BSDC Computing learners progress to WorldSkills national qualifiers

A group of thirteen Computing students at Burton and South Derbyshire College (BSDC) have secured places in the WorldSkills National Qualifier competitions.

To reach the qualifier stage, students had to pass an online test in their chosen area. They will now battle it out with students from across the region in the national qualifier competitions in a range of different categories, including Networking and Cyber Security, IT Support Technician, Network Infrastructure Technician and Web Development.

The WorldSkills competitions, crafted by industry experts, give students the opportunity to hone the practical skills and knowledge they have developed on their course in a competitive, timed environment. It enables students to take their skills to the next level by meeting the rigorous standards demanded by the industry they are set to enter.

Students will compete in the National Qualifiers in June to find out if they will be selected to take part in the National Finals for their category in November. The College has a strong track record of WorldSkills Computing success, with two learners Josh Cooke and Brandon Shirley securing gold medals in the cyber security national final in 2022, and Vitalijs Mihnevics coming away with a bronze medal in the Network Infrastructure Technician national final in 2023. Burton and South Derbyshire College has also been selected to host the National Qualifier for Cyber Security in its brand new, state-of-the-art Cyber Security Lab on 4^th June.

Speaking about the forthcoming National Qualifier competition, Alberto Apostolou, Level 3 Cyber Security student said: “I’m excited to take part – it’s an experience. I wanted to do it a few years ago but I was a bit nervous, so this year I decided to just go for it. I want to learn new things, throw myself into the deep end and get myself out there. I’ve been working hard to develop my skills and prepare for the competition. I would definitely like to go into the cyber security profession in the future.”

Jacqui Maw, Curriculum Team Leader for Computing at BSDC said; “We’re delighted to see so many of our learners getting through to the National Qualifier stage of the WorldSkills competitions, and for our facilities to have been selected to host a competition. Our new Cyber Security Lab has provided a cutting-edge environment for our students to hone their skills, and their success across various categories, from Cyber Security to Web Development, reflects the industry-aligned training we offer. We are incredibly proud of their hard work and achievements, and look forward to supporting them as they compete for a place in the national final.”