Talented students compete to be named ‘Best in the UK’

Four students will represent Gower College Swansea (@GowerCollegeSwa) at this year’s prestigious WorldSkills UK National Finals which will take place from 19 – 22 November at venues across Greater Manchester.

Representing the College are:

Saffron Owens (Foundation Skills, Hairdressing)
Evelyn Howells (Restaurant Services)
Kane Morcom and Bradley Claringbold (Industrial Electronics)

They will join nearly 500 other students and apprentices for the WorldSkills UK National Finals, with the results being announced at a glittering award ceremony at Manchester’s Bridgewater Hall on the evening of Friday 22 November.

Saffron has worked alongside Hairdressing lecturer Joanna Hodgson and Curriculum Leader Michelle Williams to develop her skills in bridal updos. She has been learning different techniques in plaiting such as French, Dutch and fishtail, as well as styling hair with accessories to create a finished bridal hair design.

A relative newcomer to hairdressing, Saffron’s creative skills were noticed immediately by Jo and Michelle, who have both encouraged and mentored her throughout the WorldSkills training process.

Evelyn is hoping to follow in the footsteps of previous Hospitality and Catering alumni who have reached the finals including Jack Lewis (who has returned to College to mentor Evelyn, under the expert eye of instructor/lecturer Nicola Rees), Ryan Kenyon, Scott Mears, Trixie Belle-Ewing, Collette Gorvett,  Paulina Skoczek, Paige Jones, Ruben Johnston and Connor Trehar.

For the competition, Evelyn had to perfect a wide variety of skills including carving and serving a side of smoked salmon, decanting red wine, spiralling and flambéing pineapple, and carving and serving duck breast.

Under the guidance of Curriculum Leader and WorldSkills Trainer Steve Williams, the Electronic Engineering department has a similarly strong track record when it comes to skills competition success. Last year Tarran Spooner and Faroz Shahrokh, now both studying HE at Gower College Swansea, took the Gold and Silver respectively.

To prep for Manchester, Kane and Bradley have been working hard on mastering their electronic skill set from soldering complex circuits to building robotic vehicles and coding them to function independently. Both students have trained at every opportunity, in extra sessions at College and at home.

Gower College Swansea benefits from having embedded WorldSkills standards into its curriculum so the wider electronics cohort are always working towards vocational excellence.

The WorldSkills UK Competitions are seen as an integral part of the post-16 education and training calendar and attract over 6,000 registrations from across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland annually.  The competition-based training programmes are designed by industry experts and help young people grow personally and professionally by developing their technical and employability skills.  

Ben Blackledge, Chief Executive, WorldSkills UK said:

“Huge congratulations to this year’s National Finalists. We wish them the best of luck in their training as they prepare for the WorldSkills UK Finals.

“We look forward to working with our host venues and the Greater Manchester Combined Authority to welcome students and apprentices from all over the UK to showcase excellence in technical skills and drive forward the development of world-class skills for all young people.”

“Our four competitors have worked incredibly hard to reach the UK National Finals, even coming into College on their days off to perfect their skills,” says Jenny Hill, Gower College Swansea’s Director of Skills Development and Schools Partnership.

“We are so proud of our young learners and wish them all the best for Manchester. What a fantastic experience to take part in this prestigious showcase event, to benefit from the guidance and expertise of our exceptional teaching and mentoring staff, and to represent the College on a national stage!”