Ruben secures silver medal at WorldSkills championships

Ruben Duggan, a 21-year-old plumber from Manmoel, Wales, showcased his exceptional skills on an international level. On Sunday, Ruben secured a joint silver medal at the prestigious WorldSkills finals in Lyon, marking a significant accomplishment for himself, his college, and the broader community.

The WorldSkills finals, often called the ‘skills Olympics,’ featured over 1500 participants from 69 countries competing in 62 skills over four days. The event saw more than 250,000 spectators witness the young professionals’ talents.

Team UK, trained by WorldSkills UK, excelled, with members gaining global recognition from industry experts. Their participation in WorldSkills Lyon 2024 aligns with WorldSkills UK’s mission to implement world-class training standards in the UK, in partnership with education, industry, and government.

Ruben started his journey five years ago as an apprentice at Coleg y Cymoedd, honing his skills while working for his family’s business, Powerserv LTD. His success serves as inspiration to other students by highlighting the opportunities available through competitions like WorldSkills UK.

At the closing ceremony, Skills Minister Jacqui Smith said: “Everyone competing in WorldSkills has demonstrated their potential as future leaders and innovators, proving that the future is in capable hands.”

After Team UK secured a top ten position in the medal standings, Ben Blackledge, Chief Executive of WorldSkills UK, commented: “It’s brilliant to see that our continued focus on raising the quality and standard of skills is delivering, not only for Team UK but the country as a whole.

“High-quality skills development is crucial to growing the economy, and Team UK’s medal-winning performance in front of a global audience sends a strong message that the UK is a world-class place to invest, develop talent, and create jobs.”

Reflecting on his accomplishment, Ruben said: “It means everything to me. My whole life revolves around it now. Not just mine, but also my mum and dad’s, as I get to represent our family company. So, my entire family is super proud, and it means a lot to us all.”

Ruben’s success stems from his dedicated training with Lee Perry and at GROHE’s headquarters in Germany. Balancing training, work, and personal life has been challenging, but his passion keeps him focused. WorldSkills UK greatly enhanced his career, improving his accuracy, pressure management, and time management skills.

Lee Perry, Plumbing Lecturer at Coleg y Cymoedd and Ruben’s tutor, expressed his admiration, stating: “What a moment as a tutor to witness Ruben Duggan collect the silver medal—a truly amazing achievement at this level.

“Ruben’s dedication and hard work throughout this process truly reflect his character. I’m extremely proud. It’s been a pleasure to be part of this journey, and I appreciate everyone’s support from the college. Your contributions have been invaluable.”

Jonathan Morgan, Principal of Coleg y Cymoedd, expressed his gratitude: “As we celebrate Ruben’s achievement of winning a silver medal, we thank WorldSkills UK—a partnership among education, industry, and UK governments—for their dedication to maintaining world-class training standards across the country. We also extend our thanks to Inspiring Skills Excellence in Wales for their commitment to enhancing skills practice among competitors from colleges in Wales.

“Congratulations to Ruben on this outstanding accomplishment, and a heartfelt thanks to the staff for their considerable time and efforts in supporting their learners, especially Ruben’s tutor, Lee Perry. Coleg y Cymoedd is extremely proud to have contributed to Ruben’s journey and eagerly anticipates his future successes.”

Ruben’s career goal is simple yet profound: “To be the best plumber I can be.” The college is confident that with his talent and determination, Ruben will continue to achieve remarkable success and inspire many along the way.

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