Former WorldSkills finalist Molly comes back to college to support Jess in her bid for success.
A teenager from Suffolk is feeling beautiful after reaching the finals of a prestigious national competition.
Jess Sharp, 18, from Mildenhall studied on a level three beauty therapy course at West Suffolk College last year.
As part of this, she took part in two rounds of a contest called WorldSkills.
In the first round, Jess had to submit examples of her work to judges and she was one of 70 people who were chosen out of 380 applicants to progress to the semi-finals.
In the second phase, Jess travelled to Birmingham and demonstrated her abilities in a number of different categories.
After a rigorous process, she was delighted to discover that she is one of eight people who will be involved in the WorldSkills finals that are taking place in Manchester this November.
Jess – who was diagnosed and then overcame meningitis whilst studying at the college – said: “I was shocked and excited when I found out I had progressed. I didn’t think I’d done very well so I was very emotional.”
In terms of the upcoming competition – Jess – who has just opened a new salon in Barrow called Jessica’s Beauty – said: “I’m going to do my best and it would mean a lot if I became part of the Team UK squad. It would show me that all the hard work was worth it.”
(If you are successful in the finals, winners get the chance to become part of Team UK where they get the chance to represent their country at a ‘Skills Olympics’ event, The next one takes place in Lyon in 2024).
West Suffolk College tutors are giving Jess regular support outside of their teaching hours.
Lecturer Karen Wright said: “We are so proud of Jess. This is the first time in West Suffolk College history that a beauty student has got this far.”
And former student Molly Rayner – who got to the final stages of WorldSkills 2022 in the field of hairdressing is also supporting her.
Molly said: “If I can pass on what I have learned to Jess and the team it will be beneficial for everyone. My top tip is - do whatever you can to the best quality you can. And if something doesn’t go your way – forget it and move on quickly.”
In addition to her support of Jess and the college, Molly has just been chosen to become part of the British Fellowship of Hairdressers 2024 Clubstar art team.
After an auditioning process, Molly will now get the chance to travel the country as an ambassador, will be invited to a series of networking events and she will also be mentored by some of the best hairdressers in the country.
Molly, 20, from Snetterton who has set up her own company called ‘Hair by Molly’ said: “This is an amazing opportunity. I’m going to be taught lots of new skills and gain experiences that can only help me in the future.”
