FEDEC (Federation of Essex Colleges) Celebrates the Winners of its Inter College Skills Competition 2026

The Federation of Essex Colleges recently hosted a competition across ten skill areas as part of the FEDEC Inter College Skills Competition, supporting students and apprentices in developing the high level skills employers are looking for.

The competition, endorsed by WorldSkills UK, the world class network, saw learners from five Essex colleges take on a series of industry standard technical challenges designed to test precision, problem solving, creativity and professional behaviours under timed conditions.

"This week was an exciting week for both staff and students. The competitions were a perfect way for FEDEC to offer our Essex students the opportunity to develop essential skills for the workplace; planning, commitment, communication, teamwork, problem solving, and resilience. Congratulations to all the competitors you did yourselves and your colleges proud! Healthy competition makes us strive to be the best we can be and the technical skill on show across the week was a joy to witness!"

"We are incredibly proud of every learner who stepped forward to compete. Their commitment, resilience and professionalism shone throughout the week. This competition not only celebrates excellence but raises aspirations, strengthens collaboration across our FEDEC colleges, and showcases the outstanding talent we have across Essex."

The winners were:

Gold, Silver and Bronze medallists across ten skill areas, representing Colchester Institute, Chelmsford College, South Essex College, USP College and Harlow College.

Plumbing – Braintree Campus

BRONZE – Jayden Lucking (CI)
SILVER – James Smith (CI)
GOLD – Caitlyn Fitzpatrick (CI)

Hair – Princes Road Campus

BRONZE – Keira Anise Cochrane (CC)
SILVER – Hollie Reeve (CI)
GOLD – Tia Clarke (CC)

Beauty – Princes Road Campus

BRONZE – Francesca Gyford (CC)
SILVER – Olivia Hookins (SECG)
GOLD – Isabel English (CC)

Electrical – Harlow Campus

BRONZE – Maddie Reason (CI)
SILVER – Jayden Bagge (CI)
GOLD – Gideon Kelvin-Crump (CI)

Bricklaying – Stephenson Road Campus

BRONZE – Aiden Stalley (CI)
SILVER – Shannon Downs (CI)
GOLD – Ronnie Cooper (SECG)

Engineering – Luckyn Lane

GOLD - Katie Day & Max Kimmings (SECG)
SILVER – Henry Kingsford & Osei Elvis (CC)
BRONZE – Franky Lane & Alex Chadling (CI)

Catering – Thurrock

BRONZE – Samuel Baker (SECG)
SILVER – Ashton Burke-Smith (SECG)
GOLD – Sophie Tones (CI)

Digital – Basildon

BRONZE - SECG
Temiluwa Braimoh
Emily Shirvell
Oliver Maslen

SILVER - USP
Logith Prathees
Kishopika Prathees
Harrison James Catchpole

GOLD - SECG
Joseph Whall
Maksym Salyha

Science – Southend City

GOLD – Dhiyaa Kathikeyan (Harlow)
SILVER – Mason Collis (Harlow)
BRONZE – James Strubel (SECG)

Health and Care – Seevic Campus

BRONZE – SECG
Thomas Cauchi
Lexie De Souza

SILVER – USP
Jemma Hill
Emily Humbles
Alicia Akor

GOLD – Harlow
Lucy Adams
Maya Connell

Overall FEDEC Champion Winner Sheild was awarded based on cumulative points across all categories.

Congratulations to Colchester Institute on being the overall winner for the week.

WorldSkills UK’s programmes are seen as an integral part of the post 16 education and training calendar. FEDEC has been working with WorldSkills UK to use its Local Skills Competitions Endorsement Framework to support its students and apprentices in developing their technical and employability skills to higher levels.

"FEDEC was formed to foster collaboration from the colleges across Essex, and the Inter-college Competition Week has demonstrated the benefits this can bring. Giving students the opportunity to showcase their talents with different scenarios in different locations, working under pressure and to strict deadlines. The results speak for themselves and prove the positive difference a truly collaborative partnership can bring"

"Congratulations to all those who took part in the FEDEC Inter College Skills Competition. Competition-based learning is recognised by educators as one of the most powerful tools for driving quality improvement, as well as developing and assessing technical skills. This Framework is designed to raise standards, inspire ambition, and provide teaching staff and learners with access to world-class skills development to meet the rapidly changing demands of both existing and emerging industries."