Tag: study
Westminster Kingsway College’s Deputy Director for Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) has been awarded an MBE in the 2023 New Year Honours.
Paul Nee, who has worked for the college for nearly a decade, was recognised for services to further education in the first honours bestowed by His Majesty King Charles III.
He said: “When I learnt I was being awarded an MBE, I thought it was a wind-up. It was just a feeling of disbelief. But of course, I’m extremely proud. It’s one of the highest honours you can get.”
Paul joined WestKing as Head of Learning Difficulties and Disabilities (LDD) and High Needs in September 2013 and was promoted to Deputy Director for SEND in December 2020.
He oversees around 120 specialist SEND staff across all WestKing’s sites including those looking after students with more complex needs at the college’s King’s Cross Centre, Alexandra Centre and Kennet West Skills Centre.
During his time at WestKing, Paul oversaw the transformation of the Alexandra Centre into an outstanding service, which had been deemed inadequate while under a different provider.
Foundation and Supported Learning at WestKing
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Among his other career highlights was a SEND student who progressed into mainstream education at the college and is now studying for a degree at UAL: London College of Fashion.
Paul, who lives in Coventry and commutes to the college most days, said: “When you look at special needs, I’ve almost done the full circuit of what you can work in from senior management in specialist colleges to working in a special school and a number of SEND roles for FE colleges.
“It’s just so meaningful. It’s a bit of a cliché, but you are truly making a difference to the lives of young people with learning disabilities. It’s often about tiny steps that may seem quite trivial, but for them are momentous moments. That’s what I love about it, and it’s fun.
“I am proud of what we’ve achieved in SEND and privileged to work with some fantastic managers and staff. It’s not just down to one person, you’re only as good as the team around you.”
Former Secretary of State for Education, Nadhim Zahawi MP, recommended Paul for an MBE after being impressed on a visit to the Alexandra Centre when he was Minister for Children and Families.
Jasbir Sondhi, Vice Principal at WestKing, said: “Paul has been unwavering in his commitment to supporting students with learning disabilities and additional needs. He and his team were instrumental in turning around the Alexandra Centre into a high-quality provision to improve their independence and everyday lives.
“I would like to offer my warmest congratulations to Paul on his MBE. This is a huge achievement and one I am sure he will agree is not just testament to his own success, but also recognition of the work of his fantastic team.”
Find out more about Foundation and Supported Learning at WestKing here.
One of the UK’s most influential women in Engineering and Construction has praised the high standard of teaching after studying with Capital City College Group (CCCG).
Phebe Mann, who is Chair of the Institution of Civil Engineers London for 2022-23, completed a Plumbing Level 2 Diploma at the College of Haringey, Enfield and North East London and a short course in Home Repair and Maintenance for Women at Westminster Kingsway College.
She studied both courses having already established an illustrious engineering and legal career spanning more than three decades and gaining a PhD and four Master’s Degrees.
Phebe is a chartered engineer, chartered surveyor, chartered construction manager and a member of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators. She was named in the Women in Engineering Society’s Top 50 Women in Engineering 2018.
She has a PhD Collaborative Design, MSc Bridge Engineering, MSc Construction Management, MA (Cantab) Computer Science, LLM Construction Law and is a qualified barrister.
Engineering at WestKing
Engineering offers a variety of career prospects in some of today’s most exciting and dynamic industries, from mechanical, chemical, civil to electrical. Our engineering courses are amongst the best in the country, with many of our students excelling on work placements, progressing to university and realising their career aspirations.
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She has worked as a Specialist Judge for the Upper Tribunal and General Regulatory Chamber and has completed engineering projects for Westminster City Council and Cambridge County Council, as well as being a Senior Lecturer at the University of Westminster, University of Reading, University of East London and Open University.
Phebe decided to enrol on both courses to develop her practical construction skills and increase her awareness of the trades to enable her to better address a national shortage of workers in the UK.
