From reimagining outdoor lighting to designing a planting tool that makes gardening accessible to people with mobility issues, 18-year-old Dylan Draper from Aberdare has turned creativity into opportunity through the Innovation Awards - a joint initiative between the Welsh Government’s Innovation team and Wales’s awarding body, WJEC.
A former pupil at St John Baptist Church in Wales High School in Aberdare, Dylan is now completing a civil engineering apprenticeship with Arup, one of the UK’s leading engineering firms. He believes the skills he gained through studying Design and Technology (D&T) and entering the Innovation Awards gave him the confidence and experience to pursue an alternative route into higher education.
Dylan said: “I’ve always been someone who likes solving problems and making things better. D&T never felt like schoolwork - it was just fun. The Innovation Awards gave me a reason to push myself and having my project displayed was a huge confidence boost. It also helped me stand out when applying for my apprenticeship.”
In 2024, Dylan won second place at AS Level for his solar-powered outdoor light, inspired by a solar eclipse. This year, his A-Level project, SpudBud, has again earned him national recognition. The SpudBud is a disability-friendly allotment tool that allows users to plant potatoes without bending down, using a mechanism to move and replace soil efficiently. Dylan created the prototype after watching his grandfather struggle to garden due to back pain, and used 3D printing, circuitry and precision engineering to bring his idea to life.
Dylan explained: “It took a while to come up with the idea. I knew I wanted to design something useful, and when I saw my granddad struggling to plant, I thought there had to be a better way. Once I started working on the design, everything clicked.”
The Innovation Awards have been jointly delivered by the Welsh Government Innovation team and WJEC for more than 25 years, celebrating the creativity, curiosity and problem-solving skills of young learners across Wales. The competition recognises students studying D&T who create innovative products, services or systems that respond to real-world challenges.
The awards are a key part of the Innovation Strategy for Wales, supporting the education and economy pillars by creating a culture of innovation from an early age. Through initiatives like this, young people gain practical skills in design, digital tools and sustainable problem-solving, building a stronger foundation for Wales’s future workforce.
Ian Morgan, Chief Executive of WJEC, said: “The Innovation Awards demonstrate the power of collaboration between education and industry. They give learners the chance to showcase their ideas, develop confidence and understand the practical value of design and technology in solving everyday problems.”
Dylan’s journey shows how early exposure to innovation can open doors to meaningful careers. He’s now working on live infrastructure projects at Arup while studying for his civil engineering degree one day a week.
Dylan believes the chance to gain hands-on experience while studying was a key motivation for choosing an apprenticeship.
Dylan added: “I’ve always been a practical learner and I knew that full-time university might not suit me as well. Working on real projects, while gaining a qualification, is the perfect balance - I’m learning theory one day and applying it the next.
“Another big advantage is not having to worry about student debt. My goal is to finish my degree, gain chartership and keep progressing at Arup.”
For the Welsh Government, supporting young people like Dylan is central to building a nation - where creativity and collaboration drive opportunity and growth.
Find out more about how Wales is creating a stronger, fairer and greener nation through innovation. Visit Innovation strategy for Wales | GOV.WALES.