Creating brighter futures

Recently, we caught up with former Weston College student Dave Trevaskus, about his journey from studying in Weston, to now being the Head of Retail Training at the LEGO Group.

Read the full interview, below:

Who are you and what is your job role?

My name is Dave Trevaskus and I am Head of Retail Training at the LEGO Group. We have over 1,000 stores around the world, and my team helps roughly 860 of them to create amazing experiences for anyone who walks in the door. We work closely with the LEGO Designers and the Retail Managers to make sure we design and deliver the learning in a way that works for a flexible retail workforce, meaning that everywhere from a small high street store in Mexico to the huge LEGOLAND in Shanghai you get a consistent LEGO experience but delivered with a local flavour.

Can you tell us a bit about your journey from Weston College to where you are now?

I’m not sure you’ve got enough space to cover the entire journey I’ve been on! I studied Maths, Business and Spanish in the late 1990’s but really didn’t know what my career would look like. I found full-time education a challenge, and I wanted to get into working as soon as possible so I didn’t go on to university. Instead, I found myself in several sales jobs in call centres before moving on to car sales (I actually worked in the old MJ Cook & Sons Renault garage which was on the site of the current South West Skills Campus on Locking Road!) and then into a pretty demanding job as a Recruitment Consultant in the global financial crisis in 2008.

Looking back, how did your own career path evolve over time?

I had no clue what I wanted to do except enjoy myself and earn money so I could watch football! Of course if you see yourself as an Engineer, Scientist, Teacher etc then you need to have relevant qualifications and a structured path ahead of you but I really didn’t know what I wanted to do so I didn’t have any of that.

Looking back, I always loved learning but didn’t thrive in a formal learning environment, so my career developed by learning from my own mistakes, making good and bad choices, and a large amount of luck putting myself in the right place at the right time. I’ve benefitted from working under some amazing leaders who have inspired me to be the best version of myself I can be, and I think that’s all we can realistically aspire to be – better today than I was yesterday.

Were there any pivotal moments or unexpected opportunities that shaped your career in ways you didn’t anticipate?

Looking back at my career, I have seen growth or opportunity arise through moments of challenge and struggle. I’ve been fired from a job for underperforming, I’ve quit a toxic working environment, I’ve seen an employer go bankrupt, I’ve been made redundant during a pandemic – and each time I’ve learned something that I can take to the next place I find myself in.

I landed in a Learning and Training job luckily; after leaving recruitment in 2009, my wife had a job at a training company in Portishead who paid me to go to call centres on behalf of Nokia to promote their latest smartphones. Within 5 years I was managing the Nokia Training Academy – I had accidentally discovered a job I was good at and thoroughly enjoyed.   

How important has adaptability been in your career - are there any specific examples you would like to include?

I firmly believe that you get nowhere by sitting around waiting for chances. It’s much easier to find work when you’re in work, so I’d do anything to keep working no matter what the job was.

At times in the early/mid 2000s I found myself working in a pub in Wrington, I was a part-time night porter at Cadbury House Hotel or parking cars in the winter rain at Bristol Airport but these are the times I learned the most about myself, my self-belief and my resilience.

Take any opportunity to learn something – since working in Training I have learned how to facilitate learning effectively, how to present to large audiences, how the brain learns from a neuroscience perspective and how to use certain psychology tools to build relationships and influence people. All of this now helps me empower tens of thousands of retail staff to create awesome experiences for shoppers and their kids.

What advice would you give to students who feel uncertain about their future career path?

Geroge Clooney sold shoes, Albert Einstein worked in a patent office, James Dyson studied classic literature and Nicky Minaj worked in a seafood restaurant – where you are now, does not define where you will go. Be curious and have an open mind. Do whatever you can to work, no matter where you go, and this might possibly open a door or open your mind to an opportunity you didn’t know was there.

When I was getting two buses from Yatton to Oldmixon every morning for two years I had no idea I’d end up working for the world’s most reputable brand, but I wanted to learn about the world, and I wanted to see more of it in action.

