Celebrating Student Achievement and Success

Bridgend College hosts 2 large events each year; our Annual Awards Evening in March and our Higher Education Awards Ceremony in October. These events are a celebration of our students achievements and success.

Annual Awards

This prestigious, celebratory event is one of the highlights of the College year, with over 40 individual students recognised for their academic achievements. Students from each of our academic areas are awarded, with two students also receiving either the honoured 'Award for Commitment to Study' or 'Student of the Year'.

Most recently, this red carpet event has been held in the Grand Pavilion in Porthcawl, where over 200 people (staff, students, family and friends) come together to enjoy entertainment from Performing Arts students, presentation of the awards to the students by the guest speaker or award sponsor and good food and wine!

Past guest speakers have included Mr Nigel Walker, Mr John Dixon, Celtic Crusaders, Mr Lembit Opik, MP and Mr Roger Lewis, WRU Group Chief Executive.

The main sponsor of the evening in 2010 was RWE npower, for whom the College is the UK's national training centre for npower apprentices.  Many of the individual awards are also sponsored by associates and friends of the College. These include the Welsh Livery Guild, South Wales Institute of Engineers Educational Trust, Corus, The Federation of Master Builders, Gilmor Hair & Beauty Supplies and local radio station Bridge FM.

Higher Education Awards Ceremony

Each year over 300 students graduate from a Higher Education course at Bridgend College, and are invited to join family, friends, dignitaries and staff at our Higher Education Awards Ceremony in October to celebrate graduating from their HNC, HND, Degree or professional programme.

The event is also attended by dignitaries from our three partner Universities (University of Glamorgan, University of Wales Institute, Cardiff and University of Wales, Newport) who individually congratulate and present the students with their scrolls.

In addition each year, the College awards an Honorary Fellowship. In 2010 this was awarded to John Bevan and Stan Peate, in recognition of their outstanding contribution to Post 14 / Further Education in Bridgend.

This event is another highlight of the academic year, giving families and friends the opportunity to celebrate the successes of our graduates. Following the ceremony, family and friends join graduates and staff for a reception held in a marquee on the lawns of Tregroes House, Pencoed Campus.