Every year the Greater Manchester Colleges Group (GMCG) holds a Skills Competition involving over 750 students who compete across 50 competitions, with each of the nine colleges hosting a different sector each year.

The Competition

The GMCG Skills Competition inspires young people and adults to realise their potential and to be ambitious in pursuing skills at the highest level. Taking part in this competition is a fantastic achievement in itself and has shown to enhance a person’s learning and development of the core skills valued by employers. Those students involved in previous competitions have relished in the opportunity to showcase their skills, working collaboratively, whilst building their confidence, enabling them to give the best of themselves.

The Sectors:

Hair and Beauty

This year, Salford City College was chosen to host the Hair and Beauty sector. One student from each of the nine colleges competed in our state-of-the-art Hair and Beauty Salon – Aspirations at Worsley.

Students representing Salford City College this year were:

  • Scarlett Ridings - L1 Beauty
  • Jay Whitehead - L1 Hairdressing
  • Mia-Rose Bryne - L2 Hairdressing
  • Natasha Mann - L2 Beauty
  • Leonie Lightbowne - L2 Media Make-Up
  • Nicole Williams - L3 Beauty
  • Ffion Kane - L3 Hair

Students involved in the event competed to demonstrate their vocational skills via real-life, industry-based scenarios. A number of well-known industry judges attended the event who scored students based on their skills and ability. Judges included Gary Spencer who built the Great British Barber Bash brand, Julie Compton from Dennis Williams, Paula Roberts from Jacaranda Hair Design and Sean O’ Sullivan, World Skills judge.

Baking, Catering and Hospitality

Four of our exceptional culinary students took part in this year’s GMCG Skills Competition held at Tameside College on the 24th March.

  • Ronalda Lane, our Level 1 student, produced some delicious bread rolls laced with beetroot and goat’s cheese. Ronalda received a bronze medal on the day.
  • Nathanial Morse, our Level 2 student, baked a mouth-watering chocolate tart with salted caramel that was awarded a Certificate of Merit. 
  • Dylan Perfect, our Level 3 student received a silver medal after cooking up a storm with souffle potatoes with wild garlic and mushroom farcis, as well as a roasted lamb rump with Florentine potatoes, cumin roast carrots and crispy kale.
  • Nicola Harrison, our Level 3 student, delicately baked some blackberry and lemon macarons, receiving a silver medal on the day.

Construction

Several of our construction students visited Bolton College to compete, returning triumphantly:

  • Wesley Brown competed in Brickwork and received a silver medal.
  • Finlay Harper took part in the Carpentry and Joinery competition, winning silver.
  • Josh Cheadle also achieved silver in the Site competition.
  • Dieu Merci Kalombo brought home gold in the Painting and Decorating competition.

Head of Construction for our 16-18 Study Programmes, Andrew Kilby, said “It was an amazing transformation to witness a group of students who were out of their comfort zone at the start of the day, adapt and respond to the six-hour task. It was a fantastic day out; all students were brilliant ambassadors for the college but more importantly, were able to demonstrate the skills they have learnt at Salford City College, in a competitive environment.”

Enterprise and Travel and Tourism

Our Business and Travel students travelled to Oldham College to take part in a number of activities, winning gold overall! A huge congratulations to:

  • Darrell Matthew
  • Michael Okocha
  • Sarah Muradzikwa
  • Kendra Haywood

Health and Childcare

A group of our five first-year T Level Nursing Cadet students represented the Health and Social care Department attending the GMCG Skills Competition at Bury College where they competed against six other Greater Manchester colleges.

The day consisted of three rounds including a seven-minute presentation on eating disorders, a skills assessment where the students demonstrated their first aid skills when attending a road traffic accident with multiple casualties, and lastly a Health and Social Care quiz.

The students had a fantastic day and maintained professionalism throughout, coming second in the presentation round. Well done to:

  • Eva Cabuderra
  • Jess Murphy
  • Layla Quinn
  • Jasmine Stringer
  • Katie Thorpe

Sports and Public Services

A number of our students attended Stockport Sports Village to take part in the competitions. Fourteen of our students represented the college from a range of courses, with representatives from Level 1 and 3 from both Sport and UPS.

Throughout the day the team competed in seven different challenges, accumulating points from each to achieve second place overall. The challenges included a quiz and presentation, a coaching session, an adapted game of head tennis, a team Building ball challenge, fitness tasks, and a tug of war.

The students on the team each contributed to the different challenges, and the presentation team and netball coaching session received very positive feedback from the judges. As a result, Eccles Sixth Form came second place overall, awarded gold in the quiz, gold in tennis and bronze in the presentation. Well done to:

  • Alex Williams - Voc A-Level (BTEC Certificate) Sport
  • Laura Eyres - Level 3 BTEC UPS
  • Jenny Smith - Voc A-Level (BTEC Certificate) Sport
  • Bradley Gilmartin - L3 BTEC Sport
  • Megan Dunn - L3 BTEC UPS
  • Darby Williams - Voc A-Level (BTEC Certificate) Sport
  • George Moran - Level 3 BTEC UPS
  • Katie Heathcote - L3 BTEC UPS
  • Chinotu Worenw - L3 BTEC Sport
  • Leighton Monty - L3 BTEC UPS
  • Rico Casimir - L1 Sport and UPS
  • Toby Thornhill - L3 BTEC Sport
  • Matthew Knipe - L3 BTEC UPS
  • Zac Christomous - Voc A-Level (BTEC Certificate) Sport

A number of our students also took part in the Art and Design, Digital, Media and Computing, and Music sectors. We are thrilled with the achievements of all of our students and a huge well done to everyone who took part.

To find out more about our courses visit: www.salfordcc.ac.u or contact our Admissions team on 0161 631 5000.