Posted: 11/06/15
Talented students show their true colours
Hairdressing students at West Nottinghamshire College proved they are a cut above the rest by showcasing their talents in a skills challenge.
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Competition winners Maria Chiriac (centre, left) and Jessica Britton (centre, right) proudly show-off their prizes, joined by Nick Thorpe, Nina Harrower and fellow competitors.
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Kerry Smedley (left) and Holly Wright get stuck into the timed challenge
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Students (from left) Joanna Jones, Hannah Davies, Brittany Mills and Lucy Davies in action
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Tiana Nolan (left) and Ellie Roebuck trim their mannequin's hair after applying a colour correction
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Naomi Atterby (left) and Shauna Jarvis blow-drying their mannequin's hair
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Georgia Jankiwskyj (right) styles her mannequin's hair, directed by team member Phoebe Garden
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Eventual winners Maria Chiriac (left) and Jessica Britton trimming hair in readiness for styling
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Hairdressing students applying their colour-correction techniques
To mark the eighth annual VQ Day – a national celebration of vocational qualifications – yesterday (Wednesday 10 June), students on the Level 2 Diploma in Hairdressing were tasked by tutors with performing a full colour-correction treatment on head mannequins, with prizes up for grabs to the winners.
Colour correction is a commonplace treatment for clients who want to change their hair colour or have a previous colour rectified.
Working in pairs, the 20 learners had 90 minutes to professionally change their mannequin’s hair colour before finishing off with a blow-dry. The timed challenge saw students use their skills and experience to determine a suitable colour, assess whether their planned technique would work and then successfully apply it.
Judging the competitors’ work were commercial hair, beauty and spa manager Nick Thorpe and hairdressing tutor Nina Harrower.
Winners of the challenge – which took place at the college’s hair and beauty salons, Revive, at its Derby Road campus in Mansfield – were Maria Chiriac, 18, and Jessica Britton, 16, who bagged hair treatment and styling products after impressing judges with the high standard of their finished work.
Jessica, of Creswell, near Worksop, said: “The challenge really put us on the spot and tested what we could do. It was good practice for what we’ll have to do in the workplace one day.”
Maria, of Shirland, near Alfreton, said: “It was quite a complicated task. We had to really concentrate on what we were doing and it was important to communicate with each other. I’m very proud that we won.”
Mr Thorpe said: “Students enjoyed the challenge and put absolutely everything into it. It was great to see them using the skills and knowledge they have gained over the past year and applying these in a competitive scenario.
“Colour correction is one of the most popular services in our commercial salon and is a skill that students will require when they go into industry, so the task enabled them to gain even more experience in this popular, but complex, treatment.
“The challenge also showcased the importance of vocational qualifications because our aim is to prepare students for employment and these are the types of skills that will help them get there.”
VQ Day is led by independent education charity, the Edge Foundation, and aims to celebrate the benefits of technical, practical and vocational learning, not only to individuals but also to employers and the UK economy.
