20th April 2026
The GMColleges Skills Competitions give learners the chance to showcase their skills alongside peers from across the region.
More than 900 students in Greater Manchester took part in 50 competitions in a range of subject areas. The competitions aim to raise the profile of technical skills and awareness of career pathways that will benefit the future workforce and economy.
For 2026, the competitions have also been endorsed by WorldSkills UK – meaning they have the seal of approval from a national organisation dedicated to embedding world-class training standards across the UK.
Overall, Oldham College won an impressive 5 bronze medals, 4 silver and a gold across the competitions!
Oldham College was also the host venue of the Performing Arts and Music Skills Competition – where students from across the region gave incredible performances in Dance, Acting, Music and Musical Theatre.
All the winners and runners up from the heats then travelled to 53two in Manchester to compete in the finals in an industry setting. Oldham College learner Daniel was crowned overall runner-up of the competition!
Across the two days, we were joined by an incredible panel of guest judges, who shared their expertise as they gave feedback to students on their performances. Thank you to:
- Raj Das ‘The Stiletto Prince’, choreographer and cabaret performer
- Laura Purdey, professional singer
- Lee Doyle, Course Leader for Music Production at BIMM Music Institute.
These competitions have been an inspiring experience for all involved, and we look forward to supporting learners to thrive in future competitions such as WorldSkills UK 2026.
