Amersham & Wycombe College students achieve in the arts and electrician industries

Students from the Amersham & Wycombe College have been achieving great success in the field of art and the electrician trade.

In March alone one local student won the regional final of the SPARKS UK Apprentice Electrician of the Year competition; another student has been shortlisted in the Association of Photographers Student Awards; and two more students have won the Royal Opera House’s Art & Design Aida Challenge.

After winning the regional (South East) final of the SPARKS UK Apprentice Electrician of the Year competition, Amersham & Wycombe student Matthew Hague, who is studying a City & Guilds Electrotechnical Technology course, will take part in the national final at Swindon College on 11-12 May.

Commenting on the competition, Matthew said, “I had to wire up a complex installation of lights and sockets as part of the competition. I really enjoyed taking part and it’s good to be able to put all I’ve learned at College into practice. I would particularly like to thank my tutors Rob Howlett, Nigel Fisher and Steve Ward for giving me such good grounding on the course and for recommending me for the competition.”

Photography student Antonina Dolaniecka made it through to the AOP Student Awards shortlist for a second successive year with her editorial entitled, ‘Madonna vestida de flores visita el infierno'. She said: “Last year I was really and truly surprised. When I entered the competition this year I thought that I do not have any chance to be shortlisted because I submitted a series of photographs taken with a digital camera and I know that they prefer photographs taken on film. When I saw an email that I am successful I thought: oh, that is really nice! I could not believe it for a couple of days. Now I am really curious who the lucky winner will be.”

Natalie Halliwell-Jennings, a Graphics Foundation Degree year 2 student and Spasena Ilieva, a National Diploma year 1 Fashion student, who won the Royal Opera House’s Art & Design Aida Challenge with their 'brilliant' and 'excellent concept' for Giuseppe Verdi’s Aida opera.

Natalie, who came up with the poster concept said of the win: “It was a really lovely surprise and an honour to win. There were a lot of entrants and we got to see all of the 16 shortlisted pieces in the hall before we watched Aida and then the winners were announced.”

These fantastic achievements from our talented local students are a credit to the College lecturers, tutors and the local businesses who've provided them with opportunities to apprentice and train within their chosen industries.