WGU students target glory at WorldSkills UK Championships

Date: 2021

Wrexham Glyndŵr University staff and students will be cheering on two representatives at the prestigious WorldSkills UK national finals next month.

WorldSkills organises the world championships of vocational skills, and the UK championships are the country’s biggest competitive skills and careers event.

Two Glyndŵr students will be representing the University at the championships this November, with the full support of their academic leaders and fellow students.

Paige Tynan, who graduated from the BSc (Hons) Forensic Science with Foundation Year programme in 2020 and is now undertaking a PhD at Glyndŵr, has made the national final in the Forensic Science category.

Cyber Security student Jake Sumner is also in the national final of his category and is looking forward to the next challenge.

He said: “The experience so far has been great and I’m looking forward to the final. Getting to the final has been a bit of a shock as I definitely wasn’t expecting it."

“I never planned on entering the competition, it was with the encouragement of my lecturer, Leanne Davies, that I decided to give it a go."

“At first I was a bit apprehensive because I was paired with someone who I’ve never met before but I also didn’t know what to expect. 

“Despite not having met my teammate before, we work very well together and have just ‘clicked’."

“Although I’m excited that I’ve got through to the final, I think the best part of entering the competition is that it’s given me confidence in speaking to people and trying new things.”

Forensic Science student Paige has outshined hundreds of competitors to reach this stage of the competition, an achievement in its own right.

She said: “When I signed up for the competition earlier this year, I didn’t expect to make it to the final; never mind being one of the top 8 of 962 competitors in the Forensic Science category."

“The competition was challenging, testing not only our knowledge but also our timekeeping, ability to problem solve, and our ability to communicate effectively."

“I look forward to the challenges the final brings!”

Both students have the backing of their lecturers who are proud to watch their progress in the competition.

Lecturer in Cyber Security, Leanne Davies said: “WorldSkills UK in Cyber Security gives students a unique opportunity to develop their skills and experience and be recognised for their amazing achievements."

“Jake has performed incredibly well through all of the stages of the competition and we are very proud to see him in the National finals showcasing his talents on the national stage.”

Senior Lecturer in Forensic Science, Amy Rattenbury, added: “It’s great to see one of our graduates make the National Finals of the WorldSkills UK competition in the Forensic Science category."

“It’s a vocational subject and so developing practical skills for use in the laboratory and at crime scenes is essential."

“This opportunity will allow Paige to demonstrate best practice in these techniques which will be key to future employment.”