USP College Hosts FEDEC Inter-College Skills Competition & Wins Silver!
- Posted 30 Jan 2026
On Friday 30th January USP College hosted the closing Awards Ceremony for the inaugural FEDEC (Federation of Essex Colleges) Inter-College Skills Competition, welcoming students, staff and partners from across Essex to its Immersive Theatre at the Seevic Campus in Benfleet. The event marked the culmination of a county-wide competition celebrating technical skill, student ambition and the strength of further education collaboration.
Delivered through FEDEC, the Inter-College Skills Competition is the first initiative of its kind to be jointly developed by Essex colleges. The programme was endorsed by WorldSkills UK through the Local Skills Competition Endorsement Framework, recognising the quality and impact of the competition in supporting learner development and progression.
Reflecting on the importance of the event for learners, Hannah Johnson, Assistant Principal of Student Experience at USP College, said:
“Events like this place students at the centre of their learning experience. Competing in realistic settings helps them build confidence, apply their skills under pressure and understand the professional standards expected in their future careers. It has been a strong example of how we can create meaningful, motivating experiences that support both personal and professional development.”
Alongside hosting the Awards Ceremony, USP College delivered the Health & Social Care competition, using its hospital simulation suite to provide a realistic, professional environment aligned to industry standards. The setting allowed students to demonstrate not only technical competence, but also communication, decision-making and professional behaviours under pressure. Kate Merritt and Kate Evans from NHS Mid-South Essex Trust were the judges of this category.
We had the pleasure of welcoming Christian Notley MBE, from WorldSkills UK. Christian is an internationally respected vocational education expert, recognised with an MBE for his outstanding services to education and global skills development.
“WorldSkills UK is incredibly proud to be endorsing this competition. The colleges really have showcased what can be achieved in competition and how that can drive standards and promote excellence within FE education, very happy to be here.”
Students from USP College, Chelmsford College, Colchester Institute, Harlow College and South Essex Colleges Group competed across a range of categories, including Health & Social Care, Hair & Beauty, Electrical Installation, Plumbing, Bricklaying, Engineering, Digital, Science and Hospitality. Throughout the competition, learners showcased exceptional talent, technical skills and a clear commitment to excellence.
The Awards Ceremony in our Immersive Theatre brought the week long competition to a close, recognising achievement across all categories. We are so proud our of student teams who took home Silver in the Digital category and Silver in Health & Social Care. Our Congratulations are extended to all students who took part.
Katharine Ball, Director of FEDEC, highlighted the wider purpose of the competition, noting that it responds directly to employer feedback by creating opportunities for young people to develop essential workplace skills alongside technical excellence, while building confidence, resilience and healthy competition.
The FEDEC Inter-College Skills Competition has reinforced the value of collaboration across Essex colleges and demonstrated how high-quality facilities, shared ambition and student-focused delivery can support positive outcomes for learners and the wider community.
Check out a video from the awards on You Tube Click here
Want to learn more about FEDEC and WorldSkills UK