Students reach national skills finals

ELEVEN talented students from NWSLC have reached the national finals of the Foundation Skills competition which is designed for those with special educational needs and disabilities.

The students join around 60 of their peers to test their skills in ten Foundation Skills competitions at venues across the UK for the chance to win gold, silver, and bronze medals. The medal ceremony will take place on November 26 as part of Steph McGovern’s Channel 4 ‘Packed Lunch’ TV show.

NWSLC finalists will compete in five competitions and include Kelys Ramsay and Sinead Hitchman who will test their skills in hairdressing, and Casey

McFarlane and Georgina Price who will compete in the catering skills competition. William Race, Nathaniel Hale and Hadyn Hill are through to the media finals while Emily Archer, Callum Hearne and Lewis Smith are all due to compete in the health and social care category. Samuel Barnes has reached the final of the motor vehicle competition.

Marion Plant, OBE FCGI, Principal and Chief Executive of North Warwickshire and South Leicestershire College, who is also deputy chair and trustee of WorldSkills, said: “It’s fantastic news that so many of our students have succeeded in reaching the finals of this prestigious national skills competition. They richly deserve their places in the finals and have successfully shown that they can compete on a national stage.

“Enabling young people to access the skills they need to succeed in work and life has never been more important.

Regardless of their starting point, everyone deserves a chance to do the best they can in their chosen skill area.

“At NWSLC, we are passionate about helping students with special educational needs and disabilities to progress into work and we believe that doing well in skills competitions can provide them with a great foundation as well as challenging them to aspire to exciting future careers.”