She said: “The students were very enthusiastic in their learning. The lecturers were excellent and devoted to sharing the skills of their professions and we learnt a great deal from the exercises and the feedback they gave us. They also provided high-quality videos of each topic, which we could view repeatedly until we understood the requirements of the course.
“My lecturer for the plumbing practical class was very patient and empathetic to his students as he explained the steps we needed to take and the health and safety requirements for each task. He had a genuine understanding of his students and adapted his teaching to meet their individual needs.”
Phebe is passionate about encouraging and inspiring more women to follow in her footsteps and pursue engineering and construction careers.

She said: “Girls tend to do better than boys in GCSE and A Level results including science, mathematics and computing. These are all important skills for engineers and construction. Women excel in skills such as good communication, innovation, creativity and analysis. They should not be intimidated by working in a male-dominated industry.”
According to the Engineering UK and there is a shortfall of 173,000 workers in the STEM sector, while the Construction Skills Network says 266,000 new workers are needed by 2026
“If you are passionate about engineering, discover your potentials, seek opportunities, equip yourself, develop a positive learning attitude and be determined to be successful,” said Phebe.
“Don’t be discouraged by failures. Every success is built on many failures. Don’t give up if you believe you can do it.”
Apply now for Engineering courses here and Construction courses here.
Jobseekers had the chance to find out more about new employment opportunities and gaining work skills when they attended a Careers and Enterprise Day at Westminster Kingsway College.
The event was run with the Central District Alliance (CDA) business improvement district, which is partnering the college’s Mayor of London Digital and Hospitality Academy Hubs that launched earlier this year.
The CDA represents more than 400 businesses in central London and has backed the hubs to help its members upskill their staff and recruit new talent in the aftermath of the COVID pandemic.
Mayor of Camden Cllr Nasim Ali was the special guest at the event at the college’s King’s Cross Centre, which was held to coincide with Global Entrepreneurship Week last month.
CCCG’s apprenticeship and training provider Capital City College Training and entrepreneurship programme Visionnaires, a subsidiary of CCCG, were also present at the event.
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Among the other organisations that attended were Transport for London, Camden Council, Metropolitan Police, London Fire Brigade, DHL, Cutlass Security Group, Bidvest Noonan, London Communications Agency and Digital Influx.
There were also stands from several hospitality and entertainment businesses including Pret, Shaftesbury Theatre, Travelodge, Rosewood Hotels & Resorts, Imperial London Hotels, Kimpton Fitzroy London and Strand Palace.
Visitors had the opportunity to attend employability sessions with Samsung, LinkedIn and Edwardian Hotels, and have free professional headshots taken for their LinkedIn profiles.

Fashion and Communication Level 3 Diploma students modelled outfits for a fashion show sponsored by Dress for Success and Burton, which included advice on how to dress for a job interview.
There were also live demonstrations from students from the college’s School for Hospitality and Culinary Arts in Victoria.
Attendees also had chance to win a tablet or one of several mobile phones in a prize draw.
Find out more information and apply for courses and apprenticeships at WestKing here.
Capital City College Group (CCCG) will be offering T Levels across its three colleges from September 2023.
Five T Levels will be available at City and Islington College (CANDI), The College of Haringey, Enfield and North East London (CONEL) and Westminster Kingsway College (WestKing).
What are T Levels?
T Levels are two-year technical courses taken as an alternative to A Levels, apprenticeships and other 16-19 courses.
A T Level is equivalent to three A levels and comprises a core component and an occupational specialism to give students skills for employment, higher education or apprenticeships.
Students spend 80 per cent of the course at college gaining the skills that employers need. The remaining 20 per cent is on industry placement where they put these skills into action.
They will spend at least 45 days in industry placements to enable them to gain valuable experience in the workplace and give employers an early sight of new talent in their industry.
Why choose a T Level
T Levels have been designed with leading employers and awarding bodies to give students the skills, knowledge and experience they need. More than 250 employers have been involved in their development to give students confidence they will take them to the next level.
