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College learners received the red carpet treatment as their outstanding achievements were celebrated at the FE Sussex Spring Awards.
The Hilton Brighton Metropole Hotel was the setting as the awards brought together 12 colleges from the area in a glitzy evening of 13 presentations.
The City & Guilds-sponsored event, now in its 11th year, is planned, coordinated and delivered by FE Sussex — a consortium of all post-16 colleges in Sussex.
Students from faculty of hospitality and catering at Northbrook College served dinner, while Chichester College students had prepared floral decorations and Central Sussex College learners studying an air cabin crew course performed meet and greet functions.
Apprentice of the year winner Bruce Daughtree, aged 40, from City College Brighton and Hove, who studies level two apprenticeship in health and social care, said: “Winning a Spring Award to me is a magical thing. I’ve never won anything in my life. My confidence is on top of the mountains.”
A focal point of the event, held on Thursday, March 26, was the song and dance entertainment provided by performing arts students from Worthing and Chichester colleges.
FE Sussex chief executive Tim Strickland, who has hosted the evening for the past six years, said: “The standard of performance equalled that of professional west end productions.”
He added: “What I find incredible is that the 13 Spring Award winners and 14 runners-up are selected from over 60,000 learners in our colleges. Just to get to be a Spring Award finalist is difficult, never mind winning.”
FE Sussex Spring Awards 2015 Winners
Pearson BTec learner of the year — Victoria Jenkins, aged 19, level-three health and social care national extended diploma at Central Sussex College
AQA Sussex college learner of the year — Charlotte Cozens, 17, A2 further maths and maths with mechanics at Worthing College
Hilton Brighton Metropole hospitality student of the year — Jodie Batchelor, 19, NVQ level three in hospitality at Central Sussex College
Barclays Sussex apprentice of the year — Bruce Daughtree, 40, level two apprenticeship in health and social care at City College Brighton and Hove
FE Sussex innovative use of technology in education award — Steve Bassett, tutor for AS and A2 sociology at Sussex Downs College
City & Guilds Sussex learner making the most progress award — Lee Goodwin, 25, level three apprenticeship in motor vehicle at Chichester College
University of Chichester outstanding progression to higher education award — Aila Figura, 19, level-three extended diploma in creative media production at Northbrook College
University of Brighton widening participation in higher education award — Heidi Gourlay, 34, access to HE health and health sciences at Northbrook College
Pearson award for most improved learner — Peter McCleery, 18, level-three diploma in information technology at Central Sussex College
Sussex A-level/international baccalaureate learner of the year —Eliza McHugh, 17, international baccalaureate diploma programme at Varndean College
NCFE Sussex learner of the year — Kyle Sinclair, 24, essential skills course at Central Sussex College
OCR Sussex College learner of the year — George Bontoft, 17, AS level human biology at Chichester College
City & Guilds Sussex learner of the year — Renzzo De Souza, 19, site carpentry higher diploma level-three at City College Brighton and Hove
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