Shrewsbury College is celebrating a truly outstanding achievement recently, as one of their T Level in Health students, Ester Sevim, has secured a gold medal at the WorldSkills National Finals 2025 in Health and Social Care - the highest honour a young professional can attain in UK vocational education.

Often called the “Skills Olympics,” the WorldSkills UK competitions showcase the best of national technical skill, bringing together the most talented young people from across the country to compete in numerous vocational and professional disciplines. Competitors are judged by industry experts and assessed against the strictest national standards.

Ester completed two gruelling rounds before reaching the National Finals, which were held over three days in Newport. In the final round, Ester had to complete six pressure tests, four planning tasks, one health poster, a reflection, and a multiple-choice questionnaire to win her gold medal.

The college is immensely proud of Ester and her achievement. Her teacher, Lucy Warrilow, who attended the finals with her, expressed her admiration:

“Supporting Ester during the competition has been a pleasure. She has dedicated considerable effort in the weeks before, both at home and in college, meeting tutors after lessons to practise her skills. She has behaved professionally, and her enthusiasm for the subject has been evident, even during some high-pressure tests! We are all immensely proud of her achievement; it is truly well deserved!”

Ester explained that the competition pushed her skills in ways she could never fully prepare for:

“I faced many challenges, particularly the curveballs in my pressure tests, because I couldn’t plan for them; they really tested my ability to stay calm and problem solve. With the support and reassurance of my tutors who accompanied me, I gained faith and confidence in myself. My teacher, Lucy, has helped me immensely with prep for the competition. Both Lucy and Anne were my rocks during the week, providing moral support. They knew how to motivate me when I doubted myself!”

She continued:

“Winning gold means the world to me. It has allowed me to believe in myself and my skills and has made me more determined than ever to strive for excellence and become an amazing midwife!”

James Staniforth, Principal of Shrewsbury College, concluded:

We are immensely proud of Ester’s exceptional achievement. Her success continues a tradition of other WorldSkills winners in various disciplines over recent years. These accomplishments are truly remarkable and showcase the high standards of teaching and training at Shrewsbury College. Such awards celebrate the dedication of our students and staff and highlight the vital importance of vocational education in shaping future industry leaders.