What T Levels will be available?
The first T Level courses available at CCCG colleges are listed below with more expected to be added over coming months.
T LEVEL | OCCUPATIONAL SPECIALISM | COLLEGE | CENTRE |
---|---|---|---|
Digital Production, Design and Development | Digital Production, Design and Development | CANDI | Centre for Business, Arts and Technology (including Health, Social and Childcare) |
Digital Production, Design and Development | Digital Production, Design and Development | WestKing | King’s Cross Centre |
Digital Support Services | Digital Support | CANDI | Centre for Business, Arts and Technology (including Health, Social and Childcare) |
Digital Support Services | Digital Support | WestKing | King’s Cross Centre |
Education and Childcare | Early Years Educator | CANDI | Centre for Business, Arts and Technology (including Health, Social and Childcare) |
Education and Childcare | Early Years Educator | CONEL | Tottenham Centre |
Health | Supporting the Adult Nursing Team | WestKing | King’s Cross Centre |
Health | Supporting the Adult Nursing Team | CONEL | Tottenham Centre |
Health | Supporting the Mental Health Team | WestKing | King’s Cross Centre |
Health | Supporting the Mental Health Team | CONEL | Tottenham Centre |
Science | Laboratory Sciences | CANDI | Centre for Applied Science |
Entry requirements
Entry requirements are the same as for A Levels and many other Level 3 courses, which require five GCSEs at grades 9-4 including English and maths. At least a grade 4 in GCSE Science is also required for science and health related T Levels.
Grading and certification
Students completing their T Level will receive a certificate which will show their overall grade shown as Pass, Merit, Distinction or Distinction*.
The certificate will show A*-E grades for the core component, and Pass, Merit, Distinction or Distinction* for the occupational specialism. It will also confirm they have completed the industry placement and met any other mandatory requirements
Students who do not pass all elements of their T Level will get a T Level statement of achievement that will only show the elements they have completed.
Find our more information about T Levels at CCCG and apply here.
Students shared their views on tackling racism with a black Metropolitan Police officer during a series of events at Capital City College Group (CCCG) to mark Black History Month.
Inspector Chris Excell, who has served the Met for 15 years, was among the guests invited to give talks to students at the College of Haringey, Enfield and North East London (CONEL).
Insp Excell shared his experience of being a black police officer, a brief history of black police officers in Britain and his role as the Chair of the Black Police Association at the Met.
Students at CONEL also heard from Corporal Nyerere St John who spoke about being a black soldier in the British Army and gave his advice on careers in the Armed Forces.
There were also talks and presentations on black history, the slave trade, Marie Seacole, black Olympians, black footballers, black scientists and inventors, black hair and beauty, black music and the screening of a documentary on the Windrush generation.
City and Islington College (CANDI) hosted a Chat and Chillax session where students took part in a discussion about Black History Month, what it means to them, why it is important and ways to tackle racism in society.
Students also participated in workshops where they wrote positive affirmations to promote more tolerance in society on leaf-shaped pieces of paper that were then stuck to a large picture of a ‘tree of hope’ for their peers to read.
Among the uplifting messages placed on the tree were ‘Everyone is allowed to live freely’, ‘Respect each other’, ‘Love each other’ and ‘Educate ourselves and others.’

The atrium at Westminster Kingsway College’s King’s Cross Centre was adorned with flags from countries around the world to represent the diversity of its staff and students.
Students heard talks from guest speakers from BAME backgrounds including entrepreneur Tlwalola Ogunles, youth mentor Luke Malillah, actor and presenter Jordan Kensington, social mobility advocate Kevin Osei, property investor TJ Atkinson and WestKing administrator Lorna Blackman.
They were also encouraged to read books by black authors in the college’s Learning Resource Centre including Noughts and Crosses by Malorie Blackman, Queenie by Candice Carty-Williams and Slay in Your Lane by Elizabeth Yomi Adegoke and Elizabeth Uviebinené.
