CAVC students and staff win a string of awards
STUDENTS and a member of staff from Cardiff and Vale College (CAVC) have been recognised for their inspirational work and dedication at a ceremony to honour adult learners.
The Vale Inspire Awards 2017, organised by the Vale Learning Network, celebrates lifelong learning in the Vale of Glamorgan.
The overall Vale Inspire Award went to former CAVC student Lauretta Hughes. Laura left school early with no qualifications but returned to education to train as a nurse after raising five small children, two of whom are on the autistic spectrum. She enrolled on an Adult Foundation course and an Access to Higher Education course and is now studying at Cardiff University.
Laura won CAVC’s Health and Social Care and Principal’s awards at the College’s annual awards and also Agored Cymru’s Access Learner of the Year award.
An award was also given to CAVC for its collaboration on Project SEARCH, a major international project providing employment and learning opportunities for young people with disabilities and/or autism.
Eleven CAVC students completed three 10-week internships at Cardiff University with support from the College and ELITE Supported Employment Agency. Two of the interns have already found employment as a result of Project SEARCH.
CAVC Hairdressing student Nadia Hadjali was named Progression Champion. Nadia won the Hairdressing Council’s Student of the Year 2016 award, and was a winner in the Advance Hairdressing heats of Skills Competition Wales.
Matthew Griffiths won the Vale Inspire Progression into Work Award. After spending many years working in retail, Matthew decided to follow his dream and enrolled on an aircraft engineering course at CAVC.
He has gone on to a traineeship with Aston Martin and will be among the first cohort of staff at St Athan when the prestige car company opens its factory there.
Zoila Garcia Mancebo, an IT learner, who won bronze in Skills Competition Wales and regularly provides tech support at College events, was named Digital Champion while Shannon Conway and Julie Avery won awards for progression to higher education and further education respectively.
CAVC student Reza Sardrood won the ESOL while award and the college’s trowel trades technician, former labourer Owain Williams, won the Tutor Award for being an inspiration and role model to learners.
Other winners included The Vale Parent and Child Homework and Support Club which won the Gail Hughes Award, Mentoring Award winner Gareth Thomas, 50 Plus Champion Jim Loach, David Greedy and Jane Clarke who both won Role Model Awards. Kay Rees, Beverley Patch and Nicola Williamson all won health and Wellbeing Awards. Catherine Williamson won an Essential Skills Award and Progression Awards went to Winnifreda Tandi, Theresa Ruckley, Samantha Prince and Aqsa Ahmed-Hussein.
The awards were presented by Vale AM Jane Hutt and CAVC Vice Principal Emil Evans at the college’s Barry campus.
Ms Hutt said: “It is humbling to hear about the achievements of the award winners who have so often overcome barriers and difficulties but have persevered and broken through to achieve great success for themselves, their families and the community.”