We’re proud to announce that five of our talented students have secured places in the WorldSkills UK National Finals 2025, taking place this autumn across various venues in South Wales.

Three of the finalists are from Cheadle College, with John Paul Johnson, Dua Allah and Adam Massey all competing in the Foundation Skills: Enterprise category. From Trafford College, Finley Woodward will compete in Restaurant Service, while Isabelle Burgess has made the finals in SFX Makeup and Hair for Film and TV.

Their success follows regional qualifying heats earlier this year and reflects Trafford and Stockport College Group’s growing reputation for excellence in technical and vocational education. We believe we have the highest number of finalists from any college in Greater Manchester, underscoring our commitment to developing industry-ready talent.

James Scott, CEO and Principal, said: “To have five students through to the national finals is an incredible achievement and one we’re hugely proud of. These competitions are about much more than medals, they build confidence, sharpen skills, and open doors. Our students have worked with focus and passion, supported by brilliant staff, and now they have the chance to compete on a national stage. We’ll be cheering them on every step of the way.”

Finlay Woodward, a Level 3 Food & Beverage Supervision student, was thrilled to make the finals. He said: “I couldn’t believe I’d got through! In the regional finals we had to make cocktails and mocktails, set up a table for an awards evening, demonstrate a flambee and a salad dish all within the theme of ‘Stage and Screen’ so I chose Mamma Mia. I’m looking forward to the final.”

The WorldSkills UK National Finals will take place from 25 to 28 November, hosted at institutions across South Wales including Cardiff and Vale College, Bridgend College, Coleg Gwent, the University of South Wales, and the University of Wales Trinity Saint David.

Winners will be revealed at a celebration ceremony on Thursday 28 November, following four days of competition across more than 45 different skills.

In addition to our WorldSkills UK successes, we’re also proud to highlight that Greg Heywood, a student at Stockport College, has earned a place in the national finals of the CITB SkillBuild Competition, the largest and longest-running multi-trade skills competition in the UK.

The SkillBuild national finals will take place in Milton Keynes, where Greg will be competing in the Carpentry category – a fantastic achievement and further evidence of the outstanding talent being developed across the Trafford & Stockport College Group. We wish all our six students the very best!