A 20-year-old from Llandudno has won a gold medal in the 3D game art final of a national skills competition.

Konrad Jaztrzebski 20, who is studying 3D animation and game, took out the Skills Competition Wales title in the 3D game art category ahead of seven other competitors.

Backed by the Welsh Government through the European Social Fund, Skills Competition Wales is a series of events held in colleges across the country, designed to celebrate vocational skills and create highly skilled, talented employees for the Welsh workforce.

The competitors were tasked with designing a throne model for a game.

Konrad said: “Competing in the 3D game art category was fun and it was great to see all the other contestants focused and showing their skills.

“Growing up, I never saw myself as creative but learning through IT software and models has really helped me express my creativity in a different way.

“I love what I do because it’s so rewarding being able to see hard work pay off, which is why I want to pursue a career in this field.

“To anyone thinking of competing at Skills Competition Wales or for those who simply want to expand their skills, I’d say go for it as it is so important to find the right path that suits your interests.”

More than 40 competitions are taking place this year, across a wide range of different vocations from forensic science and fashion technology to 3D game and food preparation.

Those who are successful may then go on to be shortlisted for the UK Squad, competing against the world’s most talented young people at the WorldSkills international final in Shanghai, China in 2021.

Minister for Economy and Transport, Ken Skates said: “Skills Competition Wales is such an important event, allowing multi-talented young people the length and breadth of Wales to put their skills to the test, building on their excellence and experiences across various fields with the opportunity to then progress and compete at UK national and international level.

“It’s also an opportunity to show the breadth of talent we have here in Wales and to celebrate the Welsh companies who are nurturing and reaping the rewards of such highly skilled, talented employees. Ensuring Wales has the skills needed for economic success has long been a priority for me personally and for the Welsh Government more broadly and it’s fantastic to see skills acknowledged in this way.

“I would like to say well done to everyone who has competed this year and add my congratulations to Konrad on his brilliant achievement. Best of luck to Konrad in the next stage of the competition and I look forward to seeing him prosper in his future career.”