CAFRE horticulture students excel at WorldSkills UK National Finals

Date published: 9 December 2025

Four talented students from Greenmount were selected to compete in the prestigious Landscape Gardening category, showcasing their creativity, technical ability, and dedication on a national stage.

The competition took place from 26-28 November 2025 at Bridgend College, Wales. The final comprised of eight competitors, each attempting to gain a place on the Landscape Gardening podium. Luke Donald from Carrickfergus was announced as a Silver Medal Winner with Cameron Gilbert also from Carrickfergus receiving Bronze for Landscape Gardening at the Finals Ceremony in Wales. Rhys Logan from Carrickfergus, was highly commended and Tiernan Kelly from Newtownards proved a noteworthy Finalist.

The Finalists were challenged to build a 12 metre squared landscaping project to incorporate paving, fencing, decking, turfing and planting, in under 17 hours! The competitors followed a detailed plan to build their gardens within rigid time scales and strict construction tolerances.

“We are incredibly proud of all our CAFRE representatives, who demonstrated outstanding passion and determination throughout the competition. At CAFRE, we are committed to creating opportunities for Horticulture students and having four competitors represent us in a national competition is a tremendous achievement. Securing two podium places is exceptional and deserves the highest praise. This success is not only a testament to the students’ hard work but also a fantastic accolade for Horticulture at CAFRE,” said Adam Ferguson, Senior Lecturer at CAFRE.

Students first encountered the WorldSkills Competition while studying for their Level 3 Advanced Technical Extended Diploma in Horticulture. Throughout the programme, they build a solid foundation in horticultural knowledge, combining practical skills with theoretical understanding. Their comprehensive training in landscape gardening equipped them to demonstrate their expertise at a competitive level.

Speaking about their achievements Luke Donald said: “Having competed at WorldSkills UK Finals last year, I was delighted to qualify to compete again in 2025. I set off this year better prepared for the challenge with a personal aim to win a medal. Our journey to success has been supported by the incredible guidance and training from the Horticulture team at CAFRE. Their expertise and encouragement prepared us brilliantly. Competing at WorldSkills UK gave us an amazing platform to showcase our creativity and skills. We also benefited from valuable insights shared by industry professionals, offering tips that will shape our future careers.”

Martin Wooster, Horticulture Lecturer at CAFRE, supported the team during preparations for and during the competition period, and commented:
“I want to congratulate all four CAFRE representatives who competed in the National Finals. Taking part in competitions gives our students the chance to showcase their exceptional talent and wide-ranging skills to a panel of industry experts. Beyond technical ability, they develop employability skills, resilience, confidence, and strong communication, all essential for success in the horticulture sector.”

If you are interested in following a career in Horticulture, CAFRE offers courses from Level 2 through to Honours Degree at Greenmount Campus.

Apply now for our Level 2 and Level 3 courses via the CAFRE website or the full-time Foundation Degree and Honours Degree top-up course through: www.ucas.com