Congratulations to Andrea Gordon for her first-place win in the Advanced Nail Enhancement competition at the WorldSkills International. The Stoke on Trent College beauty student ran with the theme of "mysterious" in the fantasy nail art competition, creating a set of 3-D nails inspired by Alice in Wonderland.

WorldSkills International recognizes excellence in vocational education around the globe and may be just the ticket to bringing out the best in your nail students. Similar to SkillsUSA but on an international playing field, the regional and international competitions challenge aspiring professionals in a variety of technical fields.

Gordon had just two-and-a-half hours on competition day to bring her vision to life. The design boasted a light-up, diamond encrusted magic mushroom, a teapot pouring tea into a cup, and a Cheshire cat with flashing eyes.

Gordon, who studied nail art as well as theatrical and media make-up at Stoke on Trent, now works at Masquerade based at Slater’s country hotel and craft village, Baldwins Gate, where she does hair, nails, and bridal make-up. "All the design had to be made out of acrylic, and I wanted to get something magical on to the nails," she says. "I’m now looking at more competitions and there are some in professional make-up coming up and even the Nailympics next year!”

Rachel Lea, tutor for beauty at Stoke on Trent College, says, “I am just so proud of Andrea and her achievement. She has worked really hard and it’s no less than she deserves.As a college we pride ourselves on the professionalism and high standards of the training we provide to our students. This is testament to our continued commitment to produce excellence.”