College of Agriculture, Food and Rural Enterprise (CAFRE) horticulture students have paved their way to success at the Worldskills National Finals.
Harry Fitzsimmons from Portaferry and Alan Mayers from Antrim were announced as joint Gold Medal Winners with Luke Donald from Carrickfergus receiving Bronze for Landscape Gardening at the finals ceremony.
Four CAFRE Greenmount Campus students were selected to compete at the WorldSkills National Finals in Landscape Gardening which took place from November 19-24, 2024 at Oldham College, Manchester.
The final comprised eight competitors, each attempting to gain a place on the Landscape Gardening podium.
CAFRE at Worldskills National Finals
Level 3 horticulture graduate, Jacob Mercer from Newtownabbey returned to compete alongside the three CAFRE students.
The competitors followed a detailed plan to build a garden within rigid time scales and strict construction tolerances.
Senior lecturer, CAFRE, Adam Ferguson commented: “We are very proud of all our CAFRE representatives, who have shown such passion and determination to succeed.
“At CAFRE, we pride ourselves in providing opportunities for all our horticulture students. To have four competitors representing CAFRE nationwide, is a fantastic accomplishment.
“Furthermore, for three of these students to earn a place on the podium, is an exceptional achievement that must be commended. Such a fabulous accolade, not just for the students but also for horticulture at CAFRE.”
The students were introduced to the WorldSkills Competition while studying on the Level 3 Advanced Technical Extended Diploma in Horticulture at CAFRE.
Through the course, students acquire a strong foundation of horticultural expertise, developing both their practical and theoretical understanding. This training in landscape gardening allowed the students to showcase their skills at competition level.
Speaking about their achievement, Harry Fitzsimmons said: “On our path to success, we’ve received fantastic support and training from the horticulture team at CAFRE. Their encouragement and wisdom prepared us so well for our big wins.
“Competing at Worldskills UK has provided us with a tremendous opportunity to demonstrate what we can create. We’ve also had access to industry professionals who have offered us great tips for our future careers.”
Acting head of horticulture at CAFRE, David Dowd added: “I congratulate all four CAFRE representatives who competed in the national finals.
“Competing enables our students to demonstrate their exceptional talent and diverse skill set before a panel of industry experts.
“Not only have they developed their technical and employability skills, but they have also built resilience, self-confidence and communication skills through competing on a national level.
