TALENTED vocational students were rewarded for their hard work at a ceremony in York.
The York College VQ Awards, held at the Merchant Taylors’ Hall recognised individual vocational students for their achievements, motivation and hard work during the 2016/17 academic year.
After an introduction by college principal Dr Alison Birkinshaw, more than 40 students were presented with a VQ Student of the Year certificate and prize by guest of honour Richard Mansell, the General Manager of The Principal hotel in York.
Richard Mansell later addressed the winning students and their families, giving a short speech on the importance of vocational skills across all industries.
A special Student Enterprise Award was presented by the Yorkshire & Humber region of the Association of Colleges. The £100 prize was won by a group of Level 3 BTEC Business students; the Business Bulldogs, who earlier in the year competed against other organisations across the city to win the St Leonard’s Hospice Accumulator Challenge. The students used their impressive entrepreneurial skills to turn £30 (loaned by St Leonard’s Hospice) into a staggering £3410.61 in just 30 days of exhaustive fundraising. When presented with their prize, the group whole-heartedly decided to donate their winnings to St Leonard’s Hospice. Student Josh Thomas (previously of Tadcaster Grammar School) said: “After visiting the Hospice and seeing how much they help local families, as well as the patients themselves, we worked together to raise as much money as we could during the 30 day period. Winning the AoC Student Enterprise Award is very much appreciated and the Business Bulldogs are very happy to donate the prize money back to the Hospice.”
Dr Birkinshaw, said: “Congratulations to all our Vocational students as they progress onto exciting careers in a range of vocational disciplines. We are very proud of them all. At York College we offer over 80 full-time vocational programmes in a vast range of subjects and it is especially pleasing to look back on former students who now work successfully in a variety of sectors; as engineers, construction workers, chefs, artists and designers, IT coders, musicians and actors, childcare professionals, hairdressers and beauticians and in many sports and public service related careers. There is no doubt the qualifications achieved by our talented students will provide them with rewarding careers in the future, and in turn their skills will benefit our local and national economy. Hundreds of our vocational students will also progress onto higher levels of education and training and continue to study either with us or at university.”
VQ Students of the Year 2017
Art & Design & Crafts
Jenny Price Foundation Student of the Year (Entry, L1, L2)
Abigail Thompson Level 3 Student of the Year
Tabetha Edwards Adult Student of the Year
Business & Professional Studies
Reece Turnbull Foundation Student of the Year (Entry, L1, L2)
Charles Langstaff Level 3 Student of the Year
Tanja Hendry Adult Student of the Year
Child Studies
Nolette Rush Foundation Student of the Year (Entry, L1, L2)
Daniel Probert Level 3 Student of the Year
Natasha Holden Apprentice / Adult Student of the Year
Construction
Connor Grabham Foundation Student of the Year (Entry, L1, L2)
Karl Sierevogel Level 3 Student of the Year
Damian Puleston Apprentice / Adult Student of the Year
Engineering & Motor Vehicle
Gareth Pratt Foundation Student of the Year (Entry, L1, L2)
Martyn Woodliffe Adult Student of the Year
Hair, Beauty & Holistic Therapies
Joy Carberry Foundation Student of the Year (Entry, L1, L2)
Jennifer Greatrex Level 3 Student of the Year
Sally Kaplynski Adult Student of the Year
Health and Social Care
Emma Watson Foundation Student of the Year (Entry, L1, L2)
Adam Hardman Level 3 Student of the Year
Jade Kelly Apprentice / Adult Student of the Year
Hospitality, Travel and Tourism
Sophie Reeves L3 Student of the Year for Hospitality
Rachel Emmerson L3 Student of the Year for Travel and Tourism
Mollie Medd Apprentice / Adult Student of the Year
Digital Technologies
Paul Cook Foundation Student of the Year (Entry, L1, L2)
Tom Major Level 3 Student of the Year
Media and Performance
Mark Readman Foundation Student of the Year (Entry, L1, L2)
Finlay East Level 3 Student of the Year
Beth Geldard Apprentice / Adult Student of the Year
Science
Jack Santana Level 3 Year 1 Student of the Year
John Alex Christie Level 3 Year 2 Student of the Year
Sport and Public Services
Saffron Cooper Foundation Student of the Year (Entry, L1, L2)
Christopher Donnelly Level 3 Student of the Year in Sport
Callum Shepherd Level 3 Student of the Year in Public Services
General Education
Joanna Button Level 1 Student of the Year
Rosie Carling Level 2 Student of the Year
Nathan Hall Level 3 EPQ Student of the Year
Foundation Maths and English
Lyla Gentle Foundation Maths Student of the Year
Kimberley Mainprize Foundation English Student of the Year
Vocational Student of the Year
Finlay East Vocational Student of the Year
York College Governors’ Award for Outstanding Contribution
Pamela Thorby
AoC Enterprise Award
York College’s Business Bulldogs, winners of the St. Leonards Hospice Accumulator Challenge
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