A Belfast student has had a short film she wrote, produced, directed, and edited picked up by the BBC after an award win.
Siomha McStay from Belfast Metropolitan College was celebrated today as she was awarded the prestigious BTEC Award for Creative Media Learner of the Year 2022.
Her achievements stood out among an international field of candidates, with the judges blown away before her work-rate, creativity, and initiative.
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During her studies, not only did she work long weekends to support her family financially, she also pitched an idea to the BBC which was eventually chosen for BBC 2’s Minute Masterpiece.
Following this, the star student has got financing for a short film which she wrote, produced, directed and edited, which is soon to air on BBC3. Such behaviour has been an inspiration to her fellow learners, and not once has she let her busy personal life negatively affect her college work.
Siomha McStay, Creative Media Learner of the Year, said: "It is a great honour to be chosen as Creative Media Learner of the Year. I am so grateful to my family, my peers & my tutors for all of their support.
"This year was a challenging and inspirational one, overwhelming yet rewarding. I am humbled to be recognised for my efforts and it is with tremendous appreciation that I receive this award.”
Freya Thomas Monk, Senior Vice President for Vocational Qualifications and Training at Pearson, said: “After two long years spent giving or receiving lessons behind a computer screen, through face masks, or socially distanced, 2022 has been a whirlwind for everyone involved in education.
"Considering this, it makes the inspiring achievements documented in Siomha's submission all the more impressive. The hard work and commitment she – and all our award winners – demonstrated is extraordinary, and I am proud we are able to recognise them all through this year’s set of Awards.”
Twenty award winners won prizes in categories including Health and Social Care, Engineering, Music, Esports and Creative Media, each selected from thousands – and often tens of thousands – of eligible students.
Hundreds of thousands of learners across the globe have completed BTEC courses over the past year. The career-focused qualifications are a vital route for those pursuing careers in sectors such as IT, business, the creative industries, healthcare, engineering, construction and future industries.
Many of these industries, such as health and social care, engineering, and IT and computing, are suffering from chronic staff shortages and skills gaps, which this year’s cohort of graduates – whether they were Award winners or not – will be more than equipped to fill.
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