Hair and Beauty students test their skills!

Hairdressing and Beauty students at Burton and South Derbyshire College (BSDC) have recently been developing their skills to take part in WorldSkills national qualifier competitions.

Following success in the online passive heats, several students have advanced to the next stage of the competition. The first to showcase their talents were Hairdressing students Svitlana Zghurieva and Lilly Webb, who competed in the national qualifier at Stoke College on 7th June.

Next up, Beauty students Aicha Nefkhaoui, Kady Straw, Caroline Shepherd, Mia Johnson, Hannah Wallbank and Katie Ives will take the stage at Walsall College on 19th June.

WorldSkills is a global initiative that supports young people through competition-based training, assessment and benchmarking. National teams from member countries ultimately go on to compete in the biennial 'Skills Olympics' to demonstrate their ability to achieve world-class standards.

The WorldSkills Hairdressing and Beauty competitions test participants on various skills essential for hairdressers and beauty therapists. This includes performing a range of services that meet both current and traditional industry standards. Competitors are also evaluated on health and safety practices, exceptional client care and communication skills.

Beauty learner, Aicha Nefkhaoui said: “I’m very happy to be taking part in the WorldSkills competition. It’s a great opportunity to have a new experience, meet new people and improve my confidence. This is all new to me and I’m looking forward to the challenge.” Fellow Beauty learner Hannah Wallbank added: “I think it’s worth giving it a go – even if you don’t get through to the nationals, it’s still a good thing to put on your CV for when you are looking for jobs in the industry.”

Heather Jones, Curriculum Team Leader for Hair and Beauty said: “WorldSkills competitions are an opportunity for students to demonstrate their specialist skills and technical knowledge to the highest level. Competing allows learners to gain invaluable experience, demonstrating their professional standards and creative flair under challenging conditions.”