UWTSD student Arwen Garland named finalist in Young Chef Young Waiter Young Mixologist Wales 2025

The University of Wales Trinity Saint David (UWTSD) is proud to announce that 19-year-old Events and International Festivals Management student, Arwen Garland, has been selected as a finalist in the waiter category of this year’s Young Chef Young Waiter Young Mixologist Wales competition. The prestigious event will be held at Swansea.com Stadium on Monday, September 22, 2025, showcasing the brightest young talent in Wales’s hospitality sector.

A fluent Welsh speaker from Swansea, Arwen has been passionate about hospitality since she began working at Swansea.com Stadium on her 16th birthday. Her very first shift saw her assisting with a three-course dining experience at the Elton John concert, an experience that sparked her enthusiasm for the industry. Over the past three years, she has risen through the ranks at the stadium, working across conference and events teams, set-up crews, and matchday hospitality, and is now also a bar supervisor at the Swansea Building Society Arena.

Arwen chose to study at UWTSD because of the Events and International Festivals Management course, drawn by its emphasis on hands-on learning and opportunities to link classroom study with industry experience. She has already completed over 100 hours of work experience, including helping to deliver the ITT Annual Conference, where she took on the fun role of “Minnie Mouse” to entertain delegates.

She has also travelled with her class to the World Travel Market in London, an experience she describes as a course highlight, giving her insight into the global opportunities available in the industry.

Reflecting on her selection as a finalist, Arwen said:

“It’s a real honour to be representing UWTSD in this competition. The course has given me so much knowledge and confidence, from gaining qualifications in service and wine to learning about sustainability and event management. Being part of Young Chef Young Waiter Young Mixologist is an amazing opportunity to showcase those skills and push myself even further.”

Dr Jayne Griffith-Parry, Academic Director of Hospitality and Tourism Management at UWTSD, said:

“Arwen is a wonderful example of the talented, motivated, and professional young people we are proud to support at UWTSD. She has embraced every opportunity to develop her skills and her passion for hospitality shines through. To be a finalist in this competition so early in her career is a fantastic achievement, and we are excited to see her future unfold.”

Arwen’s ambitions are to take on as much experience as possible during her studies and ultimately progress into a management role in the hospitality industry. For now, her focus is on starting her second year at UWTSD – and hopefully lifting the trophy at this year’s competition finals.

Further Information

Rebecca Davies

Executive Press and Media Relations Officer    
Corporate Communications and PR    
Email: rebecca.davies@uwtsd.ac.uk    
Phone: 07384 467071