BRADFORD’S Cedar Court Hotel was filled with excitement and anticipation for the first-ever Bradford College STAR Awards ceremony.
The prestigious event celebrated outstanding achievements and excellence in education, honouring students and employers for their remarkable contributions over the past academic year.
The new awards recognise those who have gone above and beyond in their educational pursuits and support roles. Proceedings kicked off with a welcome address from Bradford College CEO & Principal, Chris Webb, who emphasised the importance of hard work and perseverance in education.
Chris said: “Tonight we celebrate the stars of Bradford College, whose dedication and passion for learning inspires us all. These awards are not just about individual achievement but also about the collective spirit of our community.”
One of the evening’s highlights was the Principal’s Student of the Year award, which went to Early Years student Olivia Sparkes. The nomination explained that Olivia is a truly exceptional student who has received an offer from University of Huddersfield to study Paediatric Nursing.
The Interdepartmental Student of the Year went to Sports student Max Whitehead, who has been accepted onto an Applied Sports Studies in Football course at Leeds Beckett University.
The Ambition Hub Student of the Year went to Danish Zubair in Computing and Ellie Searby won the T Level Student of the Year award.
Apprentice of the Year went to James Bland and the Adult Student of the Year award was given to Hedian Al Babesi who has transformed from a nervous student to someone able to perform Shakespeare in front of hundreds of people.
Science student Mohammad Ehsan won the Student Ambassador Award and the Employer Partner of the Year went to Kids Planet. Over the past two years, Kids Planet has accommodated 24 Bradford College early students for work experience.
Cross College Student of the Year went to Jeson Isolano who is an incredible overseas student enrolled on a Progression to Learning to Work course.
* Could you be a Bradford College STAR this time next year? Apply now for 2024/25! Visit bradfordcollege.ac.uk
A BRADFORD School of Art music student has been selected for Origins Creatives - a July arts showcase organised by UAL Awarding Body at the Mall Galleries, London. Faye Quirie’s song, Porphyria, caught the attention of UAL Awarding Body curator Charlie Levine, amongst over 500 submissions. Faye wrote and recorded the song as part of her Level 2 Diploma in Music, Performance and Production course at Bradford College. It will be presented at the exhibition alongside creative work from across UAL subject areas.
Nicolas Sykes, Bradford College Music Programme Leader for Further Education, said: “Faye's hard work, dedication, and creativity have earned her a place among the best music students in the UK. This is a wonderful opportunity for her to showcase her talent and celebrate her achievements at the Mall Galleries.”
* Find out about Level 2 Diploma at bradfordcollege.ac.uk
HOT on the heels of winning a global learning award, the Bradford College Welcome Café is getting ready for its first ever pop-up event.
The pop-up cafe will take place at the Creative Earth Eco Fest in Keighley.
Taking place at Cliffe Castle on Saturday, August 3, the free festival will offer sustainable food and activities for people of all ages.
This Café team is excited to showcase its delicious plant-based food to the community.
The Welcome Café - which is a unique initiative run in partnership with Bradford College - is located at the Millside Community Centre.
At the cafe, students, local asylum seekers, and refugees learn how to cook plant-based food for the public with the support of College staff.
The dishes cooked and served at the cafe represent the students’ diverse backgrounds and cultures - and every meal is a chance to experience different traditions and flavours from around the world.
STUDENTS continue to benefit from the successful partnership between Bradford College and the Bradford Bulls.
Two Level 3 Business students recently worked at the Bulls to learn about the day-to-day operations of a rugby league club. As part of their course, Zac Szepler and Alex Parry were required to complete 30 hours of work experience and jumped at the opportunity of joining the Bulls. After impressing throughout their placement, both students have been encouraged to continue with their involvement.
Commercial Manager, Ian Stafford, said: “The two have represented themselves and the College excellently. Hopefully they’ve got lots out of this work experience and as a club, we’ve been delighted to have them.”
The Bradford College Work Placements Team engage with over 1,500 companies and businesses, with 93per cent of learners rating their satisfaction of work experience as good or above.
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