Two Blackburn College students will compete at national competitions

Two Blackburn College students will compete at the national qualifier heats of two apprenticeship-based competitions run by WorldSkills.  

Adam Green, 20 from Rishton is taking part in the SkillELECTRIC 2022 national qualifier heat whilst Iffat Jabeen, 34, from Blackburn is competing in the Commercial Makeup national qualifier heat. 

Adam, who is on a Level 3 Electrotechnical Standard Apprenticeship and works at Plug and Go in Clitheroe, was put forward by his tutor Tony Upton.   

He was successful in the first stage of the competition, scoring one of the highest results in an app-based task against the clock. He has now been invited to the national qualifier, which is a live competition at Burnley College on Tuesday 21st June 2022. If successful, Adam will reach the UK final later this year.  

Adam, who attended The Hyndburn Academy said: “My tutor Tony Upton has offered me lots of encouragement and helped me to prepare for the practical assessments. I am really excited to compete.  

“At the national qualifier heat, I will need to work to a set specification and dimensions and make sure my work is installed to industry standard. I am really looking forward to it and hopefully I get through.”  

Tony Upton, Curriculum Team Leader for Engineering said: “Adam was an obvious choice to be put forwards to represent both the College and his employer at this year’s SkillELECTRIC competition.  

 “His attention to detail and his positive approach towards electrical theory and practical tasks puts him in the perfect position to excel in the competition, and showcase the skills he has learnt during the apprenticeship.”  

Level 2 Hair and Media Make-Up student Iffat was put forward by her tutor Jenna Hacking, and will compete in the national qualifier heat at Coleg Cambria on Friday 10th June 2022.  For the first competition stage Iffat was tasked with creating a set of makeup looks on a model around the theme of wildlife. For the next round Iffat will take part in a two-hour live competition with a model. The finalists from this stage will compete together in the UK final later this year.  

Iffat said: “I have reached the national qualifier heat and am very happy and excited to compete but also a little nervous.  

“Jenna Hacking has been a fantastic teacher and has always supported me. I only joined College six months ago, after moving from Pakistan but I am very happy to be a student at Blackburn College.”  

Jenna Hacking, Lecturer in hair and Media Make-Up said: “I am very proud of Iffat. It was a big step for her to come to College as a late starter, but she has put all of her effort into her work and caught up very quickly.  

“Iffat is a perfectionist and takes pride in everything she does. I wish her well in the next round of the competition.”