STUDENT STARS AND GRADUATES HONOURED AT ONLINE AWARDS CELEBRATION

Students at North Warwickshire and South Leicestershire College (NWSLC) have been praised for their ‘dogged determination to succeed against all odds’ at a celebration event to recognise their achievements.

The event, attended by over 200 guests, which was held online for the second consecutive year on Friday 22 January, included an inspirational keynote address from Marion Plant, OBE FCGI, Principal and Chief Executive of NWSLC who highlighted how students from across the college had become much more agile and resilient as they tackled the issues presented by studying during the pandemic.  

The celebrations recognised representatives of the 14,000 students and apprentices aged from 14-78 who studied with NWSLC last year completing qualifications from foundation to degree level across the college’s six campuses.

Marion Plant said, “I have been impressed with the pace at which our students embraced remote learning and assessment and there is no doubt that the level of digital capability and confidence they achieved will serve them very well in future employment as all industry sectors become more and more digitised.

“This year we have seen the college’s adult and community learning provision shortlisted for a national award, our Beauty and Make-up artistry team win a Pearson National Teaching Award, and our MIRA Technology Institute being singled out for a regional award for its successful partnership between education and business. Satisfaction with our higher education provision was maintained at high levels in a difficult climate where ratings dropped significantly for many organisations in the sector.

“And we were also proud to have launched a new training centre dedicated to the in-demand skills of the hard-pressed logistics sector. The Centre for Logistics Education and Research (CLEAR), based at Magna Park in Lutterworth, is a partnership with GLP, Wincanton and Aston University, and we are confident that, working together in this way, we will start to deliver real opportunities for individuals to start some fantastic careers in this dynamic and growing sector. 

“As a college, we place a great deal of emphasis on the benefits of skills competitions. We were delighted that NWSLC was placed as the highest performing English college in the finals of the WorldSkills UK skills competitions in 2021 winning five Gold, three Silver and eight Bronze medals across a range of disciplines. I was also particularly proud of those students whose medal haul in the Foundation Skills categories of the competition saw them achieve the top spot in the whole of the UK with three Gold, two Silver and two Bronze medals.

Marion Plant said, “Hosting our awards celebration online was a fantastic opportunity to involve as many people as possible in recognising the significant achievement of our talented students and it was wonderful to see so many people coming together virtually to celebrate with us while staying safe at home.”

The event included a presentation from former media student Lily-Ann Bedder from Burbage who now works as a creative consultant for Hinckley-based experiential design company Holovis. Lily-Ann is responsible for designing themed entertainment experiences for businesses including Merlin Entertainments which owns Alton Towers and LEGOLAND® Parks.  

Also congratulating the students and graduates was the Chair of the North Warwickshire and South Leicestershire College governing body, Professor Ray Linforth, OBE.