It’s been revealed that Stockport College Director of Adult and Community Learning, Joan Scott, has been shortlisted for the WorldSkills Unsung Hero award.
The most outstanding individuals and institutions that the FE sector has to offer are recognised by the Times Educational Supplement – Tes – FE Awards.
Joan has taken on the mission to position the North-West as a competitive region, with the aim of it becoming the most proactive in the country in terms of WorldSkills UK activity.
Her over-arching vision is to ensure more students have the opportunity to take part in WorldSkills competitions and benefit from these life-changing, memorable experiences. As well as promoting competition within her own college, Joan is focusing on the region so hundreds more students can get involved each year. Ultimately students could represent Team UK, helping the country do well in international competitions.
Within the group, Joan continually encourages and supports staff to use competitions to enhance teaching, learning and assessment. This acts as a catalyst, encouraging students at all levels to get involved. Joan also coordinates the Skills Competition Steering Group for the Greater Manchester Colleges Group (GMCG). This group delivers an annual series of skill competitions that involves 700 students entering 50+ competitions in ten sectors, hosted in all ten Greater Manchester Colleges.
Stockport College Director Joan said:
“It’s a huge honour to be shortlisted for the Tes WorldSkills Unsung Hero award. As chair of the Skills Competition Steering Group for Greater Manchester Colleges (GMCG) we’re celebrating huge growth in the number of students and apprentices entering WorldSkills UK competitions year-on-year. We’ve also shared our experience across the region and helped the North-West to achieve record growth in registrations in 2019, becoming the region in England with the highest registrations, finalists and medal points.
“Within the College Group we had our most successful year in 2019, with nine students through to the UK finals, winning a gold and two silver medals.
“WorldSkills competitions really do help students to ‘go further, faster’, this involves a huge amount of hard work on behalf of the students and their tutors. Getting shortlisted for this Tes Award is a credit to our talented students and the fantastic team of staff we have working with them.”
Tes FE editor Stephen Exley said:
“Excellent practice exists right across the further education sector, and those shortlisted for the Tes FE Awards are the cream of the crop. Our judges were extremely impressed with the calibre of entries. To be shortlisted is an extraordinary achievement.”
The winners will be revealed at a gala awards evening at the Grosvenor House Hotel, Park Lane, London on Friday 20 March 2020.
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