There were screenings off Becoming, the documentary on life of former US First Lady Michelle Obama, and Rocks, a drama about a black teenage girl and her brother in Hackney whose mum abandons them, forcing them to try and avoid being taken into social care.
Music students also put on live performances of their own songs inspired by black music.
CCCG runs many enrichment activities across its three colleges for students personal and professional development. Find out more about Student Life at WestKing here.
With the academic year well under way, Year 11 students are now settling into their final year of school and knuckling down ahead of their GCSEs next summer.
Many will also be thinking about their future, and it is important for them to realise that staying on at school sixth form is not the only or always the best option.
Here’s six fantastic reasons why they should choose Westminster Kingsway College (WestKing) over school when it comes to taking the next step in their education.
- A bigger choice of qualifications and pathways – Whether you want to take the academic or technical route to university or employment we have the right course for you. Choose from A Levels, BTEC and City & Guilds diplomas and certificates, apprenticeships with top employers, along with our first T Levels.
- A huge range of subjects – We offer A Levels in many subjects along with courses in accounting and business, IT, creative media, art and design, construction, childcare, engineering, hospitality and culinary arts, music and performing arts, public services, science and sport.
- Students are treated like adults – There’s no ‘Yes Sir’ or ‘Yes Miss’ here. Students are often on first name terms with the teachers and given the personal responsibility for getting their work assignments done. Of course, we will still encourage, motivate and support our students to succeed.
- Make new friends – A chance to widen your social circle and get to know more people. The more you broaden your horizons, the more opportunities that are presented to you in work and life.
- Industry experienced teachers – Many of our lecturers and tutors have worked in the fields they teach and are able to share first-hand knowledge and experience to give students the professional skills and realistic expectations of their future careers.
- Fantastic enrichment and support – Students benefit from a more rounded education including trips at home and abroad, talks from industry experts, debates and workshops, competitions, community projects, sports, clubs and societies, careers advice and support with UCAS applications.

DON’T FORGET OUR OPEN DAYS
- King’s Cross Centre –Wednesday 2 November from 4.30pm to 6.30pm
- Victoria Centre (includes Soho Centre) – Monday 7 November from 4.30pm to 6.30pm
Book a place at our Open Days here and apply for our courses and apprenticeships here.
Colleges Week is a celebration of students, staff and skills from 17-21 October #LoveOurColleges
Short films by media students from Westminster Kingsway College have been named among the best animations in this year’s international Creative Conscience Awards.
Ben Dullea and Raiam Koroma were both recognised in the competition, which encourages students to use their creative talents to make a positive difference in the world.
The competition was open to individual students or teams of up to five enrolled on further and higher education courses in the UK and abroad.
Entrants were asked to come up with a project to tackle an issue of their own or one under a series of themes set by Creative Conscience – health and wellbeing, social issues, climate crisis, the natural world and education and learning.
They had to choose from 16 creative disciplines including film and photography, animation, graphic design, fashion and textiles, illustration and motion graphics.

Ben, 21, was among the winners in the animation section and was highly commended for his film highlighting the need for better mental health and wellbeing in the hospitality industry.
Raiam, 20, drew on personal experience for her film about sickle cell anaemia, a genetic condition that is particularly common among African and Caribbean people.
Several students from Korea visiting WestKing and other colleges within Capital City College Group also took part in the competition and were named among the winners.
Creative Conscience is an Islington-based not-for-profit organisation focused on using creativity and innovation to make positive change across the world.
Digital Media and Creative Computing at WestKing
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It aims to empower, mentor and reward creative communities using their talents by running change-making workshops, training programmes, events and its annual awards.
The shortlisted projects were judged based on the entrant’s creative approach and their potential impact, by a panel of industry experts.
Ben and Raiam entered the competition while studying an Access to Higher Education Diploma in Creative and Digital Media, which they completed in the summer.
