Uk team head out for worldskills competition

Competitors from around the world will be taking part in the 2007 WorldSkills competition. Sasha Lill reports Twenty-three of the most highly skilled young people in the UK have been selected to represent their country in their chosen skills for the 2007 WorldSkills competition, to be held in Japan this month. WorldSkills is an international skills competition, held every two years, where 48 member countries meet and compete in 40 different vocational skills, including beauty therapy. Over four days of tough competition, young people (aged 22 or under) test themselves against rigorous inter-national standards for the ultimate prizes of gold, silver and bronze medals. The scale of the event is unrivalled; more than 800 competitors take part; and at least 200,000 spectators are expected to attend. The UK team was selected following a series of play-off events, across seven colleges and training organisations in the Coventry and Warwickshire area. Jade Kidd, from Skegness in Lincolnshire, is the UK’s representative for beauty therapy. To prepare for the event, she has undertaken training with some of the UK’s top beauty experts, including one-to-one coaching with Sue Simpson, curriculum manager at Blackpool and the Fylde College, and is responsible for managing the college’s beauty, holistic, sports therapy and media make-up courses. Jade practises her beauty skills “I got involved in the competition in 1990 when beauty therapy was first introduced into WorldSkills,” says Sue. “I entered a competitor – Jenna Bailey – in the UK competitions, and she won. Jenna was taken out to compete in Montreal, Canada, where she gained second place in the world.” Sue Simpson Sue now organises the regional and national competitions. She was made a WorldSkills technical expert/training manager in 2006 and will be the UK judge in Japan. “I first met Jade as a competitor in the UK Skills regional and national competitions. She is a meticulously organised person who remains calm when under pressure and has excellent poise and presence. Her therapy skills are outstanding,” says Sue. To help Jade prepare for the competition, Sue carried out a skills audit to determine an individual training plan, which has been organised around the skills and tasks to be carried out in Japan. These include: advanced female facial with electrical treatment; lash and brow treatment; pedicure and manicure with nail art; day make-up; bridal make-up; and body spa treatment. Men’s treatments are: basic facial; manicure and pedicure; and body massage with electrical treatment. Dermalogica and OPI are the product ranges being used in the international competition. “Everyone should enter these competitions,” says Sue. “It is a brilliant way to meet other therapists and develop your skills. It gives young people a chance to test themselves against other competitors – locally, regionally, nationally and internationally. This is excellent preparation for the world of work, which is increasingly competitive.” The UK WorldSkills team is supported by City & Guilds, and managed by UK Skills, in association with partners from education, government and industry. UK Skills is a not-for-profit organisation that exists to champion skills and learning for work through competitions and awards, and organises the UK’s entry into the WorldSkills Competition. *For more information visit: UK Skills www.ukskills.org.uk; WorldSkills www.worldskills.org; WorldSkills Japan www.skillsfestival2007.or.jp/index.htm