West Lothian College welcomed over 250 graduates and 550 guests to its biggest ever graduation ceremony on 29 October to celebrate the achievement of a wide range of higher education qualifications.

 

The special ceremony took place at the college’s Livingston campus.  

Graduates were joined by families, friends and college staff who supported them through their studies. 

College chair Alex Linkston opened the ceremony and the principal praised the achievements of graduates.

Special awards were presented by Deputy Leader of West Lothian Council Councillor Kirsteen Sullivan, Angela Constance MSP and Sue Webber MSP. The award winners were:

  • SQA Students of the Year
    Annie Knox (HNC Art), Innes Gibson (HND Cyber Security) and Nesreen Sabir (HNC Applied Sciences)
  • Student of the Year for the Faculty of Business, Creative and Enterprise
    Zoe Foster (HNC Professional Cookery)
  • Student of the Year for the Faculty of Care, Health and Sport
    Kirstie Hosie (HND Childhood Practice)
  • Student of the Year for the Faculty of Computing, Engineering and Built Environment
    Ross Kerr (HND Engineering Systems)
  • Student of the Year for the Faculty of Workforce Development
    Sally Eady (SVQ Care Services Leader Management).

Acclaimed author Aidan Martin, himself a West Lothian College graduate, was announced as the latest Lifetime College Ambassador in recognition of his outstanding support for students.

Principal Jackie Galbraith said: 

“These graduates are part of a generation of students who kept going through a pandemic that turned our world upside down. They stuck with their qualification in really difficult times, hundreds studying fully online for the whole year. That took determination, hard work and grit, and I am truly in awe of their achievement.

They graduated with higher level qualifications that are so essential to their current and future employers. I am confident that our talented graduates will make a great contribution to whatever they are doing now or in the future.”

The graduation event had a festival feel with a blistering performance from Drums N’ Roses in the college square. The sponsors who enabled the college to stage such a fantastic event included DS Smith, McGills Midland Bluebird, Glen Turner, Workflo Solutions, Morrisons Construction, Maxi Construction, Innoflate, Developing the Young Workforce West Lothian, Currie’s Print, eSS, Wella, Livingston Football Club and Mediascape.