Degree Students Celebrate Achievement

On Friday 11 September, our class of 2026 joined with family, friends and invited guests to celebrate their achievements at the 2026 Graduation Ceremony, held at the beautiful Skipton Town Hall.

This year’s ceremony saw Higher Education students graduating in Accounting, Aviation, Performing Arts, and Young Children’s Learning & Development and being recognised for their resilience, commitment and determination throughout their studies.

Gareth Dixon, Deputy Principal and CEO of Craven College addressed the graduates, “At Craven College, we believe that education is about far more than the knowledge and skills gained in a classroom. It is about building character, developing confidence, and discovering what you are capable of achieving. Graduands, throughout your time here you have demonstrated resilience, determination, teamwork, and the drive to succeed. These are qualities that will serve you well throughout your lives and careers.

“As you celebrate this achievement today, remember that graduation is not the finish line. It is the start of the next chapter. Whatever path you choose to follow, take with you the lessons you have learned here: that hard work matters, that perseverance brings results, and that challenges are there to be met and overcome.”

This year’s guest speaker for the ceremony was Stephanie Moon, Chef Consultant and Craven College Alumna! Growing up on a farm near Skipton, Stephanie attended Craven College as a catering student, before obtaining the opportunity to work at The Dorchester as a work experience student. Working for legendary chef Anton Mosimann, Stephanie has cooked for a diverse range of famous people, including royalty and travelled the world.

Following a successful career as Executive Chef at Rudding Park Hotel, where she maintained 2 Rosettes in the Clocktower Restaurant for over 8 years and taking inspiration from her time at Craven College, Stephanie became a consultant, wanting to give something back to the education system that shaped her opportunities.

Stephanie spoke during the ceremony “You all have your own stories of success and being here today we are all winners. Nurture your adaptive spirit, strive for the best and the rest will come. When you get knocked down, get back up again – you are the only one who can do that!

“Stay focused and take the most out of your time at College. Be the best that you can be and make yourself proud of your achievements!”

As well as receiving their degrees and awards validated by The University of Hull, AAT, Pearson, NCFE and CAVA, a number of students were rewarded with special awards. These prizes, a number kindly provided by Skipton Mechanics Institute, are awarded for academic excellence, exceptional determination, working towards a high standard and displaying professional skills required for employment. These students were: –

Award for Academic Excellence (Degrees) – for high achieving students – Rebecca Perry
Award for Academic Excellence (Apprenticeships) –for high achieving students – Joseph Beck
The Principal’s Prize – For students studying in exceptional circumstances – Megan Wilkinson
Jet2 Award for Employability Skills – For an Aviation student who is most likely to succeed in the industry – Thomas Holgate
Craven College HE Award for Performing Arts – For students who are the most likely to succeed in industry – Scarlett Atkinson
Alix Coughlin Award for Caring Professions – for a high achieving student on the Young Children’s Learning and Development Degree and commemorates Alix a much-loved tutor – Dakota Preston
Craven College HE Award for Apprenticeships – For students most likely to succeed in industry – Abigail Tiplady

Thomas Holgate, recipient of The Jet2 Award for Employability Skills, gave the Student Vote of Thanks, “It’s hard to believe we’ve reached the end of the course. We’ve all come a long way over the last two years, and now we can look forward to what’s next. We’ve all got different journeys ahead of us, and I wish everyone the very best for whatever comes next. 

“So, congratulations once again to everyone today. We’ve worked hard to get here, and I hope we can all look back on our time together with some very good memories.” 

A huge congratulations to all our graduating students! We are very proud of you!