Walsall College higher education students paraded to Walsall Town Hall in their caps and gowns on Friday 27th November, to officially open their formal Graduation Ceremony. The college started offering full degree level courses for the first time in its history last year after forming a partnership with Birmingham City University (BCU), and this year’s ceremony included students receiving their Level 6 qualifications, along with students collecting their Higher National Certificates (HNCs) and Higher National Diplomas (HNDs).
More than 100 students brought Walsall town centre to a standstill during the parade as Town Crier Cyril Richardson led the procession and shouted about their success on higher education courses.
Over 450 guests attended the annual ceremony, including students, family and friends and lecturers. The high achieving students received certificates for success on courses such as Business, Computing, Professional Development, Creative Industries, Health and Public Services and Hospitality Management. Seven special awards were also presented to students for excelling during their courses.
In a change to tradition, this year’s guest speaker was graduating student, Damian Addis, who achieved his HND in Photography at the ceremony. He gave an inspiring talk to his fellow students about his experience studying HE at the college and how it has helped him to launch his career as a photographer, and develop his portfolio which now lists corporate clients including Habitat and Homebase.
The occasion was rounded off with afternoon tea and live music at the college’s main Wisemore Campus.
In the current economic climate, studying higher education courses at college is increasingly popular, giving students a more cost effective route to achieving a university degree. Many of the students who graduated will now be going on to top up to degree level or to put their skills to use in the workplace.
Jatinder Sharma OBE, Walsall College’s Principal and Chief Executive, said: “The 2015 HI:ED Graduation Ceremony represented a celebration of our highest achieving students to date and they are now role models within their communities as well as being Walsall College Graduates.
“Our students have achieved what they set out to accomplish and should be extremely proud of their achievements. I speak on behalf of everybody when I wish them every success in the future.
“Our overriding ambition is to give students the best possible platform from which to develop successful careers – both now and well into the future.”
He added: “This year saw the college commended by the Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education (QAA) and voted 4th in the UK for student satisfaction. With achievement rates currently at a record high of 97% and an expanding curriculum of degree level programmes, there’s never been a better time to study a HI:ED course at Walsall College.”
Prospective students looking to start HE courses in September 2016 are invited to come and find out about the college’s affordable university level courses at its HI:ED Open Day on Thursday 3rd December 2015, from 4pm – 7pm.