Bradford College Triumphs at CTE SkillsHouse Awards 2024

Bradford College is bursting with pride after staff and students scooped another collection of awards this week.

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Now in their fifth year, the SkillsHouse Careers & Technical Education (CTE) Awards celebrate young people’s learning achievements and the educators who support them. The prestigious event highlights the critical role that vocational training plays in boosting individuals and regional growth.

Held at the University of Bradford on Tuesday 25th June, the awards are organised by Bradford Council in partnership with local businesses and education providers. This year, a record number of nominations were received, reflecting growing support for vocational education in Bradford.

Post-16 Educator of the Year Award

The evening’s top honor went to Bradford College Uniformed Public Services Lecturer Gary Maindonald, who won the Post-16 Educator of the Year Award. The accolade goes to an educator who has demonstrated outstanding achievement with learners up to age 19.

Gary was nominated for his exceptional ability to inspire students by making academic curriculum come to life through practical examples within diverse emergency services and uniformed service organisations. Industry experts, workshops, simulations, and hands-on training sessions have all been used to enrich the educational experiences of Gary’s students.

Gary is a military veteran and former Yorkshire Ambulance Service member. As well as lecturing at Bradford College, Gary is a Cadet Force Adult Volunteer with The Sea Cadets Corps, serving as a WO2 Royal Marine Cadets instructor.

Gary said,

CTE Student Winners

Other Bradford College winners included Elisha Maltby, a Level 1 Diploma in Vehicle Maintenance student who won Transport, Distribution & Logistics Learner of The Year. Elisha has flourished since enrolling at Bradford College, excelling academically and sharing her knowledge with classmates. She was even invited to tour BMW Bradford after proactively meeting with apprentice recruiters.

Student Robyn Cummins won Public Service & Law Learner of the Year. Studying a Level 3 Certificate for entry into Uniformed Services, Robyn has an unwavering dedication to learning. Tutors said she displays a genuine passion for the sector, actively engaging in workshops, networking events, career activities, internships, industry conferences, and professional development seminars. Robyn stands poised to make a meaningful impact in the industry and become a future leader in her chosen field.

Other exceptional Bradford College student winners included:

• Business Learner of the Year Elise Fairbairn
• Business Special Recognition Award Shakeel Mahmood
• Built Environment/Construction Learner of the Year Elouise Searby

Councillor Imran Khan, Bradford Council’s portfolio holder for Education, Employment and Skills, said: 

So much has been achieved by our young people across the District this year and what better way to celebrate this than through the SkillsHouse Careers and Technical Education Awards. This year’s awards were the biggest yet and I would like to personally congratulate all the finalists on their amazing achievements.

A longstanding partner of Bradford College, SkillsHouse CTE provide information about skills, job sectors, Bradford district’s career and employment needs, and career planning.