Access courses are one-year study programmes for adults who may not have the usual entry requirements to get into university or other higher education course.

Katy Milner, Lecturer in Creative Media and Digital, said: “Big congratulations to our Access Media students Ben Dullea and Raiam Koroma in this year’s Creative conscience awards.
“Ben was a winner in the animation section and was highly commended overall and Raiam also did so well to be shortlisted. Ben’s success is an even more remarkable achievement when you consider all the other winners were second and third-year university students.
“It just shows that Access students can punch well above their weight on an international stage when given the appropriate incentive, support and opportunity.”
Find out more about Access to Higher Education Diplomas and apply here.
Hundreds of newly enrolled students found out more about college life and the wealth of other support available to them at Freshers Fairs across Capital City College Group (CCCG).
City and Islington College (CANDI), Westminster Kingsway College (WestKing) and the College of Haringey, Enfield and North East London (CONEL) all hosted welcome events.

CANDI held a combined fair for students enrolled at its Sixth Form College and Centre for Applied Science along with fairs its Centre for Business, Art and Technology and Centre for Lifelong Learning.
A ‘Welcome Fest’ was held at the WestKing’s King’s Cross Centre and another fair took place at the college’s Soho Centre, and Michelin-star chef Michel Roux welcomed Hospitality and Culinary Arts students to the college’s Victoria Centre.

Among the organisations attending the CANDI and WestKing fairs this year were IMECE, Papyrus, Octopus Communities. Islington Youth Council, NHS, All Change, Lift, Step into Dance, Kooth, We Speak, Brook, Go-Forward Youth, Flint & Flame, The Caterer, Koppert Cress, Compass Group, Arts Emergency and the Craft Guild of Chefs.
CONEL’s Tottenham and Enfield Centres hosted fairs, which included stands from Let’s Talk IAPT, National Citizen Service, Tottenham Hotspur Foundation, Metropolitan Police, Proud North London, Pirate.com, Reed Wellbeing, ReachOut, The Rebel School, Pure Gym and Terrence Higgins Trust.
We want to enrich our students’ lives with more than just qualifications. Our aim is to help them develop a broad range of skills and qualities that employers look for, including communication, teamwork and problem-solving, as well as ensuring they have a great time at college.
Throughout each year CCCG’s colleges run a range of enrichment and extracurricular activities to give them greater insight into their studies and future careers and to support their health and wellbeing, including trips, guest speakers, sports, clubs and societies.
Students can get to know their peers through a range of student-run activities including our Student Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Committee, Learner Voice, or college clubs and societies – from football and table tennis to debating and a poetry club.
Students can volunteer to become a Student Ambassador, study buddy or a peer mentor. These important roles help our students develop their confidence and interpersonal skills and look really good on a CV, job application or university application.
Our centres have on-site canteens and cafés, serving a daily menu that includes healthy options. Canteen meals are great value for money and are a good opportunity to relax with friends between lessons. All of our centres have libraries and some have on-site gyms, so you can keep your body fit as well as your mind.
Find out more about Student Life here.
On Wednesday 21 September, Capital City College Group (CCCG) and Central District Alliance (CDA) came together to celebrate the launch of the Mayor of London Academy Hubs in the Digital and Hospitality industries. The Hubs are a key part of the Mayor’s Academy Hub programme – a £44 million initiative to support the capital’s recovery from the pandemic.
They were joined by London’s Deputy Mayor for Planning, Regeneration and Skills, Jules Pipe, and employer partners who are working with the Group and CDA to deliver the Academy Hubs’ work.
Supporting Londoners into work for the first time or into higher paid and more secure work – especially from under-represented groups such as minority ethnic communities, women and disabled people – is a key priority for London’s Mayor, Sadiq Khan. The Digital and Hospitality Hubs will work with employers to train Londoners for work in those industries, helping them meet their staffing and recruitment challenges.
