Student winners at national skills event

WorldSkills UK Live event was well attended by local students

STUDENTS from North Warwickshire and South Leicestershire College have won at a national skills contest.

The centre came in first place in WorldSkills UK LIVE for England after winning five gold medals, six silver and three bronze medals overall.

Cian Coakley won a gold medal for his flair in creative media makeup after he produced a vivid full body paint design on the theme of weather from around the world.

Cian, 19, achieved his Level 2 and 3 media makeup qualifications at the college having been inspired by a school visit to WorldSkills UK when he was in Year 9.

He is now studying at University College Birmingham for a degree in specialist hair and media makeup and is interested in pursuing a career in fashion editorial or film makeup.

On receiving his medal, Cian said: “I have always set myself high standards and the piece I created for WorldSkills was the first I have been completely happy with.

“The competition process was quite stressful, but it was all worth it in the end.”

He said that his tutors Lucy Johnson and Leanne Newitt had been a “massive help”, enabling him to get plenty of practice and providing helpful feedback.

His fellow student, Natalie Hill, was recognised with a highly commended certificate in the creative media makeup category.

Silver medals were collected by digital media production team Holly Johnson, 17, from Nuneaton, Joe Taplin, 19, also from Nuneaton, Sam Hemmings, 18, from Bedworth and Megan Dawes, 17, from Hinckley.

They were recognised for their work in producing a 90 second newsreel package on the WorldSkills UK event, showing their skills in directing, producing and editing.

Picking up a Silver medal for visual merchandising skills, Ellie Ruff, 17, from Nuneaton was tasked with creating a themed retail window display with the theme of the Mad Hatter’s Tea Party.

Ellie is studying

aLevel 3 qualification in graphic design at the college’s creative arts Hinckley campus.

In the Inclusive Skills competition, for young people with special educational needs and disabilities, the Gold medal for catering went to Mya Miller, 17, from Bedworth.

She prepared the impressive picnic for two.

Mya took part in the college’s Salon Culinaire challenge last year, achieving a bronze certificate, and she has now progressed onto a Level 1 programme in hospitality and catering.

Despite working in unfamiliar surroundings at a large venue, her tutor Jason Thacker said that her commitment and enthusiasm carried her through.

Gold medal-winning Shona Emslie shone in the health and social care competition during which she was judged as part of a role play in an independent living setting.

Shona would like to move on to an apprenticeship in childcare when she has completed her current qualification.

Gold medals were most also picked up for a demonstration of motor vehicle skills created by Dominik Cichonski and Shaun Osbourne while Kurtis Richards won the Silver medal in the same category.

Callum Wood, Jamie Williams and Lyndon Brown were awarded bronze medals for their skills in the media competition.

A total of 21 students from the college took part having already achieved success in regional heats.

Marion Plant, principal and chief executive of the college, said: “We are delighted that so many of our students have excelled this week and congratulate them all on their achievements.

“They have benefited from some fantastic support from their tutors who consistently go the extra mile to help them practice and prepare themselves as well as they can.

“Competitions are an excellent way of enabling students to practice real-world employability skills including performing under pressure, delivering to tight deadlines and being judged by employers against industry standards.

“Taking part in live activities inspires young people to get enthusiastic about their future career options.

“The students who took part in Inclusive Skills, in particular, already face significant challenges in their learning so to compete like this on a national stage is truly exceptional.”

WorldSkills UK LIVE had more than 70,000 visitors over three days with 562 students competing across 70 skills disciplines.