Students from across our nine Greater Manchester Colleges have succeeded in winning medals at the WorldSkills UK Skills Competitions.
Our Annual Skills Competitions were held in March, which provided students with the opportunity to showcase the technical skills they have learnt across 10 specialisms.
During the event over 700 students took part in activities that tested the practical skills they have been learning during their time at college. The competitions focus on the skills acquired from studying a range of technical courses including Digital/Media, Health & Social Care, Engineering, Construction, Sports, Hospitality and Hair & Beauty. These competitions provide not only an opportunity to develop technical excellence, but also personal attributes such as teamwork and resilience, as well as employability skills.
Over five years, we have seen huge growth in the number of registrations for WorldSkills UK skill competitions, in March 2022 we achieved a staggering 710 registrations. After competing against colleges nationwide, 19 Greater Manchester students successfully reached the National Finals and 8 students secured medals.
GMCG are very proud of our medallists, including Gold medal winners, Caitlin Kelly (Tameside College), Joseph Brooks and Zeeshan Hassan (Oldham College) and Amy Martin (Trafford College), our Silver medallists, Ben Love and Lucy Yelland (Tameside College) and Samantha Kinsey (Trafford College Group). We would also like to congratulate Kieran Roworth (Wigan and Leigh College) for being Highly Commended.
Trafford College Group Principal, James Scott said “GMCG is leading the way in how we work collaboratively across the city region to provide a range of skill competitions, helping to meet the skill needs of local and regional employers. Internal and external skill competitions enhance our focus on technical excellence and vocational pedagogy, they are a key element of high-quality teaching, learning and assessment.”
Trafford College Group Skills Specialist, Joan Scott said “We are so proud of all the GMCG students who have taken part in the World Skills UK competitions. By taking part in these competitions, our students are able to showcase the high-quality technical skills which they have developed during their time at college, and which will prepare them for the real world of work. It was fantastic to have nineteen learners reach the World Skills UK National Finals, and to win 8 medals is amazing. Congratulations to these students and the staff who supported them.”
