(with pic of Andy Cooper)A HEAD of one of the new schools at Great Yarmouth College has come top of his year in his final postgraduate exams.Andy Cooper, who leads the School of Computing and Learning, joined the college as a student at 16, became a staff member at 18 and has progressed his career with higher qualifications sponsored by the college.

(with pic of Andy Cooper)

A HEAD of one of the new schools at Great Yarmouth College has come top of his year in his final postgraduate exams.

Andy Cooper, who leads the School of Computing and Learning, joined the college as a student at 16, became a staff member at 18 and has progressed his career with higher qualifications sponsored by the college.

He has now been awarded the highest marks of 18 people on his two-year part-time MBA course at the University of East Anglia - just after his promotion to head of school.

Mr Cooper received a top graduate award of �100 and a certificate from the Norfolk Chartered Management Institute.

Roy Hughes, college vice-principal, said Mr Cooper was a prime example of following a clear pathway of progression and had taken full advantage of the professional development opportunities offered by the college.

“We are delighted for Andy. The college has a strong ethos in terms of staff development. Everybody is given the opportunity.

“In Andy's instance, he grasped the opportunity and he ran with it. It just goes to show that, irrespective of where you are in terms of your qualifications, it doesn't preclude you from going forward. “

Mr Cooper enrolled on a BND electronics course straight after leaving school and joined the college staff as a technician when he finished.

He studied for an HNC and HND in electronics part-time, fitting his studies around his work like many part-time students and mature at the college.