Winning web designs take Daniel and Spencer to UK heat
Aspiring IT professionals have been put to the test in a competition to find the best web designer at a Skills Competition Wales regional heat held at Gower College Swansea.
16 year-old Coleg Sir Gâr student Daniel Koehler from Pumpsaint took first prize for the web design category and 17 year-old Spencer Chilvers from Pontyates took second. Both are studying extended diplomas in IT at the college’s Graig campus.
Competitors travelled from as far as Bridgend College, Coleg Gwent and Ystrad Mynach and locally Gower College Swansea, where they faced a series of practical challenges that tested their skills in three separate competitions – Web Design, Microsoft IT Technician and CISCO Network Administration.
Mike David, IT lecturer at Coleg Sir Gâr said: “These competitions are actually quite intense. They test students from a work perspective where they’re given a real job brief and a deadline to finish it. Under pressure, their skills are tested in all aspects of web design, from troubleshooting to configuration and finally producing a well-designed user-friendly website.”
Skills Competition Wales aims to find Wales’ most talented trainees across a wide range of skills, including fields such as automotive engineering, aerospace, construction skills, catering, media, and information technology. It involves colleges, sector skills councils and training providers running competitions across Wales. Backed by the Welsh Government through the European Social Fund, Skills Competition Wales promotes the importance of developing a highly skilled workforce.
Following in the footsteps of Coleg Sir Gâr IT student David Bowen – the only student in Wales to be representing his country at WorldSkills 2011 – both Daniel and Spencer have been entered into the UK regional heats at Bridgend College in April and they’ve also been selected for an event which aims to shortlist prospective competitors for the UK squad to represent the country at WorldSkills 2013 in Leipzig.
Skills Competition Wales offers learners a chance to test, benchmark and raise their skills levels and provides valuable competition experience for those who enter and progress onto WorldSkills UK competitions. For employers, competitions not only help drive up the quality in apprenticeships and vocational education, but also motivate employees to achieve success.
WorldSkills UK competitions are the feeder route for competitors to go forward and represent their country at the biennial international ‘WorldSkills’ competition – the world’s largest skills competition.
Pics: Coleg Sir Gâr IT diploma student Daniel Koehler, 16, from Pumpsaint won first prize in the web design category of a Skills Competitions Wales event. He is pictured receiving his certificate from Gower College Swansea’s deputy principal, Noreen Williamson.
Coleg Sir Gâr IT diploma student Spencer Chilvers, 17, from Pontyates won second prize in the web design category of a Skills Competitions Wales event. He is pictured receiving his certificate from Gower College Swansea’s deputy principal, Noreen Williamson.
Photo Credit:
Rachel Mitchell, photography student Gower College Swansea.
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