Posted: 14/09/15
Four fit for finals!
Four competition-winning students from West Nottinghamshire College are celebrating judges’ decisions to place them in national final competitions.
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(lr) Andy Gardner, tutor Aaron Hulka and Kalum Pepperday
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Deputy principal Patricia Harman with Stefan Hubble who achieved 1st place in painting and decorating senior competitions
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Deputy principal Patricia Harman with Stuart Peach who achieved 1st place in the plastering senior competition
The foursome consists of Andy Gardner, (18), and Kalum Pepperday, (17), from IT programmes and Stuart Peach, (36), and Stefan Hubble, (25), from plastering and painting and decorating courses respectively.
They will all be heading to The Skills Show in November at Birmingham’s NEC to take their skills to the next level. This year, the finals of the WorldSkills UK Skills Competitions, which identify the most skilled young people in the country, will be held at The Skills Show.
Finalists will aim to become UK champion in their chosen skill and those who excel may be selected to train with ‘Squad UK’ to represent the country at WorldSkills Abu Dhabi 2017.
In June BTEC Diploma in IT students Andy Gardner and Kalum Pepperday put their skills to the test in the regional World Skills IT Support Technician and Network System Administrator categories of the competitions, at Bedford College.
Andy, who has gone on to Nottingham Trent University to study a degree in computer systems covering forensics and security, said: “I’m delighted to have reached this level with my IT skills and I’m looking forward to the test of the national competitions.”
In the construction school of learning back in April, Stuart and Stefan came first in their specialist categories at the regional heats of SkillBuild, which were hosted at West Nottinghamshire College.
Stuart used his skills from the plastering level 2 diploma to produce a fibrous plaster piece which included curved and panelled moulding.
Stefan put his painting and decorating level two skills to the test which saw him create a detailed scale drawing using his technical painting skills within a five-hour timed session.
Head of building and construction, Julian Walden, said: “We had some very impressive results overall at the regional competitions in spring and it’s great to see that Stefan and Stuart’s first places have earned enough points to continue on to the UK finals.
“We’ll be sure to support them in Birmingham and I know their tutors are working closely with them to ensure their skills are at the highest level.”
