STUDENTS from Colwyn Bay and Caernarfon, Yuliia Batrak and Osian Roberts respectively, won gold medals at the WorldSkillsUK National Finals.

Their fellow Grŵp Llandrillo Menai students, Eva Voma and Adam Hopley, both took bronze in their competitions, meanwhile.

The winners of the WorldSkillsUK National Finals were recognised in a ceremony at Manchester’s Bridgewater Hall on Friday night (November 17).

This came after two days of intense competition at venues in and near Manchester, which followed six months of qualifiers.

The medallists will now have a chance of being selected to represent the UK in either the 47th WorldSkills Competition, which will take place in Lyon, France from September 10-15 next year, or the following edition in Shanghai, China in 2026.

Yuliia, who is studying Level 2 professional cookery at Coleg Llandrillo, won gold in the restaurant service competition in Manchester after qualifying as one of five finalists from across the country.

Osian won the CNC turning competition; he is studying for a higher national certificate in general engineering at Coleg Menai as part of his apprenticeship with manufacturing firm IAQ.

Adam finished third in industrial electronics, with Eva ending in the same position in additive manufacturing.

Eva, from Bangor, has started work as an engineering lecturer at Coleg Menai, having graduated with a first class degree in applied mechanical systems, awarded by Bangor University.

She previously completed a Level 3 diploma and higher national certificate in engineering at Coleg Menai, before completing her degree apprenticeship while working for International Safety Components in Llandygai.

Adam, from Aberdyfi, attends Coleg Menai as part of his engineering degree apprenticeship with Nimbus Foods.  

Another Grŵp Llandrillo Menai student to impress in Manchester was Holly Whitehouse, who was “highly commended” in the hairdressing final.

Holly, from Abergele, studied a Level 3 diploma in hairdressing at Coleg Llandrillo last year.

Students and apprentices competed in disciplines ranging from engineering, digital and manufacturing through to creative, business and health and hospitality.

Grŵp Llandrillo Menai finished fourth overall behind New College Lanarkshire, Southern Regional College and City of Glasgow College.