By Kelly Eve

Last updated 10:28, Friday, 10 October 2008

The class of 2008 graduated from Carlisle College in a ceremony at the weekend.

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Success: Clockwise, from left, Carlisle College graduation ceremony, at St Cuthbert’s Church, is addressed by Rev Richard Pratt. Karen Ransley, who graduated with an AAT qualification with her seven-year-old son Daniel from Carlisle. Melanie Jameson celebrates her graduation with her proud daughter Zara

Around 100 students were presented with scrolls at the lunchtime ceremony held at St Cuthbert’s Church in the city centre.

The higher education achievements of students young and old were celebrated as proud family members and friends turned out to support them.

Principal Moira Tattersall presented a range of awards to students including National Vocational Qualifications.

Professor Christopher Carr, vice chancellor at the University of Cumbria, spoke at the event along with the college’s chair of governors David Carter.

Awarding bodies included the University of Central Lancashire, which accredited the college’s foundation degrees in education, health and social care, computing and new media.

Payroll manager Karen Ransley, 47, of Carlisle, was among the students donning a gown for the ceremony.

Karen’s seven-year-old son Daniel and husband Andy joined her.

Karen, who works for Cumbrian Newspapers, said: “This is the end of a long time of study for me.

“I’ve got the AAT [Association of Accounting Technicians] technician qualification. It took me a few years.

“I did the first two years then took a year off before starting up again.

“It was very difficult working full-time then looking after what was happening at home.

“I’ve done this on my own, a night a week at college.

“At work we’d have to produce work for accounts and I wanted to know what they were doing and how they use the information.

“I’ve liked the course a great deal. I thought it would be similar to my job but it is totally different.”

Friends David Lewis, Andrew Shepherd, Mark Watson and Duncan Smith were graduating from the HND engineering (instrumentation and control) course together.

Mark, 21, of Carlisle, and Duncan, from Annan, are now working at Sellafield.

They eventually plan to work up to and complete a degree in engineering.

Twenty-year-old David is working for a Dumfries firm while Andrew, also 20, from Alston, has decided to continue his studies and has embarked on a degree.