Local college scoops top honours

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A national competition recognising the benefits of vocational learning has awarded gold medals to three students ““ who all hail from the same college.

Rachel Gratton, 18, Christine Smith, 57, and Nick Always, 18, all studied at West Cheshire College and achieved gold medals at the national “Skills Challenge” competition, winning in Beauty Therapy ““ Nail Enhancement, Stained Glass Design and Interactive Games Design respectively.

The Skills Challenge competition plays host to more than 4,000 students from colleges across the UK and is “the premier skills competition recognising vocational achievement amongst both young people and adults”.

A statement released by the college last week said: “It is considered highly unusual for a college to celebrate success at this level in the competition, but it is even more unusual for all three gold medal winners to hail from just one campus”.

West Cheshire College Principal Sara Mogel is delighted with the college’s success: “To have success so early with such talented learners who are based at our new facilities in Ellesmere Port is fantastic. The College is very proud of them”.

Other West Cheshire medallists include Yasmin Allmark who was awarded bronze for Beauty Therapy Nail Enhancement and Janet Watson, 54, from West Kirby, who was awarded bronze for Stained Glass Design.

Interactive games technology tutor Paul Browne commented: “An institution like West Cheshire College, where students have access to the same software professionals do, is a huge draw. Every year we have twice as many students apply for the course than we can accommodate”.

The campus is also responsible for attracting more and more people to return to education later in life. Stained Glass Design gold medallist Christine Smith is a retired special needs teacher as well as a grandmother of four. Christine said: “I was drawn to the college because of its wonderful facilities”.

She added: “It has truly inspired me”.

Alex Gore.

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