Chloe's WorldSkills Journey
A Weston College beauty therapy learner is one step away from a place in the prestigious WorldSkills international final.
Chloe Williams, 19, progressed through a series of rounds – including the WorldSkills national final at the NEC in Birmingham last month – to win a place in the UK Talent Development Programme.
Supported by the College, Chloe will now undertake an 18-month training programme with WorldSkills UK. She will then find out if she has won a place in the final UK squad to compete in Shanghai, China in 2021.
The WorldSkills international final takes place every two years and is known as the ‘Skills Olympics’. The event features over 1,000 of the world’s most talented apprentices and students, each battling it out to be named the World Champion for their skill. Chloe, of Burnham-on-Sea, has had full support of the College throughout the WorldSkills event.
Jenna Ratcliffe, Curriculum Co-ordinator for Hair and Beauty at the College, paid tribute to Chloe resilience in reaching this far in the competition.
She said: “Chloe has shown outstanding commitment to her training during her WorldSkills journey.
“She competed in previous competitions but was unable to get through the regional rounds. This simply made her more determined to get through this year.
“She is a true inspiration to all our learners.”
Ben Blackledge, Deputy Chief Executive of WorldSkills UK, said: “Congratulations to Chloe – this is a life-changing moment for her.
“Chloe has already excelled in the WorldSkills UK regional and national competitions – and now faces an even tougher test in looking to secure a place to represent the UK on the world stage.
“She has dedicated hundreds of hours to improving her skills to get to this level – but will put in many months more of hard work with our training managers in a bid to transform her career and life.”
The previous WorldSkills competition was held earlier this year in Kazan, Russia, where Team UK was awarded 19 medals. By competing in the competition, WorldSkills UK can identify global best practice, research and insight that will help the new UK government deliver world class standards in technical education.
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