COLEG Cambria is set to sharpen the future of food skills with the launch of its brand-new Butchery Academy.
And leading the way is award-winning butcher and mentor, Matt Edwards.
Matt – Food Manufacturing Work-Based Learning Practitioner at Cambria and a former WorldSkills UK gold medallist – has already been sharing his expertise with learners.
Recently, he supported Gabi Wilson, from NPTC Group in Newtown, ahead of her appearance in the cooking category at EuroSkills in Denmark.
Gabi and her tutors specifically turned to Matt for his sector knowledge and competition experience, underlining his reputation as one of the UK’s foremost industry experts.
“It was a pleasure to work with Gabi and help her refine her butchery skills in preparation for EuroSkills,” said Matt.
“With the new Butchery Academy at Coleg Cambria, we’ll soon be offering classes not only to trainee butchers but also to chefs and members of the public. It’s about showcasing the craft and inspiring the next generation.”
The Academy will be based at the state-of-the-art training kitchen launched in partnership with The Savoy Educational Trust at Yale in Wrexham earlier this year.
The cutting-edge facility was part-funded by the Trust and is located alongside Iâl Restaurant in the college’s £21m Hafod building.
Matt’s journey began at just 14 in a local butcher’s shop before training at award-winning outlets including Swans Farm Shop (Treuddyn), Jones’s Butchers (Llangollen), and with Steve Vaughan in Penyffordd.
Now, from behind the training block rather than the counter, he is committed to supporting the sector’s new blood through mentoring, competitions, and outreach.
Kate Muddiman, Cambria’s Work-based Learning Manager, praised his impact: “By connecting expertise from different colleges, we are ensuring young people have the best possible preparation to compete internationally.
“Skills-based education is about creating opportunities, raising aspirations, and showing learners that their craft can open doors to global success.”
Alongside his role at Cambria, Matt is also an Inspiring Skills Excellence in Wales ambassador, promoting the trade in schools and championing a profession that is seeing growing demand for skilled candidates.