Having strong Digital and Hospitality sectors will be critical to London’s recovery. For example, the hospitality industry employs around 400,000 people in London, but the lack of suitable and trained staff means there are too many vacancies which is costing the sector billions in lost revenue.
CDA is the Business Improvement District for Holborn and Clerkenwell. Its footprint, which spans Holborn and Clerkenwell, is also home to a world-leading tech cluster, including household names such as Google, TikTok, Snapchat and LinkedIn. These employers – alongside hundreds of others in the CDA district and across the city – can provide a range of jobs and career opportunities for Londoners and so CCCG, working collaboratively with CDA, will establish partnerships to facilitate these new roles.
However, 210,000 people are currently unemployed in London and a further 1,080,000 adults – some 21.7% of the working age population – are economically inactive. So, the Academy Hubs’ role will be to unlock the valuable contribution that businesses can bring and enable more socially-excluded Londoners to gain employment.
As Jules Pipe explained at the event: “The inequalities that were already present in London were laid bare by the pandemic. Over 750,000 working people in London are still paid less than the London Living Wage and more than a quarter of Londoners are living in poverty once their housing costs are taken into account.
“We’re committed to using the skills funding that we have at our disposal to support Londoners – particularly the most disadvantaged and those most impacted by the pandemic – to acquire the skills they need to progress in life and get into good work.
“I’d like to congratulate all the partners for the leadership shown by the CDA and Capital City College Group for making this possible.”

Also speaking at the event, Alexander Jan, Chair of Central District Alliance (CDA) said: “We want to ensure sustainable and inclusive economic growth, which means delivering skills and employment opportunities for our communities.
“We need some big ideas and collective action, and we very much believe that connecting and encouraging people back into the labour market and to help people who are looking for work gain the skills they need to do so, is at the heart of that approach.
“We and our members are delighted to be working with Capital City College Group, to help provide long-term unemployed people with opportunities to gain good quality jobs and helping them gain the skills they need to do so.”
Westminster Kingsway College is part of Capital City College Group and already runs a wide range of courses in the hospitality and digital sectors. The Group is therefore ideally placed to support even more Londoners into these exciting industries. To illustrate the transformative effect that skills training can have, current and former students from the college also spoke at the event about their experiences.
Opeoluwa Odutayo studied Culinary Arts at Westminster Kingsway College, before setting up Ice Cream and Ting, which produces ice creams with Caribbean and African flavours, including Plantain, Hibiscus, and Avocado and Strawberry.
She said: “My teachers at Westminster Kingsway College helped me with advice and boosted my confidence. I worked at events and did internships at four different restaurants to gain experience and at the end of my course, I won the overall best student award. My mum was so proud of me!”
The college also exposes students to industries that they will be working in when they have qualified – helping them gain contacts and eventually secure good quality work.
Student in Hospitality Archie Smitton said: “Working at events with the college helps me get contacts in the industry and work out where in the industry I want to work.
“Last year I did work experience in a Peruvian restaurant in Green Park and a modern English restaurant in Soho and later this year I’m going to Lisbon for two weeks’ work experience. I’m really looking forward to learning a different language and working in a different country.”
The Hubs have already started work – holding taster sessions and introductory courses hosted by industry experts. These have been in, for example, culinary skills, coding for women, digital marketing, cyber security and user experience (UX) design.
In addition, the Digital Hub will be running internship programmes which will come with additional support including employability training, ongoing support, advice, and guidance on getting the most out of the programme, as well as support for interns to build their network and prepare for their next steps.
And the Hospitality Hub is working with Westminster TalentServe (Westminster City Council’s new recruitment service for its hospitality and leisure businesses) to provide all the training to people who are referred to the service.
You can find out more about the Digital and Hospitality hubs and all our Mayor of London Skills Academies here.
More than 100 Hospitality and Culinary Arts students savoured their success as they graduated from Westminster Kingsway College.
