Owen’s blinder at VQ Day Awards
Day Awards celebrate the learners, employers and teachers who demonstrate the success of vocational learning.
The learner of the year, the newly qualified FE teacher of the year and the employer of the year were all crowned at the ceremony in London on Tuesday night (June 3).
Nine regional learner of the year winners also received awards.
National learner of the year went to 22-year-old Owen Henley, a former Runshaw College BTec media production student, who also won the North West regional award.
Owen, currently a freelance camera assistant on BBC drama Peaky Blinders, starring Tom Hardy and Cillian Murphy, said he was “surprised” to win.
Bishop Auckland College sport, fitness and uniformed public services curriculum manager Katy Graham won the newly qualified teacher award.
Katy, a former police officer who has encouraged disadvantaged students to apply for higher level programmes, said: “I’m absolutely over the moon — I love what I do.”
VQ Day employer of the year was claimed by electrical contractors Clarkson Evans. HR and training director Lindsey Young said: “We train young people because it’s the right thing to do — it works for them, it works for us and it works for the economy.”
Lord Kenneth Baker, chair of VQ Day organisers Edge, said the evening was “a huge collection of talent, originality, creativity and enterprise”.
Click here to view the event feature: FE week E105-10-11 VQ
Main pic: Edge chief executive Jan Hodges OBE and the nine regional winners of the VQ Day learner of the year award 2014. From left: Helen Carr, Eva Martin, Ms Hodges, Mitchell Brice, Owen Henley, Antoine Coevoet, Millie Stammers, Zoe Warner, Melissa Jackson, Lee Bellamy
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