A team of Loughborough College students have been awarded a special prize created in honour of their achievements, at a national competition final in London.
One of only five college teams from across the country to compete for the Champion of Champions crown at Barclays’ Canary Wharf Head Offices, Beki Hughes, Nathaniel Kolawole and Salman Kameshki so impressed judges that they announced them as winners of a one-off title, recognizing their performance.
With a 30th storey view of the capital, the Loughborough College team were praised by a high-calibre panel before receiving the unexpected and unique accolade at The Prepare for Work final.
Beki, 15, Nathaniel, 17 and Salman, 18 showcased an event they had devised and run at the College in May to help their fellow students develop their employability skills.
Neelum Savania, Employment Advisor at Loughborough College, said: “I think it must have been very close. The judges said they had only intended there to be one award, for the winning team and although the Loughborough College team had missed the top spot they were so deserving of recognition that they did not want them to go away with nothing, so they had created a special runners up prize.
“We were in a prestigious location with some of the team never having been to London but they all really stepped up.
“They were all running on adrenaline afterwards – they wanted to do their presentation all over again.
“Each of the students had come so far, both on individual journeys and as a team – particularly considering they did not know one other before taking on this challenge. Their dedication and support for each other has been so impressive.
“It has been fantastic to see how the team has inspired our students at Loughborough College and how eagerly other finalists were sharing ideas with Beki, Nathaniel and Salman on the day.”
The team devised and presented an event to around 50 Loughborough College students centred on job interviews, with each of the three students role playing a different scenario to present the best and the worst interview preparation and techniques, with the audience voting for the best on special key pads.
The panel of judges included Sylvia Perrins, CEO of The National Skills Academy for Financial Services, who said of the Loughborough College team’s performance:
“The judges were very impressed with the personal journey that each of the team members made during the competition.
“They did not know one another at the outset, but by working together as a team they were able to produce an event that was relevant for their peers and build upon the strengths of each team member.
“We felt this replicated situations that they would face when entering the workplace. We were also impressed by the employability event that they ran, as role play is a powerful way to help others learn.”
Beki, Nathaniel and Salman were congratulated by Loughborough College Principal and Chief Executive Esme Winch at a later event, attended by family and friends, to formally present certificates marking the team’s participation and achievement in the competition.
Pictured: (l to r) Loughborough College's Salman Kameshki, Beki Hughes, Nathaniel Kolawole and Neelum Savania.