Neve Dunn, a Beauty Therapy student from South Shields, studying at South Tyneside College, part of Tyne Coast College, is setting out on a journey of a lifetime, in an intrepid bid to do the UK proud on the international stage at the ‘skills Olympics’ in China.
Following Neve’s success in its national skills competitions, WorldSkills UK, in partnership with Pearson, has announced that Neve Dunn will join its 18-month intensive training programme. Neve is aiming to be selected for the team that will represent the UK at WorldSkills Shanghai in September 2026.
The WorldSkills competition is considered by global experts as the ultimate test of a nation’s ability to meet future skills needs. It is attended by government representatives, educationalists and leading employers from across the globe.
WorldSkills UK uses its participation in the international WorldSkills competition to promote skills excellence and working with education, industry and UK governments it is embedding world class training standards across the UK. This is helping to meet the demand for a highly skilled workforce in crucial sectors including engineering, digital, manufacturing and construction.
Ben Blackledge, Chief Executive, WorldSkills UK said:
Congratulations to Neve on being selected for our training programme for WorldSkills Shanghai 2026. Together with the other members on our programme, Neve will be developing the right skills to fuel business growth across our economy. With WorldSkills being hosted in Shanghai next year, it provides a fantastic platform for us to work closely with China, where we know skills excellence is a priority, to collaborate, innovate and learn from the very best in the world.
Lisa Roberts, Beauty Lecturer at South Tyneside College and Neve’s mentor, expressed her excitement for Neve’s achievement, saying,
I am absolutely thrilled for Neve - she's worked so hard to get to this stage. It’s a great achievement not only for her but for the college as well. Neve, our Level 4 learner, competed last year in beauty therapy and won gold. More recently, she strived for perfection and won the Beauty Therapy Practitioner award.
Neve herself shared her enthusiasm for the opportunity, stating,
It feels so amazing to have been selected for the 18-month training programme in preparation for the upcoming WorldSkills competition in Shanghai in 2026. It's been an honour to study and represent South Tyneside College, and I'm so excited to see what my future holds!
It is the first time China has hosted the prestigious WorldSkills event, which is known as the ‘skills Olympics’. The event will see 1500 young people travel to Shanghai from over 80 countries to compete in technical skill disciplines from engineering, manufacturing and technology through to creative, digital and hospitality in front of an audience of 250,000. The UK will be competing in over 30 skills at WorldSkills Shanghai 2026, including 3D Digital Game Art, Robot Systems Integration and Renewable Energy.
Pearson is the official partner of Team UK for WorldSkills Shanghai, which takes place from 22-27 September 2026.