Two ceremonies were held at St Stephen’s Church near the college’s Victoria Centre in Vincent Square to honour those completing their courses and training this year.
Level 3 diploma students and apprentices received their scrolls at a ceremony led by Paul Jervis, Head of School for Hospitality and Culinary Arts, on 30 September.
Awards were also presented to the best and most improved students of the year before all the graduates marched outside the college to huge cheers and the school’s graduation tradition of banging pots and pans.

Alistair Biggins, 19, who won the Professional Chef Diploma Student of the Year, said: “I’ve enjoyed every minute of my time at WestKing. It’s been so much fun and I hope to come back one day. I owe it all to my class. We were a very tight unit and worked so well with each other. Three of us in the group got awards, which was nice to see. It’s great to be part of the school’s history.”
“My lecturers were really good. By the end of your course, they’re more like a friend. They were always looking out for our best interests and give us advice. They teach you things you won’t learn anywhere else because they have so much experience.”
Freya Smith, 19, who won Pastry Chef Diploma Student of the Year, and is now working at Miel Bakery in Camden, described her teachers as “amazing and inspiring.”
She said: “I‘ve really enjoyed my years at WestKing. I’ve always loved cooking and coming up with new flavours using different ingredients. Here, you start by learning all the basics, which allows you to be more creative in understanding the possibilities of what you can do. I’ve come a long way from where I started.”

Shanai Haynes, 19, who won Best Restaurant Service Diploma Student of the Year and is now working at Core in Notting Hill, said: “We had such a bond with our teachers. If we were stuck or struggling with an assignment, they were really helpful and supportive. They really prepared us well and gave us lots of experience for where we’re going. If it wasn’t for them, I might not have made it through the course.”
A Special Achievement Award was presented to the student who achieved above and beyond expectations during their studies, which was won by Jeremiah Youseman, 19, who studied for a Professional Chef diploma.
The ceremony also saw Stephen Carter, Michael Dutnall, David Smith, George Blogg, Julie Crocker and Guy Hilton receive Honorary Fellowships of Westminster Kingsway College.
Higher education students received their scrolls from Petrena O’Halloran, Head of Higher Education, as they were announced by Higher Education Lecturer David Bell, at a ceremony on 4 October.
David then presented awards to those students who had excelled in their studies this year.
Ricardo Ferreira, 43, graduated with a BA (Hons) Business and Enterprise Management and won the Institute of Hospitality Award, and is now a Chef Lecturer at WestKing.
He said: “It has been a long, challenging journey to reach this stage. There have been ups and downs, but the challenges have all been worth it. Being on the other side as a lecturer has further aided my self-development. I am thoroughly enjoying my role in helping learners achieve their potential.”
Giving the valedictorian speech, Business and Enterprise Management graduate Michelle Mori, 26, said: “Today is a day to be thankful and be inspired. It’s a day that demonstrates how much we can achieve if we don’t give up. We have received great education thanks to all our teachers who gave us the support, resources and the wake-up calls we needed to accomplish this major milestone.”

Guest speaker Professor David Foskett MBE, Chair of the International Hospitality Council and member of the Royal Academy of Culinary Arts and Craft Guild of Chefs, congratulated the graduates on their achievements.
Prof Foskett said: “Westminster Kingsway College is indeed a very special place and your qualification you have achieved here will change your life for the better and help you to develop your career.
“Higher education at Westminster is just as relevant today as it was in my day 50 years ago. A good, sound curriculum providing practical and cognitive skills and knowledge, giving its graduates dignity and status in the 21st century to compete for top positions in the hospitality industry.”
Commending all the graduates, Assistant Principal Terry Tinton said: “I would like to offer my warmest congratulations to all our students and apprentices on their graduation. They, and their teachers, have shown huge commitment and resilience during the most challenging period in education and for the hospitality sector. They will always be part of the WestKing family.”
Find out more about our Hospitality and Culinary Arts courses here and apprenticeships here.