Fourteen talented students from NWSLC and a talented trio of students from Loughborough College have reached the national finals of WorldSkills UK and will compete in November for the chance to join Team UK on an international stage at the ‘Skills Olympics’ in Shanghai in 2022.
The students will compete among 400 of their peers from all over the UK who will test their skills in over 60 competitions at 25 venues for the chance to win gold, silver, and bronze medals. The medal ceremony will take place on 26 November 2021 as part of Steph McGovern’s Channel 4 ‘Packed Lunch’ TV show.
NWSLC is proud to have named as host for the national finals in digital media production and visual merchandising which will take place at its Hinckley Campus.
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,
“We’re delighted to congratulate all our students who have worked so diligently to practice their skills in a number of disciplines, successfully showing 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. The WorldSkills UK competition experience helps to open students’ eyes to the exciting career opportunities available to them once they complete their college studies.
“We are very pleased to have been named as hosts for two competitions within the creative arts and media category and look forward to welcoming students from other colleges across the UK to our specialist creative arts Hinckley Campus.”
Jo Maher, Principal and CEO at Loughborough College, said:
“I am so proud of every one of our students for reaching the final of this incredibly challenging national skills competition. It’s a fantastic achievement.
“I know how hard it is to reach the final of WorldSkills UK having worked with them in a previous role. It requires a lot of character and skill and our students have demonstrated that in the qualifiers. Simply by competing supports students in learning life-long, world-class skills which will enhance their career opportunities in future. We wish Team Loughborough every success in the final.”
The WorldSkills UK competition-based development programmes are designed by industry experts and enhance the practical skills and knowledge taught on training courses by assessing an individual’s employability attributes against set criteria in a competitive timed environment.
Pictured: NWSLC students L-R Reece Todd, Frankie McCarthy, Jake Benson
Find out more about World Skills UK