News & Events

News & Events / MPCT South Shields Learner gains his Para wings.

MPCT South Shields Learner gains his Para wings.

 

One of the North East college’s first students has battled competition from across the UK to win a place with an elite British Army regiment.

MPCT South Shields had only been open a week when Seaham student Scott O’Keeffe decided to enrol, in 2018.

And, just a year later, the 21-year-old is celebrating after passing the gruelling selection process first time, to become a Private in the Third Battalion Parachute Regiment.

The Paras; the regiment is the airborne infantry division of the British Army and the extreme levels of fitness required by candidates make the failure rate at the first attempt very high.

Along with stamina and endurance tests, candidates have to undertake three daytime and one evening parachute jumps before they can gain their wings and become fully fledged members of the battalion.

 

Scott, a former Sunderland University sport coaching and fitness graduate added

“It was incredibly intense, but the MPCT staff were all ex-army and they really prepared me well. 

It was them that encouraged me to go for The Paras and they didn’t just make sure I had the right level of fitness, they taught me about teamwork and about taking instruction and really boosted my confidence as well.”

Sharing Scott’s success is mum, Vickie, a foster carer who has brought Scott and his eight-year-old brother Jared up single-handedly.

“I’m over the moon – I just can’t believe, he’s a Para. Because several members of my family had been in the Forces, I wasn’t entirely surprised when he asked me to go with him to the Army recruiting office.

They suggested he enrol at the MPC in South Shields and the change in him, almost from the start, was incredible. 

I used to struggle to get him to concentrate on anything, but they not only gave him a focus, they gave him an aim in life and his confidence and sense of self-worth just grew and grew.

They really brought out the very best in him and even though Scott’s now based at Colchester, they’ve stayed in touch and they even came to his passing out parade when he completed basic training.”

 

 

Back to news articles

Graduation & Open Day Celebration.

Join your local MPCT Academy for an exciting day of Celebration! MPCT are hosting an awards ceremony on the 𝟭𝟰𝘁𝗵 𝗗𝗲𝗰𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿 𝟬𝟵:𝟰𝟱-𝟭𝟯:𝟬𝟬 to celebrate our learners successes and achievements. *Some academy open day celebration dates & times differ – please see detail on booking form or letters that have been sent home. Alongside this we...

Read more

Secretary Of State for Wales Revisits His Old Training Barracks to Experience Today’s Training for Future Soldiers

Today, Welsh Secretary, David TC Davies visited the MPCT Newport Academy to gain an insight into the alternative educational opportunities for adults and young people in Wales. Revisiting his former training barracks, the Welsh Secretary was keen to see how MPCT used the facilities to train the next generation of soldiers and individuals in the...

Read more

MPCT 10 Mile Log Run

This October our academies will be taking part in a 10 mile run with all proceeds going to Motivation & Learning Trust. For our main charity fundraising event for the Motivation & Learning Trust (MLT) we will be celebrating the 10th year of our very own MLT. The MLT over the last 10 years has...

Read more

NATIONAL FITNESS DAY – WED 20 SEPTEMBER

Join us on National Fitness Day, where we will hold events throughout all our academies on Wednesday, September 20th! MPCT prides itself on community engagement as we ‘Create Better Citizens’ through our Preparation for Military Service and Uniformed Service qualifications. To give back to the community, we will be delivering a free military-themed fitness session...

Read more

ENROLMENT DAYS

We still have limited spaces to pop along to our enrolment days which will be taking place at your local MPCT – find your nearest here. We will be holding enrolment days right up until the 27th October, they will be every Friday at 1300hrs. Learners will be able to visit the centre, meet the...

Read more

MPCT AUGUST OPEN DAYS

Pop along to one of our upcoming open events this August and find out about our unique training programme devised for those looking to start their military career. You’ll have a chance to meet the team and also young people like you currently studying with us. Develop fitness, gain a vocational qualification and prepare for...

Read more