Students have been showcasing their talent, confidence and independence at this year’s Skills Competition Wales Inclusive Skills competitions.
Learners from both Gobowen and Telford campuses took part in a wide range of challenges designed to reflect real‑life and industry‑standard situations. Competitions covered life skills, restaurant service, food preparation, horticulture and housekeeping.
Jack and Cerys, from Gobowen, and Phoebe, from Telford, represented the college in the Life Skills competition. They worked through tasks such as spotting hazards in the kitchen, making a hot drink. They also took part in a cafe experience: selecting from a menu, placing an order and paying at the till.
Hospitality & Food
Hospitality & Food students took part in the Restaurant Service and Food Preparation competitions. Oliver and Thomas demonstrated their professionalism in the Restaurant Service challenge, where competitors were asked to lay a wedding‑themed table for two. They were judged on presentation, creativity, style, communication and confident time management.
Meanwhile, Toby and Ben entered the Food Preparation competition. They showcased their knowledge and skills in health and safety, hygiene, knife work and presentation. Their tasks included making a smoothie, a sandwich and an Eton Mess dessert. They even made a side of coleslaw from scratch to really impress judges.
Two students from Derwen College’s Telford site, Jeremy and Maddox, took part in the Cleaning Inclusive Skills competition, held at the college’s own training hotel, Hotel 751. They completed a range of everyday cleaning responsibilities including bed changing, hazard awareness and recycling.
Horticulture and Retail
Horticulture students Louise and Lydia also impressed judges with their creativity. Their challenge was to create a seasonal planter and a shop table display, based on the theme of Welsh Culture. Their beautiful planters featured Welsh hills, sheep and a black and white sheepdog as well as spring blooms including daffodils.
Retail & Enterprise students Finlay, Rebecca and Lily took part in the Sustainable Enterprise competition which was also Welsh themed. Working in their team, they had to upcycle an everyday item into a creative, marketable product using sustainable materials for decoration. The team made windchimes out of jewellery that hadn’t sold in the college’s The Vintage Advantage charity shop. They displayed their finished product, created a presentation and talked judges through their sustainable enterprise idea.
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Skills Competition Wales raises the profile of vocational skills and gives learners an opportunity to develop confidence while working to industry standards. Funded by the Welsh Government, the competitions align with WorldSkills standards and are delivered across the country through colleges, employers and training providers.
All of the students approached their competitions with enthusiasm and determination, making the college incredibly proud. Results will be announced in March.
