Following a tense week of competitions, Southern Regional College has been named as the best performing College in the UK for the second consecutive year at the WorldSkills UK competition. The College topped the leaderboard in both points awarded and for the highest number of medals won.
SRC students competed across multiple venues in the Greater Manchester area, with results being announced on Friday evening in a glittering awards ceremony held at Manchester’s Bridgewater Hall, hosted by presenter Edith Bowman.
In a livestreamed ceremony, competitors from the College were revealed as winning the most medals, bringing home twelve medals in total; five gold, three silver and four bronze. Following these outstanding results, the College is able to lead with the title “Best in the UK” for the second consecutive year.
WorldSkills UK is a partnership between education providers, industry and the UK government to champion skill sets and raise industry standards. The competition celebrates the best of young talent and even provides young people with the opportunity to progress to European and WorldSkills competition series.
Students have been undertaking intense training for months prior to the event, taking on additional study and practice sessions under the guidance of the College’s committed lecturing staff. Their commitment and dedication to the competition has been rewarded with an amazing medal tally at this year’s competition. Students showcased their technical expertise and creative problem-solving skills, to excel in their chosen field.
Students from the local area with medal winning performances include:
- Hannah Ellis from Poyntzpass winning a silver medal in Health & Social Care. Seventeen-year-old Hannah currently studies Health & Social Care at SRC’s Armagh campus and works for Conway Health Care. Speaking prior to the competition Hannah said:
“Competing within WorldSkills UK helps me stand out as a candidate for university and future potential jobs. It is not something many people can say they have achieved! For my employer, it assures them that I am competent to work in healthcare. I always wanted to study health and social care as I really love it! Just seeing the impact I can make in someone’s life is really fulfilling and rewarding.”
- Jason McVerry from Belleeks, Newry winning a bronze medal in Mechatronics. Jason competed in the competition alongside teammate John Doherty from Portadown. Jason has cemented his success in the WorldSkills UK competition series, having previously won a bronze medal in the 2022 competition. Jason is currently undertaking an Engineering BEng (Hons) Level 6 (Top-Up) Degree Higher Level Apprenticeship at the College and works in Red Rock Machinery.
- Neil King from Warrenpoint, Newry winning a silver medal in Automation. Neil currently works for Norbrook Laboratories and is undertaking the Mechatronic Engineerign Level 5 Higher Level Apprenticeship with SRC.
Winning students and their employers include:
| Name | Hometown | Competition | Medal | Employer |
| Rebecca Liggett | Dungannon | Laboratory Technician | Gold | Almac |
| Ross Graham | Banbridge | Automation | Gold | Regen Robotics |
| Mykenzie Cartmill | Armagh | Beauty Therapy Practitioner | Gold | Belle Beauty |
| Oisin McKerr | Lurgan | Automotive Refinishing | Gold | Porters Body Shop |
| Carter McKnight | Moira | Automation | Gold | Randox |
| Hannah Hillis | Poyntzpass, Newry | Health and Social Care | Silver | Conway Health Care (Brooklands Nursing home) |
| Sean Treanor | Tallavard, Co. Monaghan | Automation | Silver | Norbrook Laboratories |
| Neil King | Warrenpoint, Newry | Automation | Silver | Norbrook Laboratories |
| Annabelle Hughes | Loughgall, Armagh | Culinary Arts | Bronze | Ghan House, Carlingford |
| John Doherty | Portadown | Mechatronics | Bronze | Concrete Batching Systems |
| Jason McVerry | Belleeks, Newry | Mechatronics | Bronze | Red Rock Machinery |
| Conor McDonnell | Armagh | Electrical Installation | Bronze | W. Nesbit Electrical |
Lindsay Bronte, Organisation Manager at Southern Regional College commented:
“What an unbelievable performance by team SRC that follows months of hard work and dedication by the students and staff alike. I applaud students and staff for their commitment to excellence. Competing is a fantastic achievement for the students, but to see our team return home with 12 medals and be recognised at UK level for their skills and dedication is incredible. Well done to all involved.”
Raymond Sloan, Principal & CEO of Southern Regional College commented:
I am thrilled to announce that Southern Regional College, for the second year running, has soared to the top of the WorldSkills UK leader board, both for the number of points achieved and for the number of medals achieved. This is a testament to the unparalleled dedication and exceptional talents of our students and staff. Through their relentless pursuit of excellence, Team SRC has not only secured the top spot but also earned the highest number of medals. This outstanding achievement reflects the transformative learning environment at Southern Regional College, where innovation, skills development, and teaching excellence converge to shape the employees, leaders and entrepreneurs of tomorrow. As an entire college community, we take pride in this momentous accomplishment, celebrating the hard work and commitment of everyone who studies and works at Southern Regional College”.
Following this tremendous success at WorldSkills, the College is eagerly awaiting results from the SkillBuild competition running from Tuesday 21st to Thursday 22nd November in Milton Keynes.
ENDS…..
CLANRYE NEWS 