Colchester Institute is proud to be taking part in a new inter-college skills competition led by the Federation of Essex Colleges (FEDEC), in partnership with WorldSkills UK.
This initiative aims to support learners and apprentices across Essex in developing the high-level skills employers are looking for.
As part of the programme, competitions lead across Chelmsford College, Colchester Institute, USP College, Harlow College and South Essex Colleges Group will work with WorldSkills UK to support learners and apprentices through the inaugural FEDEC Inter-College Skills Competition: Going for Gold Across Essex, taking place 26th–30th January 2026.
Across the five FEDEC colleges, learners will compete in 10 skill categories, including Plumbing, Hair & Beauty, Electrical Installation, Bricklaying, Engineering, Catering, Digital and Science. Each competition will be benchmarked against WorldSkills UK-approved briefs and mark schemes, ensuring consistency and alignment with international standards.
The Local Skills Competition Endorsement Framework draws on WorldSkills UK’s extensive experience of running national competitions and preparing Team UK for international competitions.
WorldSkills UK’s activity is seen as an integral part of the post-16 education and training calendar and participating in competitions provides opportunities for young people to develop further their technical and employability skills to higher levels, in line with global industry standards.
Parisa Shirazi, Director of Standards, WorldSkills UK said, “It is fantastic to be working with FEDEC on this exciting new programme. Skills competitions are one of the best ways to develop and assess high quality technical skills and this framework will ensure more learners and apprentices at the colleges can benefit through competition-based learning which is designed to help meet rapidly changing employer needs in existing and emerging industries.”
Rebecca Leech, Director of Learner Experience and Essential Skills at Chelmsford College and Lead Co-ordinator for the FEDEC Inter-College Skills Event, said, “This inaugural competition is a huge moment for FEDEC and for vocational education in our region. Going for Gold is about raising aspirations and giving learners the confidence to perform at world-class levels. It’s also about showcasing the incredible work happening in our colleges and the transformative impact of skills-based learning.”
Building on the Going for Gold Strategy
This competition is more than a single event; it marks the beginning of a cultural shift across Essex. By embedding competition-based learning into the curriculum, FEDEC colleges are raising aspirations and preparing learners for success in a global skills economy.
The journey began with Skills Week, an intensive preparation period across all FEDEC colleges. Learners demonstrated resilience, focus and passion as they worked to master their craft, signalling that Essex learners are ready to compete at world-class levels.
Employer engagement is central to the programme. By working alongside FEDEC colleges, local and regional employers can connect directly with emerging talent, strengthening the skills pipeline and ensuring that learners’ training reflects industry needs.
Importantly, winners from the FEDEC Inter-College Skills Competition will progress to WorldSkills UK, elevating Essex’s profile nationally and showcasing the region’s commitment to world-class skills development.
David Warnes, CEO and Principal of Chelmsford College and Chair of FEDEC, said, “The FEDEC Inter-College Competition is designed to bring together learners from across the Essex colleges, not only to compete and challenge their ‘personal best’, but also to showcase the amazing talent we have across the region, and the support they have from their tutors and teachers. These learners are the future captains of industry, start-up entrepreneurs and skilled practitioners that will help shape and grow the Greater Essex economy.”
www.federationofessexcolleges.org
A Week of Skills Excellence
As part of the competition week, Colchester Institute will host the Plumbing competition on Monday 26 January 2026 at our Braintree Campus.
Other competitions will take place across FEDEC partner colleges throughout the week:
- Chelmsford College (Tue 27 January) – Hair & Beauty (Princes Road Campus)
- Harlow College (Wed 28 January) – Electrical Installation (Harlow Campus)
- South Essex Colleges Group (Thu 29 January) – Bricklaying, Engineering, Catering, Digital, Science (Multiple Campuses)
- USP College (Fri 30 January) – Health & Science (Seevic Campus)
Across these five days, 10 competitions will take place, with over 100 learner participants representing Chelmsford, Colchester, Harlow, South Essex and USP. Each competition will follow a WorldSkills UK-approved brief and mark scheme, ensuring consistency and international benchmarking.
About WorldSkills UK
WorldSkills UK is a four nations partnership between education, industry and UK governments. It is a world-class skills network acting as a catalyst for:
- Raising standards, through international benchmarking and professional development
- Cchampioning future skills, through analysis of rapidly changing economic demand
- Empowering young people, from all backgrounds, through competitions-based training and careers advocacy.
