Celebrating Success

The Vocational Academy at West Kent College provides inspiring provision for 14-16 year old students. Participating schools in the area allow students to attend a day release programme, studying a course in Construction, Motor Vehicle, Catering or Hairdressing.

These courses offer a taste of their options for the future, encouraging them to progress further in their ambitions and realise their direction before finishing secondary education.

The 14-16 department at West Kent College strives to recognise the efforts and achievements of all their students by holding an annual ‘Celebrating Success’ event. This is a very motivating, exciting and prestigious occasion, where representatives from participating schools, College staff, parents and guardians and the students themselves attend.

Celebrating Success 2010 was a hugely successful event. The awards were presented by Mark Hicks (pictured top), a self-made businessman from Cable and Crimping Services Ltd, who after leaving school with very few qualifications returned to West Kent College to study engineering. The students were not only recognised for completing and achieving a qualification, but were acknowledged for their dedication and commitment to the course. Most students are now hoping to continue their studies at West Kent College.

The students that attend the Vocational Academy develop, mature and complete the programme with a positive attitude and direction for the future. Now that’s a success to celebrate!

Best of SkilledUp Final

Pupils from colleges across Kent converged upon the Tunbridge Wells campus at North Farm on Wednesday 23rd June for the Best of SkilledUp Final. SkilledUp is a competition for construction craft students to complete a specific project, competing against each other and against the clock. The final showcased the work of each college’s finalist in the four trades: Brickwork; Carpentry; Joinery; Painting & Decorating. The five colleges participating were: West Kent, South Kent, Mid Kent, Thanet and North West Kent.

The 20 competitors worked tirelessly throughout the day to produce excellent examples of their trade. Winners were: Brickwork – Adam Rigden, Thanet College; Carpentry – Charlie Connor, North West Kent College; Joinery – Chris Ward, MidKent College; Painting & Decorating – Aron Baker, North West Kent College.

Thanks go to the fantastic local employers and sponsors of the event: Wates Group, Makita, Brewers, Simpsons York and Galliford Try for supplying judges, prizes and awards presenters.

The Mayor of Tunbridge Wells, Councillor David Jukes, visited the event and commented: “I was very impressed with the standard of work being produced by the students today and by the traditional construction industry skills that they have acquired. Although things have moved on since I was a craft apprentice, it was encouraging to see that the skills required to produce items of quality have not diminished. Well done to all of the students and also to the staff, whose enthusiasm is infectious and encourages the students to be proud of their achievements. Well done also to the companies still offering apprenticeships, as without these dedicated people the depth of skills that we still harbour in this country will be lost."