Oliver Coombs, an engineering apprentice at Bath College, has won bronze in Additive Manufacturing at the WorldSkills Shanghai Final 2026.
As one of 28 young professionals representing Team UK, Oliver competed in 3D printing, scanning and rapid prototyping on the international stage in front of an audience of thousands.
WorldSkills is globally recognised as the benchmark of skills excellence. Through competition, the organisation brings nations together to display the talent and expertise needed to drive the growth of economies and industries.
Oliver said:
Competing at WorldSkills Shanghai was a great challenge and a real test of working under pressure. Designing 3D parts within a set timeframe forced me to streamline my workflow and troubleshoot on the fly.
Winning bronze made all the hard work and preparation worth it. And the experience has given me a lot of confidence in my technical skills and career prospects.
Eric Masuku, a mechanical engineering lecturer at Bath College, said:
Oliver has been on an amazing journey with the WorldSkills competition since March 2024. He has competed online and in Manchester, where he won the gold medal in the UK competition.
Throughout his journey, he has embraced the challenge and worked hard to master new techniques while building valuable contacts in the industry. Above all, he has shown resilience, commitment and enthusiasm for additive manufacturing.
He thoroughly deserves the bronze medal. I congratulate him on embracing the challenge and running with it. The college is proud of his achievement. I thank him for his dedication throughout this journey.
Oliverβs employer, BIMTek, continues to play a vital role in his practical training and workplace development. Its investment in local apprenticeships helps build the next generation of engineers in the South West.
Bath College recognises BIMTekβs contribution to developing young talent in the engineering services industry and wishes Oliver continued success following another outstanding milestone.
