Stansted Airport College celebrated its fifth anniversary by hosting the annual Student Celebration Awards on Friday 23 June, to recognise the outstanding achievements of its trainees since opening its doors in September 2018.

The College is a partnership between London Stansted Airport and Harlow College – the first of its kind at any airport in the country, offering courses in Aviation, Cabin Crew, Events Management, Engineering and Aircraft Maintenance.

The Student Celebration Awards recognise the outstanding achievement made by students this year. They celebrate a wide range of achievements from academic success to sheer determination and effort. 

The ceremony was held on the college campus, where students and proud parents mingled with employers from many of the companies the college has forged strong links with since its opening, including Titan Airways, Ryanair, Down Hall Hotel, GT Engines, ACS Aviation Industries, Luxaviation and Flightworx, as well as representatives from Manchester Airports Group, Uttlesford District Council and Essex County Council.

Opening proceedings was Secretary of State for Business and Trade and MP for Saffron Walden, Kemi Badenoch, who also presented the first three Trainee of the Year awards. 

“I just want to let you know how much opportunity there is before you as you prepare to graduate and take your next steps. When I was about the same age as you I did an apprenticeship, studying engineering, and today I’m standing here as Secretary of State for Business and Trade, which just goes to show that whatever skills you learn and wherever it is you learn them you will not believe where they will take you. 

“Today is all about celebrating your achievements and everything you’ve learned at Stansted Airport College.”

Among the prestigious awards were two Outstanding Contribution to the Next Generation Awards, presented to Level 3 Aviation Operations trainee Dan Morris and Level 2 Pre-Apprenticeship in Engineering trainee Hayden Turner, and the inaugural Resilience and Determination Award, won by Level 3 Travel & Tourism trainee Molitta Sturrock.

There were also awards for learners from Corporate Flight Training, who are an approved, multi award winning cabin crew training organisation and provided two scholarships to our students Charlotte Hamilton and Abbie Howard to complete their bespoke VIP cabin crew training course. 

Victoria Clayden Smith, Head of Stansted Airport College, said of the evening: “It was amazing to celebrate the success of our students and to watch their parents be so proud and the staff that had supported them to be so proud. It’s great to have our employer partners here as well to share in that success, because they play such a massive part and many of those employers here today are employing our students who will be leaving and graduating with us.”

Karen Spencer, Principal and Chief Executive of Stansted Airport College, said: “We are really proud of all of our students at Stansted Airport College. It’s always fabulous to come to the college and be right in the heart of the airport. Our students can genuinely see their next steps from here. They’re going into a fantastic range of employment opportunities from Apprenticeships in engineering to

cabin, crew, and working in aviation operations. We could not do this without the support of London Stansted Airport and all of the fantastic employees. Thank you to everybody for supporting our students.”