City of Bristol College students triumphed at this year’s WorldSkills UK Mechanical Engineering Design: CAD competition. The students fought off competition during the national final from across the country to win bronze and highly commended awards.

Winners in the advanced level category included Matthew Ford (below right), who scooped the bronze award, and William Rowles (right), who was awarded highly commended.

During the competition, students were tested on their performance when using the relevant software and their ability to produce an engineering based machine. The competitions involved an intensive series of stages, all set under different, pressurised environments.

Managed by UK Skills, the WorldSkills UK competitions encourage young people and adults across the country to excel in their vocational area and recognise those who have developed exceptional skills.

Peter Hersey, Curriculum Manager at City of Bristol College, commented: “This is the first time we have put our Engineering students forward for this competition and we are really pleased with their achievements. We are thrilled with the commitment shown by our staff and students and plan to use this enthusiasm and dedication to become a centre of excellence for WorldSkills CAD competitions.”

A not-for-profit organisation, UK Skills works to raise the profile of skills in the UK and oversees the WorldSkills UK competitions. All awards and competitions managed by UK Skills aim to showcase excellence and demonstrate how strong performance improves the success of both individuals and organisations.

For more information on City of Bristol College’s Engineering courses.