The fourth Kent and Medway Apprentice Graduation Ceremony took place with a formal ceremony at Rochester Cathedral. The Apprentice Graduation is the county's annual ceremony recognising the incredible achievement of apprentices.
The initial Kent and Medway event was held in 2019 at Rochester Cathedral. Due to the Coronavirus pandemic the 2020 and 2021 graduation ceremonies were a huge success as a virtual event and by popular demand was back for an in-person event this year.
The graduation ceremony is free to graduates and recognises apprentices at all levels. It provides a wonderful and important opportunity for apprentices to be recognised equally to their peers undertaking other forms of education and training, including university graduates.
Throughout the ceremony we were joined by guest speakers, Kelly Tolhurst MP, Minister of State in the Department for Education, Dr Anna Morrison CBE, Amazing Apprenticeships, Paul Bentley, CEO, NHS Kent & Medway, Apprentice Speaker, Victoria Lawrence and Dr Tanya Lawes, Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education.
​Hadlow College had apprentices graduating from Level 2 courses in: Horticulture and Sports Turf Operative. Well done to all our apprentices!
Hope West, Head of Apprenticeships said, ‘It was truly amazing and a very proud moment to see so many wonderful apprentices Graduate, and to be able to share this proud moment with their families, friends, employers training providers and MPs in a spectacular setting.’
Mark Andrews, Assistant Principal for Gravesend Campus said, ‘The ceremony was an amazing spectacle, and to see graduating apprentices celebrating with their proud families in such a beautiful setting was a welcome reminder of how significant an achievement this is.’
He continued, ‘I am glad to see so many employers, educationalists and politicians present, who recognise the value and prestige of an apprenticeship programme.’