BMet talent shines through at National WorldSkills Competition
BMet College earned quadruple award success at the WorldSkills UK National Finals 2025.
Four outstanding learners from the college beat stiff competition from over 400 finalists across 40 skill areas, to win their award categories.
The medal ceremony took place at the ICC Newport in Wales.
Mechanical Maintenance Technician Apprentices Connor Gunning and Taylor Steel from James Watt College achieved silver medals in the “Automation” category.
Over a week of intense activity, the finalists demonstrated world-class technical skills, creativity and professionalism, which are all qualities highly valued by employers.
The final competition took place at the University of Wales, Trinity St David.
Conor and Taylor from James Watt College qualified fourth in the regional finals, enabling them to finish in the top six to qualify for the national finals.
As part of the competition, they got involved in five tasks using Festo rigs, creating pneumatic setups, forming electronic pneumatic setups and making more advance setups with PLC’s driving functions on the rigs.
Conor said: “We left the event feeling very proud. Taylor and I put in a lot of effort and in the end, it paid off! We have gained a lot of confidence in our abilities, in overcoming challenges and dealing with stressful situations.
“The event was an overall very enjoyable experience and I would recommend others to compete in WorldSkills.
“Not only can you develop your knowledge, but it is also a great networking opportunity, allowing you to meet other competitors within the same industry, and experts with experience in the field. Now that the competition is over, we are both able to apply a range of skills to our day-to-day work.”
Harrison, had to respond over two days to a brief set by design agency Wavemaker for their client Remington.
The brief was to design a range of marketing designs showcasing an alternative and inclusive approach to beauty.
Speaking about his award win, he said: “The opportunity was something I could never forget! Meeting such talented people in an industry I would like to be a part of in my future and making connections with them, was a surreal experience.
“It was an unforgettable week and I still can’t quite believe the whole experience. Just getting to the national finals felt like an insane achievement on its own, let alone actually winning bronze and being named the third best in the UK!”
James, who now works at Pilgrims Europe as a Maintenance Engineer after completing his apprenticeship with BMet said: “I really enjoyed all the challenges and tasks that the WorldSkills competition enabled me to get involved in.
“Finding solutions to problems that I had never experienced before, learning new things and using up-to-date forms of technology, was very rewarding to me and I now intend to implement what I have learned in my role and at Pilgrims Europe as a whole.
“I feel very happy to have won the gold award alongside my partner, Joe Blackman, a GBSIoT Innovate Lead, as we generally work well together as a united team. We were pleasantly surprised!”
Participating in competitions like WorldSkills, forms an important part of BMet’s approach - enabling learners to test themselves under pressure, apply advanced technical knowledge and gain experiences that support both progression and employability.
Pat Carvalho, BMet Principal and CEO said: "At the college, we are incredibly proud of our students. Simply reaching this stage is a testament to their technical expertise and personal commitment, but to have won medals is the icing on the cake.
“I would also like to commend the dedication of curriculum staff and training teams, who have worked very hard to prepare learners for the competition. This all cements BMet’s standing in the West Midlands, as a place to skill up and be work-ready. Furthermore, our learner success reflects their technical capability, hard work and the value of pathways that link education directly with industry.”
Pictured: Connor and Taylor
