Yuliia was already an accomplished chef when she arrived in Wales. Her passion for food started in childhood when she made and sold cakes in her uncle’s shop in Ukraine, and she was delighted that she could continue developing her skills at Grŵp Llandrillo Menai.
Now studying Level 3 Professional Culinary Arts and preparing for Level 3 Front of House next year, Yuliia’s talents shone through, and she was put forward for the Skills Wales and WorldSkills UK Competitions. Her success led to a spot on the WorldSkills Shanghai 2026 training squad and selection to represent the UK in Restaurant Service at EuroSkills Herning 2025—Europe’s largest skills competition.
“Being selected for Team UK at EuroSkills is the proudest moment of my life. When I came to the UK, I never imagined I would get this far. The positive pressure of competing, the wide range of projects I’ve worked on, and the networking opportunities have been invaluable to my college work and career.”
Yuliia will attend training sessions at the Ritz in London and Gleneagles in Scotland as part of her preparation for EuroSkills. She is also set to attend the London Wine Fair, an exclusive event for top industry professionals.
In addition to her studying and training, Yuliia also works part-time at the four-star St George’s Hotel in Llandudno. Her employers are very proud of her success and have been looking at how they can incorporate the new skills that Yuliia is learning into their business.
Yuliia is especially grateful to her teachers and training mentors, particularly Mike Garner, for their unwavering support.
“I’m so grateful to my college and tutor for believing in me and encouraging me to take part in skills competitions. They’ve been with me every step of the way throughout all of my competitions, and without them, I wouldn’t be where I am now.”
Yuliia’s one bit of advice for apprentices and learners who are looking to take part in next year’s WorldSkills UK Competitions is ‘Go for it! I’m doing something I love every single day – the opportunities available are endless.”
Follow Yuliia’s journey @WorldSkills UK
Pearson is the official partner of Team UK for EuroSkills Herning 2025 and WorldSkills Shanghai 2026.
Find out how the WorldSkills UK Learning Lab can support apprentices and learners.
