Peter called up to WorldSkills UK training squad

Former Coleg Menai student Peter Jenkins has been called up to the UK squad preparing for next year’s WorldSkills event in China.

Peter is an engineering apprentice with the Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC) at Daresbury Laboratory, which is globally renowned for its research into cutting-edge particle physics.

He helps to create parts for international research projects such as the Large Hadron Collider and the Deep Underground Neutrino Experiment (DUNE), which scientists are using to study the origins of the universe and the behaviour of subatomic particles.

Before beginning his apprenticeship, Peter studied Level 3 Mechanical Engineering at Coleg Menai’s Llangefni campus.

The 20-year-old from Holyhead will represent Grŵp Llandrillo Menai on the international stage if he makes the cut for Shanghai 2026, having been called up to the training squad for Robotic Systems Integration.

“I’m very happy, surprised and excited to have been called up to the WorldSkills UK squad,” said Peter, who qualified for last year’s WorldSkills UK final while still a Coleg Menai student, putting him in contention for the squad.

Over the coming months, Peter will compete with at least one other candidate to be named the UK’s sole competitor in Robotic Systems Integration for the ‘Skills Olympics’, which take place in September 2026.

Peter has recently started work at Daresbury Laboratory, after the first year of his apprenticeship was study-based.

He has already helped to build two ‘winders’ for DUNE. These are machines which precisely wrap thin wires around a frame, creating a part which enables scientists to detect tiny particles known as ‘neutrinos’.

Peter will also be creating parts for the ‘High-Luminosity Large Hadron Collider project’, run by CERN (The European Organization for Nuclear Research), which will help scientists detect more data in their search to unlock the secrets of the universe.

He said: “The apprenticeship is going really well. I’ve learned a lot and have been able to see a lot. I feel like it’s going to give me a lot of opportunities.

“I’m most looking forward to working on the Hi-Lumi upgrade, a project which will improve the efficiency of the Large Hadron Collider.

“The most exciting thing I’ve worked on so far would definitely be the DUNE winders - I’ve helped to build two of the winders, which wind copper-beryllium wire to a very high tolerance around the frames and should hopefully be working 24/7.”

Peter is grateful to Coleg Menai, and especially lecturers Bryn Jones and Mac Jones, for nurturing his interest in engineering and empowering him to discover his career path.

He said: “I gained a lot of experience and knowledge from Coleg Menai. My tutors helped me realise that I really want to do engineering, and also that I actually want to do mechanical engineering more than electronic.

“They supported me more than I could have ever imagined and gave me so many opportunities and experiences in the short time I was at the college. Even though I’m no longer a student, I’m still in contact with both Bryn and Mac, and they are still asking after me and wanting to support me on my journey. It’s just been amazing.”

Peter joins Coleg Menai student Evan Klimaszewski (Electronics) in the WorldSkills UK training squad, along with Coleg Llandrillo’s Yuliia Batrak (Restaurant Service) and Grŵp Llandrillo Menai / RWE apprentice Madeleine Warburton (Renewable Energy).

With only spot available in each skill, they will all face tough competition over the next year to book a place on the plane to Shanghai.

• WorldSkills Shanghai 2026 (September 22-27) will be the 48th edition of the world's biggest international skills competition. WorldSkills UK, in partnership with Pearson, has announced a squad of more than 80 young people to join its 18-month intensive training programme, with the aim of being selected for Team UK. See the full squad here.

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