Thirty-eight students who successfully completed programmes of study with Whanganui training provider Training For You were acknowledged at a ceremony last week.
Students, their families and supporters gathered alongside tutors and other staff at Heritage House.
The ceremony opened with a warming performance from Whanganui High School senior students Cypress Kani-Hirinui, Toka Poa and Wiremu Rogan - winnners of the Tangata Beats category, and overall regional finalists in the 2018 Smokefree Rockquest competition.
The 38 students were presented with certificates of completion, across six areas of study; Business Administration & Technology, Healthcare, Literacy and Numeracy, Early Childhood Education and Foundation Skills. Several special awards were presented to students who showed outstanding attributes.
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Of the 15 students that graduated from the Healthcare programme, 11 have already secured employment within the healthcare sector.
General Manager Campbell Means said that a description of a typical Training For You student is quite different from that of a Training For You graduate.
"It has been moving and inspiring to see the transformation achieved by students. The most moving thing is when students talk about their challenging backgrounds and then thank their tutor and others who have helped them at Training For You.
"We know how hard It can be for students who perhaps didn't find success at school to turn up to Training For You and keep coming."
Master of Ceremonies for the event was Education Manager, Josie Gray. Josie has been with the organisation for four years and has seen the impact of education on student's lives many times over.
"We are incredibly proud of each of the students who have graduated. They show determination, strength and drive to complete their studies and grow themselves as individuals."
A new cohort of students will start at the campus next week, alongside returning students who are continuing on to other programmes.
Training For You delivers a range of fees-free programmes, including the newly-launched Retail & Café Service Skills, Level 2 programme that will provide not one but two Level 2 qualifications for the successful graduates.
Enrolments for Semester Two programmes are open now.