Results imminent after Rhyl campus hosted UK’s first regional renewable energy skills competition

Coleg Llandrillo’s Rhyl campus recently hosted the UK’s first-ever regional renewable energy skills competition, with the results to be announced this week.

The pioneering event, part of Skills Competition Wales, was contested by 10 learners from North Wales and six from South Wales, underscoring Wales' commitment to fostering the next generation of renewable energy professionals.

The competition marked a significant milestone in preparing learners to potentially represent the UK in the international WorldSkills competition. It was sponsored by renewable energy company RWE, who provided all the equipment for the practical tasks.

The competition was divided into two regional finals – one in North Wales, at Coleg Llandrillo’s new £13m engineering centre, and the other in South Wales.

It was led by Arron Peel, an engineering lecturer at Coleg Llandrillo, who designed the challenging assessments to rigorously test the learners' skills and knowledge.

Arron said: “We are incredibly proud to have hosted this groundbreaking competition at the Rhyl campus as part of Skills Competition Wales. The enthusiasm and talent displayed by the students were truly inspiring.

“We are immensely grateful to RWE for their generous sponsorship and provision of equipment, which was essential to making this event a success. This highlights the importance of investing in renewable energy education and equipping young people with the skills they need to thrive in this rapidly growing sector."

RWE partnered with Grŵp Llandrillo Menai to install a renewable energy training facility in Coleg Llandrillo’s new engineering centre, which was officially opened last year. RWE is a world leader in the renewable energy field, and is investing billions worldwide into offshore and onshore wind, solar energy, storage technologies, flexible generation and hydrogen projects.

The competition at the Rhyl campus took place in the industrial scale wind-turbine servicing workshop in the engineering centre. It focused on photovoltaic installation and wiring, shaft alignment and general renewable knowledge. Participants were evaluated on their practical abilities, problem-solving skills, and theoretical understanding of renewable energy systems.

Arron added: "This competition, under the umbrella of Inspiring Skills Wales, and with the valuable support of RWE, is crucial for developing a pipeline of skilled professionals who can drive the transition to a sustainable energy future.

"Wales is leading the way in this field, and we are confident that our learners will make a strong showing at the national UK squad level."

Chris Turnbull, team manager for the WorldSkills UK Renewable Squad, was the judge for the event.

He said: “The standard of the competitors was exceptionally high. These young individuals exhibited genuine enthusiasm for renewable energy and a solid grasp of the necessary technical skills. Competitions like this are crucial for discovering and cultivating the talent we need to create a sustainable future.”

The winners of the regional renewable energy finals will be announced at the Skills Competition Wales awards ceremony on Thursday, March 13. The ceremony will be available to watch online here.

It will feature awards for more than 50 different skills disciplines in a variety of sectors, including business, construction, digital, engineering, health and social care, hospitality and more.

Grŵp Llandrillo Menai hosted 23 of those disciplines across various campuses and venues in this year’s Skills Competition Wales - the largest number ever hosted by one college group.

Many of the competitors from across the different disciplines will go on to represent their college in WorldSkills UK, competing for places in the national finals in November. The top-performing competitors from the UK finals will then be selected for the national training squads for the biennial WorldSkills international competitions, known as ‘the Skills Olympics’.

Want to learn more about the exciting world of engineering with Grŵp Llandrillo Menai? Find out more about our courses here.