Apprentices from Coleg Cambria achieved outstanding success at this year’s MAKE UK Regional Manufacturing Awards for Wales.

The prestigious event, organised by MAKE UK, the national body representing the UK manufacturing sector, celebrates excellence in engineering, innovation, and business performance. 

The Welsh regional awards recognised the brightest talent from across the country, with winners now set to compete at the MAKE UK National Finals in London in January.

Among the standout achievers were five Coleg Cambria apprentices representing some of Wales’s most respected employers:

• Business Apprentice Rising Star – Winner: Matthew Hoyland, Airbus Operations
• Business Apprentice Final Year – Winner: Robert Pollard, Airbus Operations
• Business Apprentice Final Year – Runner-Up: Jodie Sellers, Airbus Operations
• Engineering Apprentice Rising Star – Winner: Joe Downes, Teledyne Qioptiq
• Engineering Apprentice Final Year – Winner: Jodie Manning, Airbus Operations

These outstanding results highlight the strength of partnerships between Coleg Cambria and leading employers including Airbus Operations and Teledyne Qioptiq, both of whom continue to invest heavily in developing their future workforce through high-quality apprenticeship programmes.

Janis Richards, Regional Director for MAKE UK in Wales, said: “We’re proud to celebrate the outstanding apprentices from Coleg Cambria whose talent and determination have shone through at this year’s awards. 

They represent the future of Welsh manufacturing, and their achievements underline the vital partnership between education, industry and local communities in strengthening Wales’s skills pipeline.”

The success reinforces Cambria’s reputation as one of the UK’s leading institutions for engineering and technical education. The college works closely with employers across Wales and beyond to ensure learners gain the real-world skills, innovation mindset, and professional experience that modern industry demands.

Nick Tyson, Vice Principal for Digital, Engineering and Construction at Coleg Cambria, praised the winners and said: “We are immensely proud of our apprentices and their achievements at the MAKE UK Awards. Their success is a reflection of their dedication, the guidance of our staff, and the strong partnerships we have with employers such as Airbus and Teledyne Qioptiq.

Apprenticeships are vital to the future of the manufacturing sector, ensuring we continue to grow a skilled, innovative workforce that keeps Wales at the forefront of global industry. 

At Cambria, we’re committed to working hand in hand with businesses to develop the talent that drives progress.”