Students from across the College’s campuses competed in a series of challenges, having secured their places by excelling in the in-house competitions held in January. The top three students from each category at the inter-campus level have now earned the opportunity to advance to the WorldSkills UK entry stage competitions, a significant step towards potentially competing at a national level.
The inter-campus competitions featured students enrolled in Level 2 Traineeship and Level 3 NVQ Beauty Therapy courses and the Level 3 Nail Technology course. They were tasked with demonstrating their creativity, precision and industry-standard techniques under the watchful eyes of expert judges Rebecca Duff from Moon and Muse Studio and Davy Reid from Perfections Spa.
In the massage competition, Brooke Hemphill secured first place, followed by Rachel Loftus in second place and Oktawia Szefler in third place. The make-up competition saw Asha McKay take first place, with Feeya Bergin coming in second and Olivia Grzeszczak in third. For the nail competition, Kayla Wright claimed first place, Bianca Gradisteanu took second place, and Kyree Brett finished in third place.
Sharon Eatwell, Curriculum Area Manager for Beauty at Northern Regional College, commended the students for their hard work and dedication, “WorldSkills competitions are widely recognised as the gold standard for skills excellence. These competitions encourage students to push the boundaries of their abilities, refine their technical expertise and gain invaluable industry experience. Reaching this stage is a testament to their passion and commitment to their craft.”
She added: “The level of skill displayed by our students in this year’s competition has been truly inspiring. They have worked tirelessly to perfect their techniques and it is fantastic to see their efforts pay off. This is an exciting opportunity for them to take the next step towards competing at a national level.”
A special thanks was extended to the College’s dedicated teaching and support staff, who played a vital role in mentoring and preparing students for the competition. Thanks were also given to the esteemed panel of judges and generous sponsors, including, Kemon NI, Dermalogicia, Salon Services, La Beeby Carlton UK, whose support made the event a resounding success.
With the winners of the inter-campus competition now setting their sights on the WorldSkills UK entry stage, the journey continues for these talented students as they strive to achieve excellence in their respective fields.