West Berkshire's Adult Learners' Week was launched on Friday, 17th May with the Learner Achievement Awards ceremony at Shaw House, Newbury. The awards celebrate the success of the adult learning sector which provides a range of educational and training opportunities to individuals over the age of 19 years.
This year's awards were presented by Councillor David Holtby, Vice Chairman of West Berkshire Council, and covered 8 award categories across a variety of courses and programmes including professional qualifications and training, academic and vocational qualifications, apprenticeships, tutors, personal and family learning.
A number of people benefited from an award including individual learners, volunteers, trainers and representatives from local organisations.
Peter Kendall of SPX Flow Technology in Newbury won the Outstanding Achievement Award. Peter is in his final year of a 4 year apprenticeship in Mechanical Engineering. This award not only celebrates Peter's outstanding achievement but also acknowledges the success of today's apprenticeships as an effective route to gain the training and skills required for employment or to progress on to higher education.
He has impressed his employers at SPX Flow Technology with his practical engineering skills and professionalism and this success is mirrored at College where Peter has achieved a range of Computer Aided Design and BTEC mechanical engineering qualifications at distinction level. He plans to continue his training with a foundation degree in Mechanical Engineering commencing September this year.
Now, in its 11 year, the West Berkshire Learner Achievement Awards are organised by West Berkshire Council on behalf of the West Berkshire Community Learning Partnership and sponsored by Newbury College, West Berkshire Training Consortium, Workers Education Association and Thatcham Lifelong Learning Forum.