PENDLETON SIXTH FORM COLLEGE STUDENT WINS PRESTIGIOUS LEARNER OF THE YEAR AND SCIENCE LEARNER OF THE YEAR AWARDS AT THE 2022 BTEC AWARDS
The remarkable accomplishments of Lyla Khan from Pendleton Sixth Form College were celebrated today as she was awarded the prestigious BTEC Awards for Young Learner of the Year and Science Learner of the Year 2022.
Lyla Khan’s inspiring achievements stood out among an international field of candidates and wowed the judges, who felt her proactivity, curiosity and relentless motivation were incredibly impressive. The taught curriculum was only ever a jumping off point for Lyla, and she regularly brought new ideas, arguments and theories into class – formed from reading in her own time – to challenge pupils and sometimes even the teachers with!
Her achievements and can-do attitude are made all the more inspiring by the fact that a few years ago, she had to seek asylum in the UK after she was made to flee from her native Pakistan. But Lyla never let that affect her relentless thirst to study, which she worked tirelessly on to get a place at university - a goal which she has achieved thanks to her unimprovable Triple Distinction Star grades.
Lyla said: “I feel privileged to receive these awards. There must be countless students who have worked as hard as me and I would be honoured to share this moment with them. It feels incredible to be recognised for the hard work you do. I did not have any qualifications when I came to this country; I still remember the disappointment I felt when my applications were refused by colleges because I did not have any GCSEs. But Pendleton Sixth Form College put their trust in me by giving me a place in the BTEC course and allowing me the opportunity to prove myself. I vowed to myself that I would use every minute of the next two years to prove to my teachers and to myself that the trust was not misplaced. I would like to thank my family, my teachers, my friends who helped in this journey and a huge thank you to BTEC for enabling me to go to university and setting me on my way to achieve my dreams and goals!”
Freya Thomas Monk, Senior Vice President for Vocational Qualifications and Training at Pearson, said: “After two long years spent giving or receiving lessons behind a computer screen, through face masks, or socially distanced, 2022 has been a whirlwind for everyone involved in education. Considering this, it makes the inspiring achievements documented in Lyla’s submission all the more impressive. The hard work and commitment she – and all our award winners – demonstrated is extraordinary, and I am proud we are able to recognise them all through this year’s set of Awards.”
Victoria Kielty, Principal of Pendleton Sixth Form College, said: “Lyla is an incredibly inspiring student who has continuously demonstrated the utmost dedication to her studies. She possesses the drive to succeed in all aspects of her life and we are thrilled that she has won the BTEC Learner of the Year and the Science Learner of the Year awards for 2022.”
Twenty award winners won prizes in categories including Health and Social Care, Engineering, Music, Esports and Creative Media, each selected from thousands – and often tens of thousands – of eligible students.
Hundreds of thousands of learners across the globe have completed BTEC courses over the past year. The career-focused qualifications are a vital route for those pursuing careers in sectors such as IT, business, the creative industries, healthcare, engineering, construction and future industries. Many of these industries, such as health and social care, engineering, and IT and computing, are suffering from chronic staff shortages and skills gaps, which this year’s cohort of graduates – whether they were Award winners or not – will be more than equipped to fill.
The judges also commended the efforts of other local BTEC students who achieved remarkable success in their fields. Silver Awards went to:
- FutureSkills at MediaCityUK’s Ellenor Percival for BTEC Creative Media Learner of the Year
- FutureSkills at MediaCityUK’s Marika Ogorzalek for BTEC IT and Computing Learner of the Year
- Pendleton Sixth Form College’s Nate Halfpenny for BTEC Science Learner of the Year
Bronze Awards went to:
- FutureSkills at MediaCityUK’s Ted Ormerod for BTEC IT and Computing Learner of the Year 2022
- Pendleton Sixth Form College’s Charlie Evans for BTEC Performing Arts Learner of the Year 2022
Visit btec.co.uk/awards for the full list of BTEC Awards winners