Message to the Class of 2023

2022-23 was a very successful year for West Lothian College.?

We are a growing college and nearly 10,000 people enrolled on courses, our highest ever number. This growth continues with a 15% increase in full-time student this year at a time when numbers are declining in many colleges across Scotland.

More students than ever before achieved their qualification - over 85% - including well over a thousand who graduated at higher education level.

We are seen as a can do, will do college – and that’s because we have students and staff who can and will do! Sitting in front of me today are the some of the best performing student groups of all colleges in Scotland!

New research published in 23 October showed that the Scottish economy will be more than 50 billion?pounds better off over the working life of college graduates. Researchers calculated that every graduate creates an additional ￡72,000 boost for the economy as a result of going to college. And, over their working lives, they help to support an extra 200,000 full-time jobs in Scotland.

This research shows very clearly the value that college graduates add to the economy, and the benefits that students gain from a college qualification, either for the first time or by re-training and upskilling.

Of our thousand students who graduated with a higher education qualification this year, around half gained HNCs and HNDs at college. The others achieved their professional and vocational qualifications while working.

Let’s relate those numbers to some real examples:

??? 20-year-old Tori-Leigh Adams graduated with HNC Business, after achieving the highest level of vehicle repair qualifications in previous years. During the year, she won a range of Scottish industry and business awards. She spoke on behalf of all college students to politicians and government ministers at a parliamentary event last month. And, on top of all of that, she set up her own car repair business!

??? Nearly all of our HND Cyber Security and Software Development graduates went straight into third year of degree study at university. Others secured Graduate Apprenticeships with companies like IBM.

??? All of our HNC Healthcare graduates are now at university studying nursing, paramedic science or midwifery degrees, and 21 of our HNC Childhood Practice graduates received 47 offers between them for highly sought after teaching degrees at universities across Scotland.

??? 154 SVQ level 9 Care graduates are now able to register with their regulatory body as managers in nurseries, care homes, and drug rehabilitation centres.

??? And, such was the high quality of their work, all our HNC Art graduates got university places. In fact they got an average of 3 offers each, many straight into the second year of degrees!

I could go on… and on… and on!

Looking out at this audience of graduates gives me great confidence and hope for the future. I know you are going to make a difference to people’s lives, to the communities you live in, and to the organisations you work in.

Everyone who works at the college is really proud of your success – from those who clean the campus and serve you food in the cafe – to those who taught and assessed you at college or in your workplace, to those who were there when you needed support to get you through hard times.

I’ve no doubt that many people helped you to get to this point – your lecturers, assessors, the student association, your friends, your partners, your families and your fellow students.

But, never forget that, while others may have helped, it was YOU who did the hard work to achieve your qualification. And it was YOU who kept going through good times and bad.

It’s 32 years since I graduated.

Since then, there have been twists and turns in my career, even the occasional dead-end. But they all led to me gaining new skills and insights into was important to me. And those led me to the next step in my career, which eventually led to this job.

And, it all started when I went to college at the age of 25.

My advice to our class of 2023 is:

??? Be tolerant, be curious about those who are different, and celebrate diversity.

??? Take time to keep yourself mentally well to cope with any obstacles you face.

??? And, be kind, be fair and treat people the way you want to be treated yourself.

We’re living in a volatile and uncertain world. Wars, division, climate emergency – the list goes on. It’s easy to feel helpless, hopeless and even despair.

Try to think differently and focus on what you CAN do to make things better.

When I was younger I was involved in the worldwide anti-apartheid campaign to free Nelson Mandela, who ended up spending 27 years in prison for opposing the racist South African regime.

After a few years, I became disillusioned about the lack of impact I was making and stopped campaigning. Someone gave me great advice at that time. They said I could make a difference in other ways, by being kind, generous and empathetic in everything I did - and calling out injustice, discrimination and bad behaviour when I come across it.

That really helped and I have stuck to that advice throughout my career.

Nelson Mandela was eventually released from prison and became the first black President of South Africa. Despite facing unimaginable injustice, he believed that education was the most powerful weapon you can use to change the world.

Education is powerful.

Use your education to change your world.

Use your education to change other people's worlds.