THE passage of time has done little to diminish enthusiasm as 20 staff celebrated clocking up more than 400 years’ service at a North-East college.
Fifteen tutors, two managers and three support staff accrued a total of 443 years working for Darlington College.
A special celebration was staged for the staff to mark their personal landmarks. Human resources manager Julie Taylor said: “We were delighted to mark such an important milestone in the history of the college and individual staff who remain committed to serving the students of Darlington and the surrounding area.”
For catering tutor Donna Joyce the ceremony was a reminder that she has helped more than 2,000 students in her 22 years at the college, many of whom have gone on to carve careers working in the world’s finest restaurants.
“Former pupil Ben Greeno is at Noma in Copenhagen, reputedly the world’s best restaurant,” she said. “Another ex-student, Adrian Goldsborough, is working in a Michelin starred restaurant and we have developed close links with the industry’s best chefs.”
Donna remembers a Young Chef Young Waiter competition being staged at the college at which the judges boasted a total of 12 Michelin stars. She also recalls a visit by celebrity chef James Martin in which he competed in a close-run bake-off with a student.
“The one thing that hasn’t changed over the years is what we tell the students – you only get out of life what you put in. If they want to be here to learn, then Darlington College is the right place for them.
“It is a fantastic environment to work in and every year it feels like a new job with different students, different challenges and different outcomes. For me it is lovely to see how the students develop and we have a constant stream of ex-students coming back to tell us how well they are doing now.”
