Blackburn College students were in top gear at automotive skills competition

Two Blackburn College automotive students have scooped first and second place in the first leg of the Lancashire Skills Competition. The competitions are designed to test the practical skills of students from nine colleges across Lancashire and to help advance students into their chosen careers.

Mohammed Hussain placed first and Ali Navi came second. Both are studying Motor Vehicle Level 1 at the College.

The Automotive competition is part of the first-ever Lancashire Colleges’ Skills Competition Programme. This year’s programme is sponsored by the Lancashire Skills Hub and Future U.

The competition was part of The Lancashire Colleges competition programme, which took place over the month of March, and was held at Blackburn College.

Automotive students were able to test their knowledge using Blackburn College’s fully interactive Toyota Mirai training rig, the latest addition to the College’s state-of-the-art Hybrid Electric Automotive Training (HEAT) facility. The HEAT Centre opened in November 2022 as a dedicated centre to develop and deliver training to bridge skills gaps and meet the demands of greener vehicle technologies.

Mohammad Hussain (Blackburn College Student)

Mohammed said: “We were confident on the day because we were organised and worked hard before the competition, our tutors were great in preparing us for the different tests we might face.

“It was the teamwork between the both of us that was key and why we managed to complete the challenges half an hour before the time limit.”

Judges included Paul Blott from Eunoia Associates and Shaun Robbinson from Hippo Garages.

Shaun Robbinson, a Hippo Garages City & Guilds Trainer for over 20 years, reflected on the skills of both Mohammed and Ali: “Their level of skill, hands-on ability and communication as a team stood out immediately as soon as they started working.

“They both carried out the task in a professional manner paying close attention to every aspect of the job and overcoming issues as professional mechanics would.

“Both showed fantastic ability and a high skill level.”

The atmosphere on the day was positive, and the students welcomed the chance to bond with students from other colleges.

L-R: Mohammad Hussain (Blackburn College Student), Ali Naqvi (Blackburn College student)

Dr Fazal Dad, Principal and Chief Executive of Blackburn College said:

“The competition was an exceptional display of the skills held across automotive courses in Lancashire.

“We’re incredibly proud of the Automotive offer we have here at the College, and it’s great to have the winners be from the College, too.

“All participants displayed confidence and professionalism in their tasks, and they should be very proud of themselves.”