The University Centre at the Heart of Yorkshire Education Group celebrated the achievements of over 100 graduates at the prestigious Graduation Ceremony at Wakefield Cathedral, on Friday 14th November 2025.
Graduates from a variety of subject areas were invited to celebrate the completion and achievement of their Higher Education courses at the ceremony, alongside their family and friends, as well as their course tutors.
Sarah Norris, Certificate in Education Teacher Training Graduate, said: “I’ve always wanted to get into teaching but never been able to – Wakefield College invited me onto the Teaching Training course and gave me the opportunity to become what I’ve always wanted to be. I’ve only ever been to my daughters’ graduations; this is the first graduation of my own, so it’s an amazing feeling.”
The event began in the University Centre building at Wakefield College where graduates collected their gowns and enjoyed marking the occasion with photos – from a 360-video stand to professional headshots and a polaroid photo booth.
The graduates then processed from the College to Wakefield Cathedral, braving Storm Claudia’s harsh winds and rain.
University Centre at the Heart of Yorkshire Education Group’s graduate procession in Wakefield City Centre.
The graduates were joined by special guests including the Mayor of Wakefield, Councillor Maureen Tennant-King, MP for Wakefield, Simon Lightwood and Wakefield Council representative, Nathan Heath, in the Cathedral.
Representatives from the University Centre’s awarding bodies were also present at the ceremony including Professor James Woodall of Leeds Beckett University, Professor Darren Mundy from the University of Hull and Professor Wayne Bailey from the University of Huddersfield.
The University Centre’s own BA (Hons) Performance Industries (Top-Up) graduate, Oliver Horby, commenced the ceremony with an emotive rendition of 'Beautiful City' from the musical ‘Godspell’ and 'Being Alive' from the musical 'Company'.
Jason Wilsher-Mills MBE, digital artist, Wakefield College alumna and disability advocate, attended as the guest speaker, inspiring the graduates with a moving speech about his life as a disabled, working-class artist from Wakefield. He spoke about how he overcame accessibility barriers he faced, his time at college and how education ultimately changed his life. He called on the graduates to value their educational experience, to be ambitious and above all, to be proud of their Wakefield heritage.
Sam Wright, Principal and Chief Executive at the Heart of Yorkshire Education Group, also congratulated the graduates for their outstanding achievements, saying: “Graduation is always an incredibly special day as it’s the culmination of our students’ educational journeys, acknowledging the hard work, commitment and resilience they have demonstrated whilst gaining their qualifications. It’s an honour to be able to celebrate these remarkable achievements in the spectacular backdrop of Wakefield Cathedral, alongside our graduates’ loved ones, tutors and special guests.”
Graduates were then invited up to the stage by Head of Higher Education at the Heart of Yorkshire Education Group, Stephen Mulligan, to be presented with their certificates by Group Governor, Dr David Powell.
University Centre at the Heart of Yorkshire Education Group graduate collecting their scroll.
Validated by some of the region's most well-established universities, the programmes cover a wide range of subject areas including Animal Management, Art & Design, Business, Construction, Childhood Studies, Digital Technologies, Education, Engineering, Health & Wellbeing, Music, Performing Arts, Public Services, Social Science, Sport and more.
Results of the latest National Student Survey revealed that the University Centre placed significantly higher than the national average in a range of areas, including quality of teaching, learning opportunities, academic support and assessments. Over 94% of students stated they were satisfied with the academic support they received, surpassing the sector benchmark of 89%.
Applications for the University Centre’s wide range of programmes are now open for September 2026.
Find out more about the University Centre at the Heart of Yorkshire Education Group, here.