Inspiring Business by Sharing Success
Added by Love Business East Midlands | 29 January 2025
Creative Media Lecturer Amy Roddie and Head of Competitions Pami Johal will take to the stage on Friday, January 31, to highlight the benefits and challenges of competition-based learning.
Aimed at teaching staff, quality leads and college leaders, the session will focus on raising standards in further and higher education by embedding competition into teaching practices and fostering mindset development.
Pami Johal, who is also the Quality Manager for Higher Education at North Warwickshire and South Leicestershire College (NWSLC), said: “Competitions — whether in the classroom, workplace, or through enrichment opportunities — play a crucial role in motivating learners and improving skills.
“Participation in local, regional, and international competitions helps create pathways for skills mastery.”
She added: “Technical masterclasses that bridge education, industry, and technology foster collaboration and enhance the quality of training.
“Engagement with WorldSkills UK supports providers in laying the foundations for skills excellence, benefiting both educators and learners.”
The session will also showcase a training activity which features a murder mystery activity titled ‘The Vanishing Curriculum’.
This new training approach will see participants working through puzzles and deciphering clues to identify the culprit, providing a firsthand understanding of how competition-based learning can enhance engagement and problem-solving skills.
Amy Roddie said:
“We are thrilled to host this session at the virtual WorldSkills UK event, exploring how competition-based learning can inspire and challenge students in unique ways.
“By highlighting both its benefits and challenges, we aim to spark conversations about its transformative potential.”
She continued: “The centrepiece of our session, 'The Vanishing Curriculum' murder mystery activity, demonstrates how creative training activities can engage learners and elevate their problem-solving and teamwork skills.”
Marion Plant OBE, Principal and CEO of NWSLC and Chair of WorldSkills UK, said:
“As a WorldSkills UK Centre of Excellence, NWSLC is excited to contribute to this session, where our staff will share valuable insights into the power of competition-based learning.
“Through this approach, we empower students to develop not only technical expertise but also the confidence, resilience, and creativity needed to excel in their careers.”
She added: “Our team looks forward to discussing how competitions can enhance learning and equip students with real-world skills that set them apart in the workplace.”
Laying the Foundations for Skills Excellence is an event hosted by WorldSkills UK that focuses on promoting and discussing strategies to develop high-quality skills in young people from an early age.
This event emphasises the importance of foundational training and practice to build expertise in various vocational fields, like construction, digital, healthcare, and more, ultimately preparing them for future careers and potential participation in WorldSkills UK.
WorldSkills UK is an independent charity and a partnership between employers, education and governments. Together, it is using international best practice to raise standards in apprenticeships and technical education so more young people and employers succeed.
For more information and to attend the event, go to https://share-eu1.hsforms.com/17UbrwmRDRKmxbGwZxCRNMQ2bmpgd
Following a November inspection, NWSLC has been officially rated as ‘Good’ by Ofsted, with ‘Outstanding’ recognition for student Behaviour and Attitudes and the highest accolade of “strong for skills”, recognising its exceptional contribution and responsiveness to meeting the local skills need.
The Ofsted report highlighted NWSLC’s strong employer partnerships and regional impact, showcasing how the College’s tailored curriculum meets critical skills gaps in high-demand areas such as logistics, healthcare and green technologies for the automotive.
NWSLC is a leading college group based in the Midlands. The group has seven campuses located across Leicestershire and Warwickshire.
Through the shared mission, ‘to achieve success through learning’, the College is committed to working in partnership with local, regional, and national employers to ensure it delivers the skills training that industry needs today and in the future.
For more information about the courses available at NWSLC, visit www.nwslc.ac.uk.