This week, EKC Broadstairs 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 19 of our students competing in a range of skills competitions including Carpentry and Joinery, Culinary Arts and Hairdressing across three days.
This year also saw the introduction of an Inclusive Learning skills category, which saw two teams of our learners competing in a tournament of Boccia, an accessible precision ball sport. Our teams played valiantly, with one taking home the Gold medal.
Hannah Costin, Inclusive Learning Lecturer commented: “This is the first year we’ve been invited to take part in the KFE Competition, which I think really boosts the sense of community for our students and gives them a chance to interact with and appreciate different campuses and different students. By taking part, they’re building a huge amount of skills, not only within the sport, but also social interaction, teamwork, sportsmanship and the ability to participate in a larger open environment, which for some of our students can be quite challenging.”
Katie Berritt | Health and Social Care
Katie was tasked with creating a resource to support the cognitive development of an adult service user (18yrs+) within a Health and Social Care setting. Katie’s memory game aimed at those living with Dementia awarded her the Silver medal.
When asked what advice she’s give future entrants, she said: “Think outside the box. Think about the brief and come up with something creative, or something that relates to you so that you can talk about it in more detail and with more enthusiasm.”
Oakley Daynes | Culinary Arts
Oakley, alongside his teammates, Faith and James, were awarded Gold for their three-course meal, presenting a menu of pan-fried scallops, cod fillet with mussel and saffron sauce and a lemon and vanilla mousse with pistachio dacquoise.
Upon winning, Oakley said: “Today has definitely given me more confidence working under like high pressure, but it’s been fun.
Our menu was very much inspired by the seaside, because we’re from Broadstairs. I think the judges quite liked the fact that it was themed and that we’d incorporated a lot of fish.”
Phoebe Wilson | Media Makeup Body
Phoebe took home the Silver medal for her full body flower look. Before the competition students had to create a mood board showcasing their design elements and inspiration, and then had just four hours to complete their looks on their chosen models. Phoebe and her other competitors were judged on their interpersonal skills (as their liaised with the client), hair design and body painting.
Phoebe told us: “Today I’ve definitely learnt that time management is one of the biggest thing to consider. I’ve tried to think of the competition as if it’s just a normal lesson, I was in my zone and enjoyed creating my look.
“I think if you stress too much, you’ll end up flapping and forget important things. It’s important not to get overwhelmed.”
Staff were also full of praise for the students’ efforts and the event. Daryl Ansell, who accompanied Carpentry students to North Kent College to compete, commented: “I think all of the students have done really well.
“The KFE4Skills Competition really helps to build the students’ confidence in their own abilities. It’s great to be able to put a task in front of them and leave them to get on with it. They’re building the skills, experience and confidence they’ll need to succeed in the industry.”
Two of Daryl’s Carpentry and Joinery Apprentice’s, Max Still and Tim Lee-Alliston, took home Gold and Silver medals for their roof constructions.
EKC Broadstairs College medallists
| Result/Position | Student Name | Skills Competition |
| Gold | Faith Potter, James Hughes, Oakley Daynes | Culinary Arts |
| Gold | Max Still | Site Carpentry |
| Gold | Inclusive Learning (Team 1) | Boccia Tournament |
| Gold | Inclusive Learning (Team 2) | Boccia Tournament |
| Silver | Katie Berritt | Health and Social Care |
| Silver | Tim Lee-Alliston | Site Carpentry |
| Silver | Izabella Fierro | Hairdressing |
| Silver | Phoebe Wilson | Media Makeup – Body |
| Bronze | Jenna Bolton | Media Makeup – Body |
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. such as WorldSkills UK.
This year, we’re proud that WorldSkills UK has endorsed the KFE4Skills competition, supporting our students and Apprentices to develop the high-level skills employers are looking for.
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.
Nicola Tumber, Deputy Principal of EKC Broadstairs College said: “We’re incredibly proud to be part of the KFE4Skills competition, and I’m delighted to have seen so many of our students representing our College throughout the week.
“This is an amazing opportunity for our students as they get to showcase all of the knowledge and skills they’ve learnt throughout their time at College. We hope experiences such as these will also help to prepare them for the world of work and success within their future careers.”
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