Tomas is just weeks away from representing the UK at WorldSkills Shanghai 2026, a journey that began with WorldSkills UK Competitions and one he still finds hard to believe.
During his time at Coleg Cambria, Ethan was put forward to take part in the Skills Wales and WorldSkills UK Competitions. It was while competing that he was offered his apprenticeship with Electroimpact, a world leader in design and manufacturing of aerospace tooling and automation. Representatives from Electroimpact were judging the competition and spotted Tomas’ potential.
“Competing gave me a fantastic insight into the role of a CNC Miller. During my interview, I was able to talk about what I had learned and showcase the part I produced in the competition, this really helped me stand out”, explains Tomas.
When Tomas found out that an apprenticeship would allow him to train on the job, while gaining qualifications and earning, he jumped at the chance. Tomas is studying for a BTEC Level 3 as part of his apprenticeship, and he hopes to progress onto higher level qualifications which will allow him to take on more responsibilities at work.
Electroimpact had already seen the benefits of participating in WorldSkills UK Competitions when their apprentice Ethan Davies represented the UK at WorldSkills Abu Dhabi 2017. Ethan used the skills he learnt to help transform ways of working and he is now UK Manufacturing Lead at Electroimpact and Tomas’ manager.
“Having Ethan’s support at work has definitely helped. He gets the pressure and the commitment – but more importantly, he knows how much you grow from it. He’s been guiding me through the training every step of the way”, explains Tomas.
When asked about the benefits of training with WorldSkills UK, Tomas says he has seen a huge boost in his confidence, both personally and professionally.
“The competition demands absolute precision and speed, and focusing on these high standards has had a direct, positive impact on my work, pushing me to improve both my accuracy and efficiency on the job”, says Tomas.
For Tomas, his success in WorldSkills UK Competitions and selection for Team confirmed what he already knew: choosing an apprenticeship was the best move for his career.
It is a huge commitment training for WorldSkills Shanghai 2026, alongside his role as a machinist apprentice, and Tomas spends most of his spare time honing his skills for competition. Adam Youens, a lecturer at Coleg Cambria and WorldSkills UK Expert is training Tomas.
Tomas’s family are extremely proud of all his achievements, even if they aren’t quite sure what a CNC Milling machine is admits Tomas. One thing Tomas does know is they’ll be cheering him on every step of the way as he heads to WorldSkills Shanghai 2026.
