Students celebrate success at annual prizegiving

Sixty-three students were awarded prizes at the ceremony, which took place at Inverness College UHI on Thursday 22nd June to mark the end of the academic year.

The awards celebrate achievement, success and personal endeavour across the entire college curriculum.

Students were nominated by college staff and each was sponsored by a local business or organisation, who donated a prize.

The prizegiving culminated in the crowning of this year’s students of the year, with Sharon Scobbie taking the award for higher education, Vittoria McNamara for further education and Alvin Hunte for apprentice of the year.

Inverness College UHI acting principal Roddy Henry said: “Our students’ achievements and successes across this academic year have been outstanding and we are truly honoured to have such remarkable winners. As a college, our aim is to prepare our students for the world of work, to support, encourage and push them to be the very best they can be. But it’s not just about the role we play, these awards are also a reflection of the role others play, the family and friends who support them and the partner employers and organisations we collaborate with to inspire and help provide priceless opportunities to our students.”

Calum MacSween, a former head of education at Highland Council, attended as guest speaker. He spoke about the opportunities available to students at Inverness College UHI and the skills now required to make it in the workplace.

All three of the overall student winners proved it’s never too late to follow your dream and return to study.

Art student Sharon Scobbie (44), from Dingwall, recently completed the HND in Contemporary Art Practice. Sharon, who started on the National Certificate (NC) Art and Design course at Inverness College UHI before progressing to the HND, was described by her personal academic tutor, Mark Lomax, as a “hard-working and extremely motivated” student who has pushed and developed her art at the college.

“Her work has an ambition and level of professionalism that exceeds her level of study and because of this, she has set a benchmark that inspired other students and causes them to raise their own level of art,” he said.

Sharon’s work has featured in various exhibitions. She’s also been exploring knitting as a form of sculpture and attracted attention last year when she knitted a car-size jumper to mark the start of Loch Ness Knit Fest. Her work adorned a Kia Picanto car at the Dickson’s of Inverness showroom and other locations throughout the course of the four-day festival last September. She also yarn-bombed a bicycle.

Sharon, who used to have her own barber shop in Dingwall, said: “Going to college to study art was a complete career change for me. I think I had a midlife crisis! I had always wanted to study art but when I left school my parents encouraged me to do hairdressing. I think they thought I couldn’t make any money out of art. Then I turned 40 and it was bucket-list time. I ticked off lots of things I wanted to do that year and going back to college to study was one of them. This course has really opened my eyes, it has pushed me further than I ever thought and encouraged me to explore different mediums – it’s been a re-awakening.”

A mother of two and grand-mother, Sharon will start the BA Contemporary Art and Contextualised Practice course in September. “I am really excited to start as it involves a lot of public art and collaborative work,” she added.

Trainee civil engineer Alvin Hunte, who works for Highland Council, was named apprentice of the year. Alvin (28), who lives in Inverness with his partner and 10-year-old daughter, started on the full-time HNC in Civil Engineering in June 2015. He went on to secure employment with Carbon Dynamic, later moving to Highland Council. He started the Graduate Level Apprenticeship (SCQF/Level 8/HND), a programme being piloted by the college, in September.

Alvin’s work was described by his building technology lecturer Carrie Higgins as “excellent,” achieving an A-grade across all modules and an “outstanding project submission” which was based on plans by Tulloch Homes for a new residential development at Glebe Street, Inverness. He’s now working towards his Graduate Level Apprenticeship SCQF Level 9/Degree, which he should complete in 2017/18, and aims to progress onto the new Graduate Level Apprenticeship (SCQF Level 10/Honours Degree) Civil Engineering in 2018.

Alvin used to work in a call centre in Dingwall but always aspired to do more. “I always liked the environment,” he said. “When I was younger I wanted to be an architect, but then I realised I wasn’t very artistic. Civil engineering was the best fit for me because you get to be creative and technical at the same time. I’ve found the Graduate Level Apprenticeship really engaging and it’s been a great way to study. I’m getting lots of experience on the job, while learning the academic side at the same time. The college staff are great – they are always there for you when you have a question or need some help. It’s really prepared me for the world of work. I am delighted to win this award, it’s quite unexpected.”

His lecturer Carrie Higgins added: “Alvin has also been an excellent ambassador for the apprenticeship civil engineering programmes, offering his employers information about the opportunities. He has now become the key link/advisor for Highland Council for civil engineering programmes. He is an excellent and reliable student, whose hard work, good humour and attitude makes him a stand out apprentice. The work he submits is of a professional standard, regularly doing more than what is required. He has also produced an excellent portfolio of work, demonstrating his varied work experience.”

Forestry student Vittoria McNamara is a qualified nurse. The mature student from Ardgay has worked on the NHS Highland nursing bank for more than 13 years, working in hospitals throughout the region including Raigmore. Vittoria recently completed her Certificate in Forestry, balancing college work with shifts on the nursing bank and occasional forestry work.

