This week, EKC Dover College students showcased their talents at the KFE4Skills competition, an annual event bringing together Colleges from across the region to compete in a wide range of vocational and technical skills challenges.
This year’s event, endorsed by WorldSkills UK, saw our students competing in a range of skills competitions including Automotive, Early Years and Art and Design across three days.
Nathan Harper | Automotive Technology
Level 3 Motorsport Vehicle Maintenance and Repair student, Nathan, won a Silver medal at KFE4Skills.
He was challenged in a round-robin style competition, taking part in four tasks over the course of the day. These were focused on inspecting a full braking system, and diagnosing faults including abnormal tyre wear, a misfire and a charging system fault.
Speaking during the event, Nathan said: “I’ve learnt that each job is very different, and I’ve been supported beforehand by the College by being giving information about what may come up today. To sum up my experience in three words, I’d say, happy, exciting and unique.
“After College, I’d love to go into an apprenticeship or work full-time.”
Layton Read | Automotive Technology
Layton is an Automotive apprentice at the College, studying one day a week alongside working at Wye Motors.
For his work, Layton received a Bronze medal. He chose to go into the Automotive industry after following his dad’s footsteps, and loved that KFE4Skills was an opportunity for him to showcase what he could do.
Layton said: “I’m very happy to be taking part today. It is a bit stressful with so many tasks but it’s also very exciting. My takeaway is that jobs aren’t as simple as they may seem, but it’s how you prepare that matters.”
Ruby Fitchett | Early Years
Ruby was tasked to make a resource that kids can play with and interact with for their coordinative skills. Her idea was a maths game in the design of a little dog with numbers on each of the paws and on bones.
KFE4Skills is a big step for Ruby, who has previously only competed in inter-College contests. She said about her experience:
“I’m a little bit anxious about the results, but overall, it’s a great opportunity. By taking part, I’m making lots of friends and we’re all helping each other out where we can.
“My advice to competitors would be don’t rush yourself and be calm. Once you get into the day and you’re making the activity, you’ll be in your zone.
“Three words to describe the competition for me are thrilling, fun and exciting.”
Staff were also full of praise for the students’ efforts and the event. Tanya Foy, Early Years Lecturer, Assessor and Industry Liaison Officer, said: “The confidence that KFE4Skills has given our students is amazing. It’s quite a big thing for students to come to a new College where they don’t know anyone, but we’ve been helping out by offering lots of support throughout the competition, and I’m really pleased with the work I’ve seen today.
“My advice to anyone wanting to take part in a competition like this would be, please have a go. The College will support you all the way.”
KFE4Skills aims to celebrate technical excellence and prepare students for industry careers. The live skills competitions are an opportunity for students to demonstrate the skills and knowledge they have acquired during their course with judges choosing the top three in each category. Participants gain valuable experience they can put on their CV and finalists can progress to regional and national competitions.
These include WorldSkills UK, and we’re proud that KFE4Skills is endorsed by the WorldSkills UK to empower skills development through competition-based learning. Together, we can raise standards in technical and vocational education, ensuring our students and apprentices are equipped for success in their careers.
We are incredibly proud of all the students who took part, showcasing not only their technical expertise but also their creativity, teamwork and resilience. Congratulations to all participants.
Parisa Shirazi, Director of Standards, WorldSkills UK said: “It is fantastic to be working with East Kent Colleges Group on this exciting new programme.
“Skills competitions are one of the best ways to develop and assess high-quality technical skills and this framework will ensure more students/ apprentices at the College can benefit through competition-based learning which is designed to help meet rapidly changing employer needs in existing and emerging industries.”
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