A 34 year-old media trainee from Dungiven, Robert Thompson, has scooped a rare City & Guilds Medal for Excellence award in recognition of his exceptional work.

Robert, a trainee at The Nerve Centre, is one of only 87 lucky people to scoop the 2006 award  and pipped over 750,000 other entrants to land the City & Guilds Medal for Excellence for his outstanding performance on the Nerve Centre's City & Guilds Level 3 Diploma in Media Techniques training course.

City & Guilds, the UK's leading awarding body for work-related qualifications, has awarded the coveted medals every year since 1879. The Medals for Excellence programme rewards talented people who have displayed exceptional standards as students or educational professionals, and whose portfolio and achievements put them a cut above the rest.

According to the City & Guilds judging panel: 'Robert has shown determination and orginality in his coursework and has achieved very high standards. He is a deserving recipient of the Medal for Excellence and we are delighted to have chosen him for this award.'

Presented by Mrs Aideen McGinley, Permanent Secretary, Department Education & Learning at the City & Guilds ceremony in Belfast on 28th Febuary 2007, a thrilled Robert said: "I am absolutely delighted at receiving this award. Attending the Nerve Centre Media Techniques course was an inspiration and indeed has given me a direction and path in life with the setting up of my own media company aRTiculate Productions".

Robert is now in the running to win one of eight prestigious Lion Awards, dubbed the 'education Oscars', which will be announced later this year at a gala event to celebrate learning, success and achievement, in London.

Jim Curran, Video Department Manager and course tutor at The Nerve Centre said: "Robert has deservedly won this mark of special distinction. He is a real inspiration to others and demonstrates that getting the right skills can be the passport to fulfilling your true potential  and, more importantly, your dreams. Indeed, Robert has established his own media company aRTiculate Productions  with which I have no doubt he will make a success".