Higher education learners shine bright. Winners announced at graduation event

Higher education students from across the college were nominated for a list of special awards

This week, we celebrated the achievements of our higher education learners at a dedicated awards and graduation event, held at Bryn Meadows Golf Club.

More than 150 guests attended the event to recognise the hard work and success of our inspirational learners across a range of university-level courses.

The event celebrated the graduation of Pearson learners who completed HNC and HND courses in performing arts and specialist makeup, construction and the built environment, civil engineering, advanced manufacturing, and electrical and mechanical engineering at Coleg Gwent.

Alongside the Pearson graduations, higher education students from across the college were nominated for a list of special awards, including Higher Education Learner of the Year, High Achiever, Inspiring Learner, and Overcoming Adversity. There was also a Higher Education Learner of the Year Award for a student from each of our partner university cohorts – Aberystwyth, Cardiff Metropolitan, University of South Wales, Worcester, and Pearson.

Staff nominated learners from their courses based on their commitment to their studies, their achievements and their progression during their time at Coleg Gwent. The judges shortlisted hundreds of learners for the prestigious awards, before selecting winners and highly commended runner up learners from each category.

Congratulations to all the nominees and our well-deserving winners:

• • • Principal’s Award – Duane Richards
    • Learning Ambassador of the Year – Carolyn Watkins
    • High Achiever – Matthew Jones
    • Inspiring Award– Tomos Hitchman
    • Overcoming Adversity – Leanne Windsor, Jade Parry
    • Higher Education Learner of the Year:
      • Aberystwyth – Bethan Johnson
      • Cardiff Metropolitan – Vincent Dimu
      • University of South Wales – Caitlyn Mapps
      • University of Worcester – Graham Betty
      • Pearson – Duane Richards

As well as the learner awards, there were also awards for the Higher Education Staff Achievement, where our learners could nominate their tutors and thank them for their support —well done to Gordon Collins and Dennis Gardineron for achieving this recognition.

Guest speaker and Coleg Gwent alumni Megan Goodchild joined the evening and spoke about her success since college, launching the first make-up studio in South Wales ‘The Face Boss Studio’.

Angela Lewis, Head of Higher Education at Coleg Gwent said: “This event has been an inspiring celebration of dedication, perseverance, and achievement. We are enormously proud of our talented learners’ achievements and of the hard-working team of staff who support them every day to achieve great things.

“This celebration event serves as a powerful reminder of the significance of lifelong learning and our potential as educators to make a positive impact. Let us continue to embrace knowledge, embrace growth, and change lives through learning.”

Congratulations to our higher education class of 2023!

Find out more about our higher education courses – a university-level qualification is closer than you think.