Savannah Hodgins, who studied Creative Media (Digital Game Development) at the College’s Newtownabbey campus, was also among the medallists, picking up silver in 3D Digital Game Art.
The ‘2 Dudes 1 Robot’ Industrial Robotics team was one of four teams to represent Northern Regional College in the national final. The national finals are traditionally held at the NEC, Birmingham but, because of Covid restrictions, this year’s finals were held in 23 different locations across the UK. With all four teams representing Northern Regional College, WorldSkills invited the College to host the Industrial Robotics final at its Ballymena campus.
The Industrial Robotics medallists all studied Engineering at Northern Regional College. After completing his GCSEs at Dominican College, Portstewart, Louie did a Level 3 BTEC in Engineering at the College’s Coleraine campus. He is currently doing a Foundation degree in Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering at the College in Ballymena.
Louie said he really enjoyed the experience of competing in the WorldSkills UK competition: “The finals were the most fun I've had in my life. We had some hiccups at the start, but quickly found our rhythm.
“I ended up watching the judges running through our program, trying to be as straight faced as possible. I felt like we had some strong elements in our entry but also some weak ones, so I couldn't go home confident we had it in the bag.
“To have seen our names and faces as we announced gold medallists was the most exciting - and relieving feeling - I've ever felt. I wish I could do it all again!”
Brennan, a past pupil of Cambridge House Grammar School, completed Level 2 Electrical Engineering and at the College in Ballymena and is currently a Level 3 Advanced Manufacturing Engineering Apprentice. He is in College one day a week and works as Maintenance Fitter with the Camden Group who have supported him ‘all the way’ on his journey to the WorldSkills UK national finals.
Silver medallist Adam (Hammer Basher) did a Foundation Degree in Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering while teammate Cameron (Sparky) did a Foundation Degree in Electrical and Electronic Engineering. Both studied Engineering at the College in Ballymena and have since progressed to the second year of BEng (Hons) degree at Ulster University.
Bronze medal winners Jude Moore and Aaron Stevenson (The Athletes) also studied Engineering at the College’s Ballymena campus. Jude completed both Level 3 Engineering and Foundation Degree in Electrical and Electronic Engineering to progress directly to second year of the BEng degree in Mechanical Engineering at Ulster University. Aaron is a third year Foundation Degree/Higher Level Apprentice in Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering and is employed by Montupet – Linamar Light Metals.
Northern Regional College was represented by a total of 11 finalists in WorldSkills UK national finals. In addition to the Industrial Robotics medals, Savannah Hodgins, was a silver medallist in the 3D Digital Game Art category.
The other finalists to represent Northern Regional College in WorldSkills UK national finals were: Industrial Robotics, Julia Miller and Thomas Simpson (The Cyborgs); IT Software Solutions for Business, Lydia Fletcher; and Web Design, Jonathon Wilsdon.
Offering his congratulations to the medal winners and all the finalists, Mel Higgins, Principal and Chief Executive of Northern Regional College said:
“We are incredibly proud of all our students who travelled and competed in the WorldSkills UK Competitions. Their dedication and aptitude for their chosen course is a real reflection on the incredible talent.
He continued: “The WorldSkills UK competitions are a fantastic occasion for our students to develop their innovative skills while also showcasing their own talents on a national platform. This gives terrific confidence and opportunities for our students, many of whom use their WorldSkills UK experiences when moving onto university or into employment.”
WorldSkills UK is a competition-based development programme, designed by industry experts, to enhance the practical skills and knowledge taught on training courses. The skills competitions assess employability attributes against set criteria in a competitive environment. The programme has a positive impact on competitors with 90% of previous entrants saying their career progression improved after competing.
Northern Regional College and Southern Regional College were placed in the top 10 best performing Colleges in the UK at this year’s WorldSkills UK finals. Forty-five students from across the local Northern Ireland FE sector competed in the national finals, winning a total of 20 medals. The medal haul of five gold medals - the biggest in the competition’s recent history - spans a cross-section of disciplines, including Industrial Robotics, Industrial Electronics, Plastering and Tiling, Beauty Therapy and Creative Media Makeup.
Over 3,000 competitors registered for the national vocational skills competition back in March 2021 with the top eight competitors from across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland in each of the 64 skills categories going through to the national finals and chance to win a coveted gold, silver or bronze medal. The winners were announced during a virtual ceremony hosted by TV presenter Steph McGovern streamed lived from ‘Steph’s Packed Lunch’ studio.