A Coleg Menai lecturer is in France for a special international competition.

Bryn Jones, an engineering lecturer, is in Lyon for the WorldSkills 2024, known as the 'Skills Olympics.'

The competition features more than 1,500 young people from 65 countries who compete for medals in various disciplines, including cyber security, renewable energy, digital construction, cooking, hairdressing, painting and decorating, and more.

Mr Jones was appointed as training manager for additive manufacturing by WorldSkills UK.

He has been responsible for preparing the UK squad and team for the competition.

During the event, he has taken on the role of expert, overseeing the running and marking of the competition.

He has been mentoring Oscar McNaughton, a student at the University of Wales Trinity St David, who has been selected to represent the UK in the category.

Mr McNaughton is competing against other candidates from around the world over five days in tasks involving computer-aided design, 3D printing, and 3D scanning.

Under Mr Jones' guidance, Mr McNaughton has trained using the state-of-the-art facilities at Coleg Menai’s Llangefni campus and has had sessions with tech firm Autodesk in Birmingham.

Former Coleg Menai lecturer Iwan Roberts, now an education manager with Autodesk, is also in Lyon.

Coleg Menai lecturer Bryn Jones with competitor at WorldSkills 2024 in Lyon  (Image: Coleg Menai)

Mr Jones said: "It’s been an amazing experience being here in Lyon, seeing all these experts who are at the top of their field.

"It’s very difficult to know how Oscar will do because there are very strong competitors here from nations across the world.

"But he’s been training really well and he’s a very capable individual, so fingers crossed."

WorldSkills UK has selected a team of 31 students and apprentices to compete in France.

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Ben Blackledge, WorldSkills UK chief executive, said: "The UK’s participation in the ‘Skills Olympics’ will provide vital insights to ensure we can develop our apprenticeship and training programmes, to make them truly world-class.

"I couldn’t be prouder of the exceptional young people in Team UK.

"They are fantastic role models."

Eight learners have been selected to represent Grŵp Llandrillo Menai in this year’s WorldSkills UK national finals, taking place in Manchester in November.

They will have a chance to stake a claim for future Team UK spots, with the next WorldSkills competition taking place in Shanghai in 2026.

The eight are Evan Klimaszewski (industrial electronics), Lucas Jackson (CNC milling), Sion Elias and Peter Jenkins (both industrial robotics), Heather Wynne (hairdressing), Clare Sharples, Carwyn Littlewood, and Lauren Harrap-Tyson (all accountancy technician).