University College Isle of Man (UCM) hosted its eighth annual Skills Test last week, with students from Hospitality and Catering, Engineering, Hairdressing, ICT and Construction going head-to-head in their respected fields.
The week saw students battling against each other, and the clock, to showcase the skills they have acquired during their vocational studies.
Hospitality and Catering, Hairdressing, ICT and Construction competitions took place at UCM’s Homefield Road campus, whilst Engineering tasks were based at Hills Meadow Advanced Manufacturing Training Centre (AMTC)
The events also saw visits from invited guests, including Lieutenant Governor Sir John Lorimer, who presented prizes for the Engineering students, Chief Minister Alfred Cannan and Mayor Janet Thommeny. Experts from local industry were also invited to watch, offer feedback and judge the competitors to identify the top students from each area.
Hospitality and Catering students raced against the clock in UCM’s Cristory’s restaurant’s kitchen to produce a delicious and attractive main and a dessert which had to include Manx Lamb, Manx Dairy and local flour. Awards were presented by UCM’s Chair of Governors, Leslie Wong, with Peter Slavov being the ultimate winner, Wayne Garrett in second place and George Harris in third place.
Engineering students worked on both CNC Milling and Turning machines throughout the day to complete carefully constructed components. First place awards were presented by the Lieutenant Governor to Kuba Garczynski for Manual Milling, Harry Fox for Manual Turning, Dylan Kelly for CNC Milling and Ben Shimmin for CNC Turning.
The third event of the week saw hairdressing students cut and style three models each, with a blonde, brunette and red hair transformation, before taking to the runway to present their work to a live audience. The students were judged by Gavin Blagbrough from Wella and former student William Smith, who awarded ‘Best Blonde’, ‘Best Brunette’ and ‘Best Red’ to Josie Fabric and Justine Radcliffe.
Students from UCM’s digital enterprise department were tasked with creating a computer game. Having just a few hours to put their creative plans into motion, students produced some impressive designs and concepts, which were then marked by external industry judges Liam Slack, Chris Kissack and William Duquemin. The winning team were ‘The Sprites’ consisting of Charlie Faragher, Dominic Morgan and Aaron Harris.
The week concluded with the construction department’s students going head-to-head to complete challenging tasks in their respective specialisms. In a presentation at the end of the day, the winning students were announced: Joshua Glover for Brickwork, Lance Wylie for Carpentry & Joinery, Elliott Teece for Electrical Installation, David Scott for Horticulture, Philana Lunn for Painting & Decorating and Liam Finch for Plumbing.
Vice Principal (Mrs) Jo Richardson said: ‘In previous years we’ve held Engineering Skills Tests, and pre-COVID we ran them across a wide range of disciplines, so this year it’s been fantastic to have these running across a mix of subjects. We’re delighted to see so many students involved.
‘The event is a great opportunity for us to welcome in guests and industry representatives to see our facilities and the quality of work our students achieve, but more importantly, for students to show their skills to potential employers and industry experts, which adds to their employability and future prospects.’
Prizes and materials were kindly donated by event supporters: Haldane Fisher, Corlett’s, MacBlair’s, J Qualtrough Ltd, Eire Electrical, Sapphire, EVPH, Awareness of Careers in Engineering Committee (ACE), Kenny, CEX, Game Art 2D, Game, Build IT, Currys, Cool Studios, Godot and WHSmith, Wella Hair & Beauty, Ellisons, The Abbey, Robinsons, Isle of Man Creamery, Gellings, A+J Butchers and Sadler Agricultural Supplies.