“When work on the nursing bank was quiet, I would do some forestry work for a company in Lochinver, things like tree felling and spraying fertiliser,” she said. “I just love being outdoors in woodland. One day I just decided I wanted to go and learn more so I could become more qualified. I had already read quite a lot about the course and knew a few people who had done it and loved it. I’ve enjoyed every minute of it. Everyone at the School of Forestry is lovely and the staff really engage you, they are amazing. I still love my nursing and have no plans to stop, but it would be lovely to continue my studies and become more qualified in forestry. I’m doing all the hard labour on the ground so it would be good to have that experience and get a better job.”

She added: “I’m really shocked to win this award, but absolutely delighted. I put in a lot of hard work so it’s lovely to be recognised.”

Forestry lecturer Laurence Campbell said Vittoria stood out for the quality of her work, her passion/attentiveness and excellent sense of humour. “Her attendance and time keeping has been excellent,” he added. “She’s put a lot of work into her report writing and assessments to produce accurate, well researched and structured work. Her marks are always high showing a high level of study and preparedness.”

Inverness College UHI Student Association Awards were also presented to Annabel Martin (Volunteer Officer of the Year), Liam Salkin (Further Education Class Representative of the Year) and Connor Noble (Higher Education Class Representative of the Year).

2016-17 Student of the Year Winners: Elaine Macleod, Accounting, Higher Education; Ruth Bruce, Admin, Further Education; Leighanne Skinner, Business, Further Education; Louise Souter, Business, Higher Education; Douglas Richmond, Computing, Further Education; Michal Boduch, Computing, Higher Education; Callum Scott, ICT & Digital, Apprentice; Karen Ross, Early Education, Further Education; Caroline Mudge, Early Education, Higher Education; Ciorstaidh MacInnes, Health, Further Education; Shannon Murray, Health, Higher Education; Hannah Sinclair, Social Care, Further Education; Dean Munro, Bricklaying, Apprentice; Stuart Card, Carpentry, Apprentice; Peniasi Seru, Construction, Further Education; Liam McIntyre, Painting & Decorating, Higher Education; Emma-Louise MacKenzie, Painting & Decorating, Apprentice; Richard MacLeod, Stonemasonry, Apprentice; Rebecca MacDonald, Art & Design, Further Education; Sharon Scobbie, Art & Design, Higher Education; Robin Scriven, Creative Industry, Further Education; Catriona Norval, Drama, Higher Education; Lisa MacIver, Humanities, Further Education; Klaudia Kozak, Social Science, Further Education; Sam Sizer, Education, Further Education; Hayley Perrie, Education, Higher Education; Douglas Horn, Fabrication Welding, Further Education; Jack Spark, Fabrication Welding, Apprentice; Luke Morel, Manufacture Engineering, Further Education; Anna Macfadyen, Manufacture Engineering, Apprentice; Dawn Hildreth, Motor Vehicle Engineering, Further Education; Bradley Leith, Motor Vehicle Engineering, Apprentice; Jacob Simpson, Architecture, Higher Education; Padraig Murray, Building Technology, Further Education; Benjamin Kratz, Building Technology, Higher Education; Alvin Hunte, Building Technology, Apprentice; Kelly Hubbard, Electrical Installation, Further Education; Duncan Collings, Electrical Installation, Apprentice; Conal O'Brien, Engineering Technology, Further Education; Rihards Ziemelis, Engineering Technology, Higher Education; Ryan Macleod, Aquaculture, Apprentice; Vittoria McNamara, Forestry, Further Education; Heloise Le Moal, Forestry, Higher Education; Daina Drever, Maths, Science & Aquaculture, Further Education; Rimonta Grinberga, Beauty, Further Education; Katarzyna Borkowska, Beauty, Higher Education; Audrey Anderson, Hairdressing, Further Education; Rebecca Matheson, Hairdressing, Apprentice; Krystian Dublinski, Sport Studies, Further Education; Carol MacCrone, Cookery, Further Education; Jessica Anderson, Hospitality & Events, Further Education; Giulia Petrova, Hospitality & Events, Higher Education; Liam Salkin, ICSA; Annabel Martin, ICSA; Connor Noble, ICSA; Andrew Skinner, Sport Studies, Higher Education; Arkaitz Vea-Murguia, ESOL, Further Education; Charlii Brough, Stonemasonry, Higher Education; Cheryl Kennedy, Supported Education, Further Education; Clare Duncan, Admin, Higher Education; Cornelius Pelka, Maths, Science & Aquaculture, Higher Education; Matthew Darge, Plumbing, Apprentice; Steven Robinson, Fabrication Welding, Higher Education.

For more information about opportunities at Inverness College UHI, contact 01463 273 000.