Liam Freeguard, from Taibach, Port Talbot, was crowned Wales’ top plumber on May 9, at the Welsh final of the SkillPLUMB competition organised by SummitSkills, the Sector Skills Council for building services engineering, and supported by premier sponsor Association of Plumbing & Heating Contractors.
Nineteen year old Liam, a plumbing student at Bridgend College, competed against seven other contestants, completing both a theory examination and a seven-hour practical test based on a typical real-life work situation, involving installing pipework, valves and jointing to a high specification, and to tight timescales. Liam, who is employed by NPTCBC Building Services in Neath, has now been invited to represent Wales in the UK SkillPLUMB finals in October.
Keith Marshall, chief executive of SummitSkills, commented: “Everyone benefits from competition as it ensures the constant development of technology, quality of goods and skills provided. For the individual, like Liam, the rewards can be fantastically self- satisfying. For employers, highly adept employees contribute to the success and profitability of the company.”
SkillPLUMB, supported by BPEC and the UK Copper Board, is part of Skill M&E – three skills competitions that seek to identify the finest mechanical and electrical engineers in the building services engineering sector. Skill M&E also incorporates SkillELECTRIC for the electrical industry, and SkillFRIDGE for the refrigeration and air conditioning industry.
Delighted to win gold for Wales, Liam said: “A career in plumbing had always appealed to me as I knew this was a very good, high skilled sector to be in. It will be a huge honour to represent Wales in the UK finals using the skills I have learned.”
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2/… WELSH STUDENT SCOOPS TOP PLUMBING AWARD
Winner of the silver SkillPLUMB award was Lee Dobbins, 30, employed by Mark Forrest & Co, Colwyn Bay, who also now can go forward to the UK final. Matthew Hewitt, 18, from Grosvenor Heating in Chester, took home bronze.
The winners of the UK finals may have the chance to compete alongside other team-mates in the WorldSkills competition. The biennial event is the largest skills competition in the world and attracts around a thousand competitors from over 50 countries. The next event is in Calgary in 2009.
The Welsh Assembly Government is encouraging businesses and skills providers in Wales to join forces in a bid to secure gold at World Skills 2011, which will be held in London.
Deputy minister for skills, John Griffiths said: “If Wales is to remain competitive and prosper in the global economy it must improve its skills base to compete with emerging economies in China and India.
“Skills Competition Wales will provide all those wanting to compete at WorldSkills with an important framework from which to build on and prepare for competition on the world stage.
“These competitions, such as the one at Swansea College, are a great vehicle for highlighting the talent and skills Wales has to offer. We have to work hard and continue to push the boundaries in all sectors to stay at the cutting edge of developments.”
