Local student Johanna Richards from East Hampshire has won Outstanding BTEC Adult Learner of the Year at the National BTEC Awards, held in London on 4th July 2013.
The ceremony was held in recognition of the nearly one million students around the country who are studying BTEC qualifications this year. There were over 700 nominations across the 22 award categories for this year’s Awards.
The Awards were hosted by Radio 1 DJ Matt Edmondson at the Royal Horticultural Halls in London and attended by winning students, teachers, and leaders in education. Baroness Grey-Thompson also spoke at the ceremony. Ahead of the awards ceremony, award winners, their family, friends and nominators attended a Parliamentary reception in the House of Lords, hosted by Government Education Spokesperson Baroness Sharp.
Damian Hinds said:
“It’s fantastic that Johanna’s achievements have been recognised in this way; this is proof that learning need not stop when you leave secondary school. It is incredibly important to recognise educational excellence and the National BTEC Awards provide a great platform for showcasing our nation’s brightest talent. Johanna’s family, friends, teachers and the rest of the Hampshire community should be very proud of her hard work and achievements.”
Rod Bristow, President of Pearson UK said:
“I’m delighted the National BTEC Awards are now in their third year and becoming an established moment in the education calendar. In our modern economy with ever changing skills needs, we need practitioners who understand the theory, and academics who can put things into practice. BTEC aims to give students access to that kind of rounded education.
“More and more universities and employers are telling us that they value that rounded approach. Every year, thousands of BTEC students go on to further study and good jobs that really value their skills. They achieve great things in a wide variety of industries vital to the economy, ranging from business and engineering to ICT and healthcare.
“It is vital to support and celebrate the hard work and achievements of outstanding BTEC students and their teachers. This year’s judges were impressed by the quality and number of nominations we received but Johanna really stood out as a truly exceptional student.”