Duo goes above and beyond to win bronze

Two ACT learners were amongst a wave of Welsh competitors who dominated at the WorldSkills UK National Finals last week. 

Of the 118 Welsh learners who took part in the competition, 70 bagged a medal – with Team Wales taking 16 gold, 20 silver, 22 bronze, and 12 highly commended. 

ACT accountancy apprentices, Gareth Williams and Jessica Poole, took bronze at the finals which were held in venues across Manchester from November 19th to November 22nd. 

The duo’s achievement was the result of many months of hard work, with the pair progressing throughout the competition from local and regional levels. 

The competition began earlier this year with Skills Competition Wales, which is coordinated by the Inspiring Skills Excellence in Wales project. Partly funded by the Welsh Government and run by colleges, work-based learning providers and organisations, it aims to inspire future generations by showcasing the importance of vocational skills. 

Nerys Hiscocks, Gareth and Jess’ AAT tutor at ACT, said: “Considering Jess and Gareth began Level 3 just over a year ago and have already competed in both Welsh Skills and World Skills, it’s incredible to see how much they’ve grown and accomplished.  

“The knowledge and skill set they brought to the competition were remarkable, and I feel that I’ve learned just as much from them as I have taught them. Both of them have bright futures ahead, and I’m so proud to have played a part in their journey.” 

Karen Richards, AAT route coordinator at ACT, added: “After winning Gold in the Skills competition Wales in January, Gareth and Jess next entered the WorldSkills UK Accounting Technician competition. Here they would be competing against learners who had completed or almost completed AAT L4. As they progressed through the qualifying rounds, it was wonderful to see them grow in confidence as individuals as well as a team. Watching them present in the National qualifiers was a real privilege. Their joy and pride in a job well done was infectious.  

 “Winning a place in the National finals meant they now needed to work beyond the AAT curriculum in order to critically evaluate the position of a business and its business strategies for entering new markets.  

“On day one they were provided with a case study and required to create a presentation that addressed five key tasks.  

“On day two, whilst waiting to present, Gareth and Jess had to complete a range of accounting calculation tasks. They then gave a 17-minute PowerPoint presentation on their analysis of the case study (which they chose to do without notes). The case study they worked on was designed to stretch learners and provide an example of the depth of analysis required during L7 Accounting studies. 

“Just three weeks into their L4 studies, Gareth and Jess competed over two days, at the WorldSkills finals in Oldham. We were all delighted when they won the Bronze Medal. They were the only team of two to win a medal.  

“As a team, we are so tremendously proud of Gareth and Jess. The medals are impressive but the way they worked as a team and strove to improve was exemplary. As tutors, we had no experience of the WorldSkills that we could impart, so their achievements are all the more impressive.” 

The achievements of Gareth, Jess and the rest of the Welsh team even caught the attention of Minister for Culture, Skills and Social Partnership, Jack Sargeant, who said: “I congratulate Team Wales on their remarkable success at the WorldSkills UK and SkillBuild National Finals. Once again, they demonstrated their excellence, emerging triumphant with an impressive haul of medals, highlighting the dedication and talent within our country.”