Sponsored by Learning Curve Group
STUDENT OF THE YEAR
WINNER : KIRA
COLEMAN
( MIDDLESBROUGH COLLEGE )
Just a few years ago , Kira was homeless , jobless and suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder . Now , however , having gained an access to higher education diploma in music , she ’ s studied for a degree in sound and music technology through the Open University at Middlesbrough College .
And as she clutched her award , she admitted : “ My life now is nothing like it used to be .”
She said : “ In a lot of ways , the only way to make that past a positive thing was to try and inspire others and try and help other people going through the same sort of things . The only thing is to turn a bad thing upside down and make it a nice thing .
“ I put in a hell of a lot of hard work and there were a lot of challenges . I don ’ t how I did it but I managed to get through . I got a 2:1 in my degree and I ’ ve worked multiple jobs in the industry now .”
Kira , 25 , now plans to “ keep on pushing , keep bettering myself ,” saying : “ I want to be an audio-visual technician . At the moment , I ’ m training as a sound engineer . I ’ m also looking at doing more lighting , sound and video training .
“ I ’ m just trying to take any opportunities I can to progress myself as fast as possible .”
Among her many roles , Kira is also a casual technician at The Stockton Globe , where she ’ s worked on a number of high-profile productions . She has also worked part-time as a carer for years , including throughout the pandemic .
Young winner – Middlesbrough College ’ s Kira Coleman ( right ) receives the Student of the Year award from Learning Curve Group chief technology officer Hannah Marshall .
FINALIST : FINALIST :
Charlotte Barugh
( Jacksons Law Firm )
Trainee legal executive Charlotte , 23 , gained distinctions and merits in her legal exams , with no one achieving a higher grade than her across the UK in one of them .
Charlotte is passionate about students achieving their goals by going down non-traditional routes and sharing her experience and journey to demonstrate how this can be done .
Despite personal challenges she has had to overcome , Charlotte does not believe this has had a detrimental effect on her career / ambition . Indeed , her “ can do ” attitude is admirable , considering her personal circumstances and particularly in one so young .
Extremely ambitious , she ’ s a talented and diligent future lawyer with enormous potential .
Mhairi Hides
( Lincoln University )
Although unilaterally deaf , determined Mhairi refused a hearing aid and coped throughout school and university by teaching herself to lipread . And despite being told that engineering was a ‘ tough profession for a woman ’ and ‘ did she really want to go down that route ?’, she showed determination to succeed and never gave up .
About to start her third year on a BEng Mechanical Engineering degree , Mhairi is a force to be reckoned with and a great role model for Teesside girls considering their career options – a forthright , outspoken , confident student who ’ s passionate about women having choice and opportunity , particularly in engineering .
SPONSOR ’ S MESSAGE
Hannah Marshall , chief technology officer , Learning Curve Group , said : “ It was fantastic to be at the Tees Businesswoman Awards surrounded by so many inspirational women who have a huge impact on Teesside . We were delighted to sponsor the Student of the Year category for the second year in a row to celebrate the achievements of learners in our region . Learning Curve Group would like to send huge congratulations to the winner of Student of the Year , Kira Coleman , and all of the night ’ s winners .”
48 | Tees Business