College continues WorldSkills success
Fri, 12 May 2023
Two students at Tameside College qualify for regional heat of prestigious skills competition.
Blade Massey, a former Alder Community High School pupil, and Gabriel Parker, a former Rayner Stephens High School pupil, currently studying plumbing with the college, have qualified for the regional heat of the WorldSkills UK competition.
WorldSkills, is described as the ‘Olympics for education’ are a series of competitions which take place each year, allowing students to showcase the skills they have learnt during their studies to find the best talent in everything from hair and beauty to construction and engineering.
To qualify, the pair had to complete a complicated piece of pipework following plans in the college’s construction skills centre.
Blade and Gabriel will now compete in the next stage of the competition at Bury College on Tuesday 27th June at Bury College against other students from across the north west.
This follows on from the recent success of Tameside College students Caitlin Kelly, Ben Love and Lucy Yelland who were awarded a gold and two silvers in the WorldSkills UK finals in 2022.
The eight highest scoring competitors from all the UK qualifiers will participate in the UK finals in November this year and could eventually progress onto the WorldSkills world finals in Shanghai, in 2026.
Gabriel, said: “Mark, our teacher, put us forward for the competition because we were both doing well with our work. I’m really pleased to be taking part and to have qualified for the next round of the competition. It’s really challenging work but I’m hoping that we can do well. One day, I hope to get an apprenticeship in the industry and start a business.”
Mark Kerry, plumbing teacher at Tameside College, said: “Blade and Gabriel should be proud of themselves for qualifying, in an extremely competitive competition, with a difficult task to complete. Their work has been to a very high standard and I hope that they can progress to the finals.”
To find out more about construction courses at Tameside College visit the college website.