South Eastern Regional College (SERC) professional cookery tutor Michael Gillies has won the City & Guilds Medal for Excellence Award for his outstanding work in delivering the organisation’s cookery programmes at the college.
The City & Guilds Medals for Excellence have been awarded for over 100 years and aim to acknowledge exceptional talent amongst learners, lecturers and trainers who have gone above and beyond what is expected to achieve their goals.
Every year, all medalists are shortlisted for the Lion Awards – the culmination of the City and Guilds awards programme. The Lion Awards recognise the best of the best and the People’s Choice Award is voted for purely by the public.
Among the modules Michael teaches on his ever-popular courses, he finds the time to mentor students for local and national competitions with resounding success.
Michael who teaches at the Colleges Downpatrick campus said: “It is a great honor to win this award. The outstanding facilities at SERC has allowed me to motivate and enthuse students to achieve their goals. The award is as much a reflection on the department and the School as it is on me individually.
“I’m really grateful to the students and my colleagues. I’m delighted to see that they think some of the things that I have been doing are useful to their education and I very much enjoy working with the students on all of the modules that I teach.”
James Currie, SERC Head of School for Hospitality Tourism and Events, said: “Excellent tutors have a profound and positive effect on their students’ learning, widening their students’ knowledge and skills base, increasing their self-confidence and raising their aspirations. The entrants for this year’s award are teaching outstanding and innovative lessons which inspire and enthuse their students.
“Many congratulations to Michael. Not enough recognition is given out for hard work these days, but the Medal for Excellence offers this chance. It proves to professionals that all their hard work isn’t for nothing.’’
SERC provides a range of full and part-time courses designed to give students ‘the edge’. To find out how SERC can help you ‘get the edge’ call 0345 600 7555, or visit:
