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South Hampshire College Group and two of its apprentices have been shortlisted for the 2025 Portsmouth and Chichester Apprenticeship Awards.
South Hampshire College Group, comprised of Eastleigh College, Fareham College and Southampton College, is a finalist in the Best Training Provider category in recognition of its accomplishments over the past 12 months, including a substantial increase in apprenticeship achievement rates, a rise in Merit and Distinction EPA outcomes and significant improvements to its overall apprenticeship program, as formally recognised in the South Hampshire College Group Spring Ofsted review.
Summer-Louise Risbey, a Marine apprentice at South Hampshire College Group, is a finalist in the Advanced Apprentice category. Her high-quality work with her employer PB Asher, which has taken her to projects across Europe, as well as her consistently strong academic performance – always within the top 5% of her class – and innovative solutions to assignments have earned her this nomination. She also won the Southampton College 2025 Apprentice of the Year Award.
Katie Cumming, an Engineering apprentice at South Hampshire College Group, is a finalist in the Engineering/Manufacturing Apprentice category. She completed a three-year apprenticeship in just two years, earning multiple Distinctions and winning Fareham College’s 2025 Apprentice of the Year award. Despite having a junior role, she has led on key projects with her employer STS Defence and has championed women in STEM and engineering careers at outreach events.
Pete Joddrell, Deputy Chief Executive and Group Principal of South Hampshire College Group, commented: “Each year exceptional work is carried out across our apprenticeship provision, and to be named as finalists in the Portsmouth and Chichester Apprenticeship Awards is a well-deserved recognition of those achievements. To see both our apprentices and our College Group acknowledged makes this an especially proud and meaningful occasion. We look forward to cheering on our outstanding finalists on October 23rd.”
Bethany Challoner, Director of Apprenticeships at South Hampshire College Group, said: “We’re absolutely delighted to be named finalists in not just one, but three categories. It’s a fantastic recognition of our commitment to delivering high-quality apprenticeship programmes and the hard work of our staff, students, and employer partners.”
The Portsmouth and Chichester Apprenticeship Awards, formerly known as The News and Observer Apprenticeship Awards, are now in their third year of championing individuals and organisations in the apprenticeship sector. These annual awards celebrate dedication, attitude and accomplishment, with fourteen categories highlighting the impressive depth and breadth of the local apprenticeship landscape. The formal ceremony is scheduled to take place on Thursday 23 October 2025, with attendees treated to a drinks reception and three-course meal, followed by the full awards presentation and photographs.
To see a full list of finalists, please click here.
An Access to Higher Education (Science) Student at South Hampshire College Group has been honoured with a prestigious new scholarship at University of Reading in recognition of her academic excellence and leadership potential.
Kamana Gurung, a 24-year-old student based in Colchester, first came to the UK in 2022 from her homeland, Nepal, shortly after getting married. Despite the challenge of adjusting to a completely new environment and culture, Kamana seized the opportunities available to her. She successfully completed her Maths and English GCSEs, all while balancing a full-time job. It was during this time that she discovered her passion for science and chemistry, which shaped an ambition to become a clinical pharmacist. Upon completing her GCSEs, she began her search for an access course that could open the door to a pharmacist degree, and needed a fully remote science-themed course that could complement her ongoing work commitments. Kamana found exactly what she was looking for at South Hampshire College Group.
Despite never meeting her tutors in person, she built a strong relationship with them. “I immediately felt supported,” Kamana explained. “The most impressive thing was how kind and helpful my tutors were, especially with academic writing. I could send drafts for feedback before submitting the final versions – that’s something my friends at other colleges didn’t have. They went above and beyond, even replying to my queries at weekends and the summer period. I never felt a barrier despite it being a remote course.”
Carolyn Basely, Health and Social Care Lecturer at South Hampshire College Group, was Kamana’s tutor during her studies. Carolyn commented: “Kamana was an extremely motivated, mature student who was very determined to achieve her goal to study pharmacy. She completed her Access to HE Science Diploma entirely online, studying biology, physical and chemistry modules, and achieved 141 UCAS points. She is a great example of how, with hard work, you can change your career and fulfil your dreams.”
Kamana’s efforts were rewarded with two university offers at King’s College London and University of Reading, to which she felt the latter would be a better fit. That decision proved even more valuable when she was named a recipient of the Global Sustainability Leaders Scholarship.
The Global Leaders Sustainability Scholarship is a brand-new initiative launching this autumn at University of Reading, one year after the higher education provider was crowned the UK’s Most Sustainable University of 2024. This scholarship will provide 300 undergraduate students with £6000 per year of their studies, which can go towards living and maintenance costs, as well as opening access opportunities for learning and development.
Kamana already has her sights set firmly on the future. Although her immediate focus is on her degree and training to become a qualified clinical pharmacist, she also has a long-term ambition of becoming involved in the field of clinical trials and future medical drug development.
Kamana concluded with some valuable advice for access students: “Please communicate because communication is so important. Don’t hesitate to ask questions, get feedback and build rapport with your teacher. Distance doesn’t have to be a barrier with remote learning.”
For more information on the Global Leaders Sustainability Scholarship, please click here.
A Digital Student is preparing to begin a prestigious degree apprenticeship with Coca-Cola, following an exemplary Distinction grade in her T Level results last week.
Over the past two years on her Level 3 Digital Production, Design and Development T Level course, eighteen-year-old Benita Raphaels has become one of South Hampshire College Group’s most decorated students, with notable achievements including designing an app that is now used across Hampshire Constabulary, earning a ‘Highly Commended’ accolade in the National Apprenticeship and Skills Awards, and becoming a presenter on community radio station Voice FM. She has also served as a student governor during this time, volunteered in the community and delivered public speaking roles as a T Level Ambassador. Benita’s degree apprenticeship with Coca-Cola marks the start of an exciting new chapter that brings together all the skills she has acquired in her education and training so far.
Pete Joddrell, Deputy Chief Executive and Group Principal at South Hampshire College Group, commented: “It’s been fantastic to watch Benita’s progress through her T Level course which has culminated in a well-deserved degree apprenticeship with a globally recognised brand. Benita’s journey showcases the value of T Levels and extended industry placements on career development, as seen through her achievements during her work placement with Hampshire Constabulary. This story also demonstrates the strength of our Digital T Level programme, which has seen an impressive 100% pass rate this year. Benita has further been an excellent Student Governor who has shown true commitment to representing students at South Hampshire College Group, and we wish her the very best for her next steps.”
Amongst a dozen candidates originally shortlisted for this prestigious opportunity with Coca-Cola, Benita impressed through a series of video and in-person assessments, as well as a simulation day in the role, which incorporated key elements of the program including sales, marketing and project management. She will now relocate to Manchester to join the local Coca-Cola Europacific Partners branch, and commence her BA (Hons) Business Management Professional degree at the Manchester Metropolitan University. She will also receive a company car courtesy of Coca-Cola.
Reflecting on her upcoming apprenticeship, Benita commented: “I was delighted to receive the offer of this degree apprenticeship and it feels good to join such a world-famous company in Coca-Cola. There are lots of good progression opportunities, including the chance to work abroad. The biggest thank you to Debbie for everything and all the support – the best lecturer/tutor ever!”
Debbie Eacott, Digital Academy Lead at South Hampshire College Group, said: “Benita, you believed you could—and you did! An overall Distinction in your Digital T Level and a degree apprenticeship with Coca-Cola is no small feat. Go and be brilliant. I can’t wait to see all your professional achievements unfold. So proud of you!”
Degree apprenticeships are an excellent choice for individuals looking to combine higher-education study with paid work. There are no tuition fees for degree apprenticeships, which are offered at Level 4 through to Level 7.
Five Level 3 Digital Production, Design and Development T Level students at South Hampshire College Group have developed an app for Fareham Borough Council, and showcased it to council representatives and local employers.
The ‘Live, Love, Local’ app is a community-focused project that connects Fareham residents with businesses in their area to highlight and streamline local reward deals, making them accessible to all. Whether it’s choosing a restaurant to eat, an entertainment venue, or simply a parking space, the app utilises innovations like interactive maps and a skilled onboarding system to connect businesses to consumers in an easily accessible way. Students had previously pitched the app to local employers successfully and have now officially completed their project handover of the app to Fareham Borough Council.
Significant time and resources were put into this project, which initially began in October 2024. Specialist focus groups were established to research the market and ensure consumer needs were being met. At the same time, students had to consider risk management, user interface, software and server development in the process.
Debbie Eacott, Digital Academy Lead for Creative Digital Industries at South Hampshire College Group, commented: “Our Digital T Level students have done a truly fantastic job with the Live Love Local App. It is great to see how they have used their transferrable full stack development skills from their course to work as a team and produce an industry-standard application. We are a community-centred organisation, and this handover exemplifies how our education and training can benefit the Hampshire community.”
Jake Pazzard, Student Project Manager of the Live Love Local app, said: “We have put over 100 hours into this app and I am very proud of the fact we have created a product that can help people and the local community. This has not been a straightforward app to design and we have had to overcome a number of technical challenges to get to this point. It’s been a great learning experience for all of us.”
Jan Lasnon, Communications Manager at Fareham Borough Council, commented: “This is our second collaboration with South Hampshire College Group and we have been very impressed by how the students have thought through challenges and responded to them with real professionalism. Through working on real projects like this that have a tangible impact on people, they can add real value to their CVs and showcase their talents to prospective employers.”
To learn more about our Digital T Level courses, please click here.
A Financial Accountant at South Hampshire College Group has won two gold medals in Hammer Throw and Weight Throw disciplines at the World Masters Indoor Athletics Championships in Florida, as well as a further silver medal in the Discus Throw.
Suzy Wise represented Great Britain in the 35-39 age category of the Hammer throw, Weight Throw and Discus Throw events, overcoming competition from six other athletes representing Australia, the USA and the UK. Over 4000 athletes from 80 countries competed in total at the Florida Championships, across a total of 24 categories.
Suzy commented: “I love competing and was really happy with my performance at the Championships, where I truly gave it my all. These events not only provide me with the opportunity to test myself on the global stage but also give me the chance to travel and explore different parts of the world. I believe it’s really important to maintain your passions outside of work and these kinds of successes really make all the hard work pay off.”
Suzy has been competing in athletics competitions since the age of 14 with a lot of domestic success in county championships; however, recent years have seen new successes on the
international stage with silver and bronze medals at the 2024 European Masters Athletics Championships before her latest successes in Florida at the 2025 World Masters Athletics Championships. She is also a qualified coach and splits her spare time between training, competing and coaching.
Suzy added: “I suppose I started quite late in my athletics journey compared to others, but discovered a solid community at Luton Athletics club, which helped instil a lifetime passion for the throwing sports. I’ve been able to dedicate more time to training as I’ve got older, which has helped me get stronger and fitter as a result. As long as I’m able and still enjoying it, I think I will always continue to be involved in athletics in one way or another, whether it’s competing or coaching others.”
Jodie Taylor, Group Culture and Engagement Lead at South Hampshire College Group, commented: “At South Hampshire College Group we’re passionate about supporting and nurturing the wellbeing of our employees, incredible stories such as Suzy’s highlight the importance of personal growth both in and out of work. Suzy truly embodies one of our core values ‘aspirational’ and we wish her the best of luck in her upcoming competitions!”
Looking to capitalise on her recent successes, Suzy already has her sights set on future competitions, including the upcoming 2025 European Masters Athletics Championships scheduled in Madeira this October and the 2026 World Masters Athletics Championships in South Korea next Summer.
South Hampshire College Group have welcomed four local secondary schools to a special interactive event designed to introduce pupils to further education and career pathways beyond school.
This unique Game Show event which featured professional lighting, sound effects and even a dedicated theme tune, was hosted at Fareham College’s theatre and was scheduled to coincide with National Careers Week. Over 30 students and staff were welcomed from schools including Fareham Academy, Henry Cort Community College, Bridgemary School and Castle View Academy. Each school had a team of 8 students, all from Year 9, who worked together to tackle six challenges, each centring around a different college department, such as carpentry, media, art and sport. This fun and engaging approach to further education allowed students to explore and discover new passions in an exciting competitive environment.
A prize ceremony capped off the evening, with Henry Cort Community College being declared the winners, and recipients of special gift vouchers. All participants received a certificate and the entire event was captured on film by a dedicated broadcasting team from Solent University.
Danielle Logan, Community Outreach Coordinator at South Hampshire College Group, organised the event. She commented: “The National Careers Week Game Show was an exciting event designed to introduce Year 9 students to the range of subjects and courses available at our colleges. It was great to see the enthusiasm and energy that students brought to the challenges! I believe it has been a fantastic introduction for students to get a taste of what we offer at South Hampshire College Group and as they progress to Year 10 and 11, they will have even more opportunities to learn about our programs and pathways. The National Careers Week Game Show is an annual event that highlights our commitment to providing students with valuable insights into their future educational and career options.”
A teacher from a participating school commented: “This event has been so much fun both this year and last year. The students love seeing the college, finding out about some of the courses and the competitive element of the challenges. The length of the event is just right too.”
For any further information please contact the College Group at [email protected].
A 17-year-old T Level Student from South Hampshire College Group has received a special trophy in the prestigious National Apprenticeship and Skills Awards, in which she attended as a regional finalist.
Benita Raphaels has been recognised with a Highly Commended trophy in the Gatsby T Level Student of the Year category for her extraordinary accomplishments on her T Level work placement, in which she has helped design and develop an inventory tracking app for Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary, which has now been approved for use throughout the force. This recognition is made more remarkable by Benita’s status as a current T Level student, now in the second year of her Level 3 Digital Production, Software Design and Development course, with most of her competition older in age and already having completed their T Level qualifications.
The prestigious ceremony for the South East regional finalists took place on Thursday 10 October, with 11 award categories, and over 150 guests in attendance. Two accolades were up for grabs across all categories, the Highly Commended Award and the Overall Category Winner. All category winners will go on to compete at the National Ceremony in London on Wednesday 27 November.
Benita Raphaels said: “I’m so happy to walk away with a trophy, especially as I haven’t even finished my work placement yet. It’s the first time they included a T Level category in the National Apprenticeship and Skills Awards and it was so good to see employers celebrate T Levels and positively recognise them in this way. I’d like to thank my college lecturers and employer for all their support and for believing in me.”
Debbie Eacott, Benita’s Lecturer and Digital Academy Lead at Fareham College, part of South Hampshire College Group, commented: “Benita’s Highly Commended Award at the National Apprenticeship and Skills Awards is a fantastic achievement and is truly a testament to her dedication and commitment in her industry placement at Hampshire Constabulary and her T Level studies at South Hampshire College Group. Well done Benita, you have a very bright future ahead of you.”
The National Apprenticeship and Skills Awards celebrates its 21st anniversary in 2024 and for the very first time includes awards to recognise T Level students and employers. These awards are designed to reward the achievements of exceptional apprentices and T Level students, skills champions and apprenticeship and T Level employers.
Over 1300 entries were received nationally from sectors including the public sector, construction, health, science, IT and digital. These finalists are apprenticeship and T Level exemplars, highlighting best practice across recruitment excellence, high quality training practices, diversity and career progression.
Two Level 3 Creative Media students at Fareham College have had their pieces published in the annual Creative Writing in FE: An Anthology book.
Beatrice Villaneuva and Lana George are approaching the end of their Level 3 Extended Diploma in Creative Media Production, with both looking to progress onto higher education at university in September. Although both have enjoyed writing as a pastime, these submissions marked the first time either had embarked upon an official writing project. Both short pieces were fictional, incorporating a variety of literary language devices and emotive imagery in the narration.
The annual Creative Writing in FE Anthology publication brings together Creative Writing excerpts from students in further education across the country. Many submissions are received each year, all analysed carefully by an expert panel including representatives from the Copywriting Licensing Agency, the English and Media Centre and the Association of Colleges. All submissions are assessed on their quality of writing, adherence to the brief, and the imagination and emotion evoked through each piece.
Beatrice commented: “This project interested me because I saw it as an opportunity to experiment with different writing techniques. It was a huge surprise for me to see my work published, and this has built up my confidence in my creative ability. This course has given me a taste of everything, and the teachers’ support has allowed my creative freedom to flourish. My next step is to build upon this foundation at university as I work toward my goal of becoming a Film and TV Producer.”
Lana said: “I was so happy to see my work in print. With this piece, I wanted to increase awareness of the effect that parents arguing can have on a child, and I hope this publication has managed to achieve that. I plan to continue studying Creative Media at university and would love to become a writer or editor one day.
Gregory Kitchin, Faculty Director of Creative Media at Fareham College, commented: “Lana and Beatrice have already matured into talented videographers on their Level 3 Creative Media Production course and this accolade is further proof that they will have long and fruitful careers in the creative industries. The excellent writing skills demonstrated in their published work adds to their technical abilities and allows them to approach creative projects from several angles, making them true all-rounders whilst still at College. Lana and Beatrice’s achievements are also testament to their lecturers’ high expectations for learners in the Creative Media department.”
To see all content from the Creative Writing in FE: An Anthology 2023 book, please click here.
For any further queries please contact the College at [email protected].
Higher education (HE) students from Fareham College, part of the newly formed South Hampshire College Group, have come together for the Class of 2023’s official Higher Education Graduation ceremony.
The ceremony at Fareham College saw HE students and their families enjoy a light drinks reception before joining faculty members in the college’s 120-seat theatre.
Vice Principal Ben Sheridan welcomed guests and opened the ceremony, followed by Robert Hind, Curriculum Area Manager for Higher Education, who conferred the awards. The event ended with a speech from South Hampshire College Group’s Executive Director of Business and Civic Partnerships, Anousha Ottley before students were invited to mark the occasion by having their official portraits taken.
Marking a triumphant end to the academic year, the event comes at a particularly important time for South Hampshire College Group, which officially merged on 1st August 2023.
The Group – which serves an estimated 11,900 students across the Solent region – aims to provide a financially strong, responsive, and ambitious Higher Education programme for those seeking alternative pathways to university.
The HE programmes, which are held at Fareham College, are designed to support progression from a Level 3 or T Level course to a complete undergraduate qualification.
Teaching staff ensure excellence in practice by using industry-leading technology and collaborating with university partners and recognised employers, while students benefit from smaller class sizes, lower tuition fees, and flexible study options, making it a more accessible option for many.
Additionally, students in certain study programmes are supported to enter the second or third year of complementary courses at partner universities, including Southampton Solent University, allowing them to “top up” their qualifications and enrich their learning further.
From this, many of the Group’s alumni have gone on to pursue Master’s degrees or PhDs, a direct result of the outstanding teaching and personalised support offered to all students.
Ben Sheridan, Vice Principal of Fareham College, said:
“The achievement of a qualification at Level 4 or higher is the product of significant hard work and dedication. This event allows our graduates to celebrate their achievements, gathered among friends, family and lecturers. All of our graduates can be immensely proud of their success, and we wish them the best of luck for their next chapter.”
Robert Hind, Curriculum Area Manager for Higher Education at Fareham College, said:
“Our Higher Education graduation ceremony is the highlight of the year for me as it’s our chance to celebrate the considerable achievements of our HE students.
