Learner excellence in College awards

48 learners have received recognition for their ambition, professionalism, resilience and respect at the Eastleigh College Values Awards.

Over 100 learners were nominated by their course tutors as a sign of appreciation for all their excellent work over the past year. Twelve departments were featured in the nominations, all with four winners for who best represented each one of our College values.

There were also three special awards to celebrate learners who have gone the extra mile this year. Rishiram Chaudhary won Adult Learner of the Year for his consistent excellence in Catering, including a run to the final of the Major International Chef’s Culinary Challenge in January and being part of the team that will compete in the Young Restaurant Team of the Year final next week. Caitlin Willis won the ‘Young Learner of the Year’ award and was recognised for her determination and focus in her Kickstart and Hair and Beauty studies, leading to a transformation in her confidence, career progress and academic achievements. Mike Flook won ‘Apprentice of the Year’ for his outstanding results in Built Environment, Electrical and Carpentry practical exams, passing them all in the first attempt and achieving a grade of over 90% in written inspection and testing.

Caitlin Willis said: “I feel shocked, I was never expecting to receive this award. It is a huge honour and I am so grateful to my Kickstart tutor April for her constant support and encouragement, which has given me so much self-belief as I move towards a career in the Hair and Beauty Industry”.

Sue Lyons, Head of Hospitality and Catering at Eastleigh College, said: “Rishiram has achieved so much since coming to Eastleigh College. Originally from Nepal, he came through our SLUKY provision which helped him settle into English life and culture. Since joining Catering, he has gone from strength to strength and as well as consistently strong competition performances, he has secured work experience at PennyHill Park and has applied for the Exclusive Chefs Academy.”

The Electrical team at Eastleigh College said: “Mike started as an electrical apprentice when he had to end his rugby career early. His outstanding academic performance speaks for itself and he works for a very good company. We have full belief he is headed in the right direction for a strong and successful career once he has completed his studies at Eastleigh College.”

Our Learner Awards are one of the marquee events in the College calendar, as are our Staff Awards which will take place in July. We look forward to coming together for another happy occasion and celebrating the efforts and achievements of our staff throughout the 21/22 academic year.