Competitors from Shipley College in Saltaire and Coventry based CWT Chamber Training scooped the first prizes in the two initial heats in this year’s WorldSkills UK 2015 Health and Social Care Competition, which were held at South and City College in Birmingham, and are part of the world’s largest vocational skills competition.
The heats were held on the 13 and 14 May 2015 and the first 30 of this year’s 79 competitors from England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales, were able to demonstrate their skills in delivering health care in a competitive environment. This year’s competitions are organised by Profiles4Care and sponsored by the NHS Leadership academy.
Heat 1 on 13 May saw some fantastic skills being delivered with personal centred health care being demonstrated throughout, resulting with the following winners:
WorldSkills Heat 1 Winner Fredrikka Walker
1st place – Fredrikka Walker, who is currently training with CWT Chamber Training in Coventry for her Level 3 NVQ qualification.
2nd place – Abigail Eakers, is studying at South Devon College.
3rd place – Lewis Moulton, studies at Newcastle Under-Lyme College.
Heat 2 on the 14 May witnessed further excellence with the following competitors achieving:
1st place – Fallon Barron, is studying at Shipley College in Saltaire, West Yorkshire.
2nd place – Shahnaaz Limbada, is a student at North Warwickshire and Hinckley College.
3rd place – Philomena McGoldrick, studies at South West College in Omagh, Northern Ireland.
Organised by Profiles4Care Ltd, the WorldSkills UK competitions are part of WorldSkills International, the world’s largest vocational skills competition.
WorldSkills Heat 2 Winner Fallon Barron
The competitions aim to find the best adult health care workers in the country. Regional heats are taking place between May and June, with the eight highest
scorers from across the country going forward to the National Finals at the Skills Show, being held at the NEC in Birmingham this November.
Over the course of the day, competitors needed to demonstrate the delivery of excellent health care in a mix of written tests and live activities, assessed by a panel of expert judges from across the country. The activities, which included working with older people and people with learning disabilities, were devised by Profiles4Care Ltd to replicate situations which health and social care workers would be expected to face in their everyday roles.
Health and social care students and staff from South and City College Birmingham also played a central role in the competition.
Mike Hopkins, Principal of South and City College said; “We are delighted that the first two heat of this competition has been held at our college. We have been very impressed by the competitors and I congratulate them all on how much effort they have put in and how professional they have been.
“At the college we believe that competitions help boost students’ confidence, whilst also giving them an excellent experience.”
Fredrikka Walker (20) who won 1st prize winner in Heat 1 said; “I thought it was great fun, a good learning experience and challenging. I really enjoyed it and meeting new people. Even though we were competing we got on really well.”
Fallon Barron (18), winner of Heat 2 said; “It was a challenging but fulfilling experience and I still can’t believe it. It’s a whole new experience and I would highly recommend it to everyone – I’m ecstatic!!”
Marc Jones, Director at Profiles4Care Ltd said: “The expertise and leadership demonstrated by our frontline care workers has once again been a pleasure to observe. To see competitors confidently showing what they can do when supporting people is a privilege. Health and social care has a lot to look forward to from the people who have taken part in this competition.”
Making the awards, Lead Judge Pat Pearson said: “WorldSkills just gets better and better as a competition and a real showcase for how well social care is carried out. It was a pleasure to observe such committed competitors taking part in this heat at South and City College Birmingham and to award prizes to some outstanding care workers and students.”
