Ben and Nathan take part in the national final of World Skills UK

NextGen students Ben and Nathan recently reached the final of World Skills UK in 3D Game Art, a global competition held in Birmingham.

Both students are studying a Games, Animation & VFX Extended Diploma at Sunderland College. Over the three day event, each of the boys work hard to model, uv unwrap and texture a pirate chest, pirate hat, pirate cutlass and pirate dabloon. Whilst the students completed these tasks, the general public and aspiring students had the opportunity to watch Ben and Nathan work and the work of other competitors.

Although Ben and Nathan didn’t place at the competition, reaching the final 8 has given the students an unforgettable experience in which they have been able to further develop their skillset in a professional environment, ultimately preparing them both for a bright future in the digital industry.

Matthew Hall, Sunderland College Lecturer in NextGen: Games, Animation and VFX said:

“I am over the moon with the achievements our students have made. They are absolute heroes for getting this far in the competition – it is no easy feat! I am so proud of their resilience to compete in such tough conditions and on such challenging briefs. It really shows the quality of our course that we can consistently get students into the final. Their future is very bright and I am so glad I got to support them on this journey!”

Nathan Richardson, Sunderland College Student & Competitor commented:

“I felt really proud of myself for reaching the final and managing to compete there. I found the competition challenging as I was competing against such skilled people. Reaching this final stage is going to help increase my chances of getting into a really good University and should help open some doors for me in the future – I am really excited about that! The staff prepared me well for the competition because they have supported me throughout and led me in the right direction!”

Ben Weatherley, Sunderland College Student & Competitor added:

“After getting to the top 8 3d artists in the UK for 2018 I found myself feeling extremely proud! Even though I didn’t place, I am really proud of the journey I have gone through to reach this point. The competition was fun because I doing something I love and I enjoyed focusing on my skills. I am really excited for all future opportunities ahead of me; going through such a prestigious competition as this shows massive determination and that is a quality universities and employers look for! The course has always really helped and supported me whenever I needed help it, which is why I feel I was good enough to reach the final. The staff are always on hand to support me when needed and I really value this, it has helped me develop as a 3d artist.”

Last year, the college had one finalist in the 3d Game Art competition, having produced two finalists this year they look toward a hat-trick next year.