Students from Coleg Cambria have been crowned the best young welders in Britain for the second time at the annual Great British Weld-Off competition.
Four Welsh students from the North East Wales based college took the top spot and prizes worth more than £3,000. Adam Griffiths, Lander Hughes, Kyle Hughes and Jake Scarlett wowed judges with their replica London Eye at the live competition in Wolverhampton on Wednesday 4th February.
The Weld-Off, which was organised by Morris Site Machinery, supplier of ArcGen welder generators, attracted some of the best students and apprentices from across the nation. In association with Speedy, the competition required finalists to showcase their welding prowess with a Q&A round, a skills section and a creative test which challenged contestants to create a world famous landmark of their choice.
Phil Winnington, Managing Director at Morris Site Machinery, said: “Another fantastic year for The Great British Weld-Off and a very competitive one at that! It was great to see such a buzz and energy coming from each welding bay and the finished pieces were real show stoppers.
“At Morris Site Machinery we believe in championing young people in engineering to ensure that Britain’s traditional skills and manufacturing heritage are retained as best as possible.
“I’d like to say congratulations again to Coleg Cambria for winning the competition for a second year running and to all of the other talented contestants who we hope will re-enter next year!”
As well as being crowned Great British Weld-Off champions, Coleg Cambria students took home £250 each and memberships of The Welding Institute. The college itself has been given £2,000 to spend on its welding department and £200 worth of engineering products from Speedy.
The highly commended runners-up included apprentices from UTC Aerospace Systems, who created Britain’s first electrical traffic lights, students from Neath Port Talbot College Group, who created the Angel of the North and a group from Chesterfield College, who created the Crooked Spire of Chesterfield.
Peter Haddock from Speedy, the UK’s leading tools, equipment and plant hire services company, said: “We were so impressed with the calibre of work yesterday and it meant our decision was a very tough one to make! The contestants’ work ethic, skill and passion really shone through and all 16 are a true credit to young people in the manufacturing industry.”
Joining Peter Haddock on the judging panel was Ian Hogarth from professional engineering establishment, The Welding Institute and Michael Scarrott from awarding association for industry qualifications, EAL.
