STAFF and students from Dudley College’s Peter Jones Enterprise Academy are celebrating a triple awards victory.

They picked up three gongs at the Peter Jones Foundation’s enterprise festival, which the TV dragon hosted at Buckingham University.

Santis Rolmanis, a level three BTEC in enterprise and entrepreneurship student, took the top award of National Entrepreneur of the Year for his innovative business idea which centres on a virtual reality immersive environment.

Confidence VR, which is already operational and available as a downloadable application, allows participants to simulate a job interview and receive feedback as to how they are performing.

Student Warren Edwards was also acknowledged for his contribution to the academy when he was awarded the prize for Inspirational Student of the Year. Warren is a wheelchair user was nominated by fellow students who praised his level of motivation, which fed through into their own studies.

His business idea of adapting household items such as wheelie bins to meet the needs of wheelchair users was highly commended.

Alongside her students, Victoria Greaves, Dudley College’s Peter Jones Academy manager, beat off fierce competition to be named Enterprise Manager of the Year as an acknowledgement of the excellent leadership she had shown her learners.

Commenting on the excellent achievements college principal, Neil Thomas, said: “The college has been part of the Peter Jones Enterprise Academy since 2013 as we feel it’s a powerful way of developing future entrepreneurs with the skills and mindset to run their own businesses.

"We are thrilled to see our staff and students win three awards for their work this year. It’s particularly pleasing that one of our students was named National Entrepreneur of the Year, for the second year running – this is an outstanding achievement.”

All winners received a trophy and Santis also received a £5,000 prize to invest in developing his business as well as a scholarship to continue his studies at Buckingham University, which sponsors the event alongside the Peter Jones Foundation.