“Fareham College offers a wide range of HE courses which give students who would struggle to access a course at university the chance to study in their local community and gain qualifications to help them move to the next stage in their lives.
Many of the students who graduated this year have overcome considerable challenges in their personal and professional lives to gain their qualification and we are very proud that the supportive environment we offer at Fareham has played a part in that success.”
To find out more about Higher Education courses with Fareham College, please visit: fareham.ac.uk/university-level-courses/
Students from across the newly formed South Hampshire College Group (comprising Fareham College, Eastleigh College and City College Southampton) have achieved a very successful set of results in their Level 3 courses with many of these students choosing to progress to university as their next step.
This summer’s results saw many highlights among the College Group’s academic performance, including a 98% pass rate for students on T Level courses and a 96% pass rate for students on Level 3 qualifications. The group has seen a number of success stories as students prepare to embark on their next steps beyond college.
Nate Stevenson has just completed a T Level in Digital Production, Design and Development at Fareham College, in which they successfully achieved a distinction grade. Nate will now progress to a Level 4 course in Professional Creative Enterprise, which is also at Fareham College and starts later this year. Nate commented: “The T Level is extremely useful for my chosen career, a lot of courses give you the knowledge but the good thing about T Levels are that they give you both the knowledge and the experience to better equip you for your next steps.”
Andrew Kaye, Chief Executive Officer of South Hampshire College Group, said: “The achievement of a Level 3 qualification is one of the most important milestones in a student’s educational journey and can open up many doors for their future career. All the students collecting their results today across South Hampshire College Group should be immensely proud of what they have achieved. We wish all our students the very best of luck for their results and next steps in their educational journey or early career.”
Ashley Martin, Director of Student Experience and Transition at South Hampshire College Group, said: “We are exceptionally proud of the achievements of all our students. The outstanding pass rate across the group is testament to the dedication of students, teaching teams and industry-led facilities, all of which foster a positive learning environment for individuals to excel.”
Professional and technical Level 3 courses present a dynamic alternative to A Levels, offering valuable work placements and industry experience alongside that can propel a student into their future career or higher education study. T Levels incorporate a strong emphasis on work experience, offering a minimum of 315 hours, or 45 days, of on-the-job training. Both Level 3 and T Level programmes are two years in length, the same as A Levels, and both are accredited on the UCAS tariff for entry to university.
To find out more about Level 3 courses and South Hampshire College Group, visit www.shcg.ac.uk.
To learn more about T Levels, please click here.
We are delighted to announce the successful merger of City College Southampton, Eastleigh College and Fareham College which, as of Tuesday 1 August 2023, has become South Hampshire College Group (SHCG).
This merger received a positive endorsement from students, parents, staff and local employers in the public consultation and a recommendation for the go-ahead from the Department for Education (DfE).
Students, apprentices and businesses from across South Hampshire will benefit from a financially strong, responsive and ambitious Further Education organisation; with the vision, resources and expertise to best support the evolving and growing skills demands in the region.
Whilst our group name has changed to South Hampshire College Group, the individual campus names remain unchanged and will retain their important links to local communities.
The newly-appointed CEO of South Hampshire College Group, Andrew Kaye, said: “It’s an exciting new start and will bring many benefits to our students and staff, businesses and local communities.
“We will pool all our resources and expertise to enhance the range and quality of courses in this region. We also look forward to delivering enhanced pathways into higher levels of study and work; increasing the supply of skills; meeting employers’ needs and supporting our region’s economy to grow.
“Our ambition is to create a new and vibrant college, better able to meet the economic and social mobility challenges that the region faces.”
Chair of the new Board of Governors at South Hampshire College Group, Sandra Prail, said: “We are tremendously excited to be at the helm of the new SHCG and our Board members look forward to contributing their expertise and skills from many industry sectors into the new venture.
“I’m positive the students attending courses at our new college will flourish, grow in confidence and ultimately make a real tangible contribution to the local workforce and economy with their skill sets.”
Our new group website is currently under development: www.shcg.ac.uk (new window)
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