Fahim urges students to choose

As a student at The Radclyffe School, Fahim Ahmed knew what it was to be a role model for his peers. Six years after leaving the school he accepted the invitation to be the guest speaker at this year’s Presentation Evening, held at the Queen Elizabeth Hall in Oldham town centre.

After A levels at Oldham Sixth Form, Fahim studied Civil & Structural Engineering at the University of Bradford, graduating with first-class honours. He is now a Graduate Engineer with transport infrastructure company, Colas.

Addressing the leavers of 2021, Fahim spoke of their freedom to choose how they respond to whatever they face in their lives. Using the story of Victor Frankl, a survivor of the Holocaust, he illustrated how any hardships, setbacks or obstacles can be overcome. Whilst their hardships are unlikely to be at the level of those who suffered at the hands of the Nazis, the students were urged to learn from their experience.

He urged the audience to focus on what they can control. He said, “Your success isn’t determined by what happens to you, your success is determined by the decisions and responses you make.”

“Keep the momentum going, every single one of you is capable of great things. It’s a matter of now pushing yourself to keep going. If you don’t believe in yourself, who will?”

The event returned to Queen Elizabeth Hall after its cancellation last year. The slimmed down event was an opportunity to celebrate the achievements of the Year 11 students who had coped with the disruption of the pandemic through their final two years at the school. The students received their GCSE certificates, together with awards for achievement across all faculties in the school.