A student from South Eastern Regional College has been named Outstanding BTEC Construction Student of the Year for 2015 at the National BTEC Awards.
Kyle McKee scooped the honour in a competition which celebrates achievement in the country’s most widely taken vocational qualification.
Kyle has a distinction-level BTEC Subsidiary Diploma in construction from South Eastern Regional College and was awarded the Institution of Civil Engineers’ Quest Scholarship in October 2014.
He is currently studying for a BTEC Extended Diploma in construction at the college, for which he is expected to achieve a triple-starred distinction and then plans to join Queen’s University in Belfast to study Civil Engineering.
The awards recognise the nearly one million students around the UK studying for BTEC qualifications. This year Pearson, who own BTECs, received over 800 nominations across the 20 award categories.
Mark Anderson, managing director of Pearson UK, said:
“The National BTEC Awards are an opportunity for us to shout from the rooftops not just about the winners, but also about the achievements of BTEC students, apprentices, teachers, schools, colleges and training providers up and down the country.
“Every year, thousands of BTEC students go on to university and good jobs that really value their skills.
“Whether as a stand-alone qualification or combined with A-levels, BTEC represents the fastest growing route into education and these awards demonstrate why that’s the case.
“At a time when the value of vocational learning is continuing to be robustly debated, we believe the example set by these award winners is part of a growing body of evidence that clearly demonstrates their valuable contribution to both the education system and the broader economy.
“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 Kyle really stood out as a truly exceptional student.”
During his diploma, Kyle was chosen as one of an elite group of students to participate in an EU-funded two-week work experience placement with the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure in Malta and has appeared in a video to promote the college’s programme of activities to enhance students’ employability skills and future career prospects.
The judges praised Kyle’s considerable achievements, both in and out of college, and described him as an extraordinarily committed BTEC student who is set to excel both in his chosen field and as an active and highly skilled volunteer in his local community.
Speaking about the accolade, Kyle said: “I am thrilled to win this award. My BTEC has helped me understand so much about construction. It has also given me more self-confidence as well as the determination, motivation and the desire to accomplish my ambition of becoming a civil engineer.”