against people of such a high standard and seeing the quality of work that’s around. I really enjoyed being timed and tested, and now I have the opportunity to compete at WorldSkills”.

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.”