More than 300 Students Graduate from University Centre South Devon

More than 300 students celebrated graduating from University Centre South Devon at a ceremony in Torquay’s Grand Hotel recently. 

Graduates crossed the stage in subjects ranging from nursing and childhood studies to engineering and business leadership all celebrating the end of one stage of study and the start of the next chapter in their lives.  

Many of the students had built their degree around an existing job. Degree apprenticeships let students combine paid work with degree-level study, and many in this year’s cohort chose that route over a traditional full-time degree.  

Felix Dunscombe, a Level 5 Trainee Assistant Practitioner on Dart Ward at Totnes Community Hospital, admitted at the college’s Apprenticeship Awards in May that higher education hadn’t felt like a sure thing.

“Before this, I wasn’t sure I could handle higher education. Now I know I can,” he said then.  

At the graduation ceremony, chosen by his cohort to deliver the graduates’ vote of thanks, he spoke for everyone in the room.

“I am sure that everyone here questioned whether we belonged on the course, doubting our own abilities at one time or another,” he said. He closed his speech saying, “A beautiful end to a journey that has left us with more knowledge, friends and confidence than before. Well done. We did it.”  

For George Williams, who graduated with a Music Performance and Production foundation degree, the doubts were more practical

“How does one Harvard reference anything?” was a question he remembers asking more than once, patiently answered every time.

“You’ve taught us the subject we chose to do, but also the value of perseverance, critical thinking, self-confidence and rock and roll,” he told his lecturers.  

Rea Sims, who teaches Animal Care and Science at the college, graduated as a Level 7 Academic Professional, an apprenticeship covering the skills needed to teach higher education, and found herself back on the other side of the lecture theatre.

“As a lecturer, I spend much of my time encouraging students to embrace challenge, step outside of their comfort zone, and trust in their abilities,” she said. “As a student, I have been reminded just how difficult that can be sometimes.” 

Tahlia Harding, 20, from Paignton, graduated with a BA Leadership and Management and was awarded the University of Plymouth Academic Partnerships Prize. She began her degree when she was 17 years old, overlapping for around three months with the end of a hospitality management apprenticeship.

“I’ve watched myself grow, even through my academic work,” she said. “I didn’t know how to reference when I started and now I could do it in my sleep.”  

She also pointed to the size of the groups.

“At University Centre South Devon it’s smaller groups, rather than the bigger universities, so you really find time to bond with everyone.”  

Isla Potterton, 23, from Honiton, picked up the University Centre South Devon Employability Prize for her live music production and sound engineering.

While studying, she founded her own production company, Vibe Check Audio, and worked her way up to chief sound engineer at the Apple & Parrot. She now works with Future Technical Solutions, placed at large-scale music festivals across the country.  

Of her lecturers, Isla said:

“John Lee was our biggest support. He’s not just there to support you as a student, he’s there to support you as a person as well. That made all of the difference.”  

George, who studied the same course, singled out the same lecturer:

“John Lee is a personal hero of mine on top of being my lecturer, he’s an absolute rock god.”  

Louise Preston, 52, from Teignmouth, graduated as a Level 5 Apprenticeship Assistant Practitioner and was awarded the University Centre South Devon Personal Development Prize.

She first joined Torbay Hospital on the bank as a healthcare assistant. Now a community nurse, she will take on a more clinical role with her qualification. 

“I really did struggle the first year, I’m older, I left school many years ago and didn’t leave school with any exam results whatsoever,” she said. “With all the support from the teachers and everyone in my class, I was getting 80%.” 

Also honoured on the day was Chris Wardle, who received the Honorary Fellowship. Chair of the Torbay Hi-Tech Cluster, Chris has lived and worked in Torbay for 26 years. Both his children have studied at South Devon College, and his daughter is about to begin a degree apprenticeship with her employer, G&H.  

He pointed to the investment now landing in Torbay.

“The opportunities are coming and will be available here in Torbay across sectors like technology, digital, creative and construction,” he said. “Work hard, stay humble, be kind, be brave, stay positive and think big.” 

Laurence Frewin, Principal and CEO of South Devon College, told graduates,

“It wasn’t simply what people had achieved, but the confidence they had gained along the way, the point where learning something became knowing you could actually use it.” That confidence, he said, “doesn’t come from a certificate alone. It comes from experience, from being challenged, from getting things wrong, trying again, and gradually realising that you are more capable than you thought.”