Lewisham College learners were named winners at an annual national skills competition hosted by NCG, taking away three of the ten prizes.
NCG Skills brings together learners from colleges across NCG every February. Returning for its fourth year, Lewisham College welcomed learners from five colleges in areas including carpentry, hairdressing, hospitality and catering, joinery, painting and decorating and more.
Learners competed against each other in front of a panel of expert employer judges, showcasing a huge range of skills.
Lewisham College learners participated in the Hair, Beauty, Plumbing, Painting and Decorating, and Electrical Installation categories of the competition, showcasing their talent and skills. The college produced three winners, in the Electrical Installation, Plumbing and Painting and Decorating categories.
The NCG Skills competition is all about putting learners’ knowledge and skills to the test through a series of practical tasks in real work experience environments, preparing them for the reality of producing their best work under pressure.
Modelled on WorldSkills, a global network of competition-based training, assessment and benchmarking for young people, NCG Skills offers learners the chance to be put forward for regional and national competitions and represent their college on the national stage.
The competition was judged by experts in each of the categories alongside education specialists NOCN, Construction EPA, VTCT and representatives from WorldSkillsUK.
Jamie Stevenson, Principal of Lewisham College, said: “Competitions like NCG Skills offer an excellent platform for our students to practice the skills they’ve gained on their courses and learn from other competitors on the day. The competition exceeded my expectations, and the hard work put in by all competitors and the staff supporting them filled me with pride. We’re lucky to be part of a national group that can work together to offer an experience like this.
“The event was NCG at its best and was a fantastic opportunity to show off our amazing College and put us even more firmly on the map as a leading provider of skills training in the area. Congratulations to all our finalists, and well done to the winners. We wish them the best of luck for the next step in their career; they’re all fantastic representatives of NCG and their colleges.”
NCG Skills 2024 winners
- Bricklaying: Harvey McGreedy, Newcastle College
- Painting and Decorating: Glen Purcell, Lewisham College
- Joinery: Connor Irwin, Kidderminster College
- Carpentry: Bradley Valthuysen, Kidderminster College
- Culinary Arts: Geoff Harney, Carlisle College
- Plumbing: Josue Aguilar, Lewisham College
- Electrical Installation: Jayton Wignall, Lewisham College
- Creative media make up: Laura Kirk, Newcastle College
- Hairdressing: Tuan Hung Dang, Newcastle College
- Beauty: Eryn O'Connor, Kidderminster College
