Yuliia wins Medallion for Excellence at EuroSkills 2025
The Coleg Llandrillo hospitality learner was awarded the accolade in the Restaurant Service category of Europe’s most prestigious skills competition
Coleg Llandrillo student Yuliia Batrak was awarded the Medallion For Excellence at EuroSkills 2025 in Denmark.
Yuliia was representing Team UK in Restaurant Service, and received the accolade for achieving the European standard over three days of competition in Herning.
The 19-year-old, who lives in Colwyn Bay, is studying a Level 3 Diploma in Food & Beverage Service Supervision at Coleg Llandrillo’s Rhos-on-Sea campus.
Pictures: WorldSkills UK
Originally from Kyiv in Ukraine, Yuliia has studied at the college since 2022, after her family moved to North Wales following the invasion by Russia.
She was selected for EuroSkills by WorldSkills UK as part of the team’s preparation for next year’s WorldSkills event in China.
Yuliia, who was joined by her mum Liudmyla and younger sister Alona in Herning, said: “I came from the Ukraine three years ago and fell in love with the United Kingdom - and restaurant services.
“WorldSkills UK has given me this amazing opportunity to learn so much and compete on the European stage. Grŵp Llandrillo Menai provided all the equipment for the training and helped me so much, and my teachers Mike Garner and Glen Hughes have been so supportive with everything. I am very grateful to everyone who helped me.”
Yuliia’s personal tutor Mike Garner, a hospitality lecturer at Coleg Llandrillo, said: “From the very first training sessions I spent with Yuliia, you could see she had the dedication and focus to achieve great things and gain great success. She has been on a fantastic journey so far with more yet to come.
“I am incredibly proud of Yuliia and all that she has achieved so far, and throughout all of the hard work and long hours spent learning and practicing she has always done so with a smile. Well done Yuliia, an amazing achievement!”
Coleg Llandrillo Principal Paul Flanagan said: “We are immensely proud of Yuliia’s outstanding achievement at EuroSkills 2025. Her talent, dedication, and resilience are an inspiration to fellow learners and a testament to the exceptional teaching and support at Coleg Llandrillo. This success also highlights the world-class skills being nurtured here in North Wales.”
Also competing in EuroSkills was Coleg Menai student Evan Klimaszewski, in the Electronics category.
Both Evan and Yuliia are in the WorldSkills UK training squad for next year’s ‘Skills Olympics’ in Shanghai (September 22 to 27). Over the coming months they will face a series of training and selection events in their respective skills, before one competitor in each category is chosen to represent the UK in China.
Engineering lecturers Geraint Rowlands and Bryn Jones were also with the UK team in Herning, as experts on the judging panels in electronics and mechanical engineering (computer-aided design) respectively.
Over the three days of competition in Herning, Team UK claimed one Bronze Medal - won by Patrick Sheerin and Caolan McCartan in the industry 4.0 category - and five Medallions for Excellence.