STUDENT tradesmen have proved that they are some of the best in the business.

Coleg Meirion-Dwyfor’s construction department in Dolgellau were delighted by their students’ performances at the prestigious UK final of the WorldSkills UK 2017 competition.

Thomas Thomas of Porthmadog beat stiff competition in the plumbing section to make it into the four-person UK squad, whereas fellow students Robat Jones, of Rhydymain, also put in a fantastic performance in site carpentry, as did Joseph Johnstone, of Harlech, in dry-wall plastering.

Organised by the Construction Industry Training Board, WorldSkills is the longest running and largest construction skills contest in the country, having taken place for over 45 years.

Winners at the UK stage may go on to compete against the best in Europe at EuroSkills 2018 and, if successful, the best in the world at Kazan in Russia at WorldSkills 2019.

Thomas, an NVQ work-based learner who works for AER Cymru in Penrhyndeudraeth as an apprentice plumber, produced work of such high quality that he qualified to represent the UK in its four-person squad.

Read the full story in Thursday’s north editions of the Cambrian News