A highlight of the Newton Rigg College calendar is always the Passing Out Ceremony for students studying public services. The most recent took place last Friday (14 December) when more than 80 guests attended the occasion at the college.
As family members and college staff watched, the ceremony included a drill and march past by the students with Major Gary Collier of the Royal Logistic Corps of Lancaster 381 Squadron as the Inspecting Officer who took the salute. A gymnastics demonstration also took place.
Winners of the individual awards, who were all Level 3 Diploma students, included:
- Best Overall Student: 16 year old Jessica Rice of Wigton
- Best Female Student: Natalia Carroll, also 16 years from Carlisle
- Best Male Student: Joseph Carter, 16 years also from Carlisle.
An additional award was presented to Joe Newby for his all round attitude, ability and consisent effort in PT sessions.
Since 2011 when Askham Bryan College became involved in running Newton Rigg College the number of students studying on Public Services courses has increased from a handful (less than half a dozen) to today’s figure of 55 who are attending the Level 2 and Level 3 Diploma courses. Most students are Cumbria and North West based but some are residential, and include students from Essex and the North East. There is approximately a 50/50 female/male split.
The College’s excellent record for ensuring students are ‘work ready’ when they leave is born out by the fact that around 95% of public services students go straight into employment, for example in the police force, fire service or military.