Cambrian Training Company (CTC) prides itself on its industry leading links.
Cambrian Training Company grew out of being a subsidiary of Mid Wales Tourism that delivered vocational skills to support the development of the region’s tourism sector to help strengthen economic opportunities in rural Wales. The company has since expanded, widening its work-based learning and skills and apprenticeship programmes into a number of sectors and now operates across Wales. CTC’s heart does however remain in its tourism roots and is the leading provider of hospitality and food and drink apprenticeships in Wales.
Proactively Supporting the Welsh Hospitality Sector
CTC sponsors and supports the work of the Culinary Association of Wales. CTC’s Executive Chairman, Arwyn Watkins OBE, is the President of the Culinary Association of Wales (CAW) and all CTC’s Culinary Arts Training Officers are members of CAW.
CTC staff work alongside CAW members to help deliver the Association’s annual Welsh International Culinary Championships (WICC). The event brings together craft chefs, craft butchers and front of house staff to compete in three days of competitions and skills classes, including the prestigious National and Junior Chef of Wales.
With CTC’s ongoing support the WICC has grown from strength-to-strength and has become the biggest hospitality skills event in Wales.
Lead for the Skills Competition Wales Hospitality Finals
For the first time, the Skills Competition Wales hospitality finals, managed by CTC, took place at the WICC.
Skills Competition Wales aims to raise the profile of skills in Wales and is part of the Welsh Government funded Inspiring Skills Excellence Programme. Apprentices are given a chance to challenge, benchmark and raise their skills by taking part in competitions across a range of sectors.
CAW president Arwyn Watkins OBE commented:
“The WICC is a real opportunity for the sector to come together, network and do business. The WICC is also a key promotional event on the ‘road to 2026’ as Wales prepares to host the Worldchefs Congress and Expo at ICC Wales in May 2026. This will be a once in a lifetime opportunity for Wales to showcase its fantastic food and drink and hospitality to an international audience that includes the top chefs from across the world.”
Championing Welsh Food and Drink
CTC is the official sponsor of the Apprentice of the Year in the annual Welsh Food & Drink Awards. These annual awards give Welsh food and drink businesses a great opportunity to showcase their brand, products, plans and people, highlighting what makes them stand out from the competition. CTC is proud to highlight the important role played by apprenticeships in the sector supporting continual professional development and career succession.
CTC is the biggest work-based learning provider of butchery apprenticeships in Wales and is the official sponsor of the Welsh Craft Butcher of the Year. This competition shines a light on the skills, expertise and knowledge to succeed in the butchery profession, as well as promote Welsh butcher’s shops and Welsh GI meat.
CTC’s Butchery Training Officer, Craig Holly was Welsh Butcher of the Year in 2018, and runner-up in the Butchery WorldSkills UK finals in the same year. He was also a member of the Craft Butchery Team Wales where he had the honour to compete for his country in the World Butcher Challenge 2022 held in America. Today, he is training the next generation of Welsh butchers to help ensure they succeed in their profession.
Promoting Welsh Tourism
CTC sponsored the inaugural Mid-Wales Tourism Awards and is an associate sponsor in 2024 on their return after the COVID pandemic.
“Tourism is one of the largest employers in Mid Wales and has grown significantly over the past ten years. CTC is proud to support this important sector for the rural mid-Wales economy” said Faith O’Brien, Managing Director of CTC.
Cambrian Training Company Group also has a number of businesses, so the company understands its business sectors from the working end. It has Get Jerky, an artisan Welsh food company specialising in the production of Welsh GI beef jerky and has recently launched Salt Beef by Trailhead again using prime Welsh GI beef. More recently it has held The Mid Wales Autumn Fayre on the first weekend of October at the Royal Welsh Showground to help extend the tourism season into the autumn. The Fayre provides an invaluable platform for Welsh artisan food and drink businesses and other small and micro-Welsh businesses to promote, market and sell their produce and showcase all that’s special about Wales. One of the biggest attractions is the top chefs and butchers from across Wales, demonstrating their skills and highlighting Wales’ hospitality, food and drink and Welsh meat, to help drive sales and support the Mid Wales rural economy. This year the National Chef of Wales, Josh Morris and Junior Chef of Wales, Sam Everton will be headlining in the live kitchen theatre.
Faith O’Brien concluded:
“At CTC, we’re driven by action, committed to making things happen. This dedication distinguishes us, allowing us to stay closely connected to the needs of our business clients and learners, and ensuring we’re always ready to support them effectively.”