In a world where industries and job roles are constantly evolving, how can young professionals stay open to new opportunities and remain agile in their careers?

Be brave and hang around outside your comfort zone – try new things. If you’re a promising and aspiring Engineer of course you need to qualify in an Engineering subject, but is there another way of learning in your world? What else can you try? Also become familiar with tools like AI because, whether we like it or not, AI is going to be as common as smartphones or electricity itself – you don’t need to know exactly HOW it works, but it is going to power everything so we’d better get used to it!

If you could go back and give your younger self one piece of career advice, what would it be?

This is hard because I love my life and my job right now, and everything I have done or experienced has led me to where I am. Every mistake I’ve made or every choice I’ve faced has given me the learning opportunity I needed to get here. I’d say I should have travelled more, or sometimes not taken the path of least resistance, for example I only studied Spanish A Level because I could speak Spanish at the time so I thought it would be easy but because I wasn’t challenged I ended up failing where I could have used my time better.

Is there anything else that you would like to add?

I referenced it above, but I truly believe that Curiosity is our biggest superpower. A desire to understand a subject or a product, seeking to know more about something or someone is what stands us apart and builds unbreakable bonds. I think it can appear to be a scary world at times and it’s not going to get better by doing things alone. Empathy and human connection is the only way to improve ourselves and the world around us.

A big thank you to Dave for his time.

If you would like to study at Weston College, you can find out more about our courses, by clicking here.

Weston College have recently held an inter college competition for the South West Skills Challenge for Hair and Beauty – a competition which has been set up by colleges in the South West to support learners in their preparations for WorldSkills competitions.

At our Knightstone campus, we hosted Bath College, City of Bristol College, Yeovil College, New College Swindon, Gloucester College, and Bridgwater and Taunton College. The day consisted of various hair, foundation hair, beauty therapist and beauty practitioner competitions all judged by industry professionals, VTCT, AHT and WorldSkills judges.

The students that came in the top 3 of each competition were awarded prizes that were kindly donated by Dennis Williams, Ellisons, Capital, VTCT Skills, Wella.

Our Weston College learners came on top for the Foundation Hair and Beauty Practitioner awards, as well as coming second for the Beauty Therapist award! A big congratulations to the 30 talented competitors across all 7 colleges who pushed themselves outside their comfort zones, showcasing their amazing skills and creativity. The level of talent was truly inspiring!

We’d like to extend a huge thank you to Ellisons Hair and Beauty , VTCT Skills , Dennis Williams, and Wella UK for providing fantastic prizes, as well as a special shout-out to our fantastic panel of judges: David Bassett, Mark Rayment, Chloe Williams and Hayley Huxtable who helped make the competition run smoothly and provided valuable feedback for the competitors.

Below are the results of each of the competitions:

Foundation Hair: 

🥇Weston College 

🥈Bridgwater & Taunton College 

🥉Bridgwater & Taunton College

Hair: 

🥇Gloucestershire College 

🥈Gloucestershire College 

🥉New College Swindon

Beauty Practitioner: 

🥇Weston College 

🥈New College Swindon

Beauty Therapist: 

🥇Yeovil College 

🥈Weston College 

🥉Yeovil College

Jenna Ratcliffe, Head of Service Sectors at Weston College, said, “Weston College are super proud to have hosted the South West Skills – Hair and Beauty Competition, and we are delighted with the outcomes of our Weston College learners! They have all put considerable amounts of dedication into their work, which was evident during the competition.

“Hosting events like these gives learners across colleges the opportunity to gain real industry experience which will help them immensely with their transition from college into employment, and it is important that we continue to give these opportunities to our learners throughout their time at college.”

If you would like to find out more about our Beauty courses, click here.

If you would like to find out more about our Hairdressing courses, click here.

Welcome to the Weston College Careers & Employability Team Monthly Blog!

Dear Parents and Carers,

We’re excited to bring you the latest edition of our Careers & Employability Team Monthly Blog! Each month, we’ll provide updates on events, celebrate successes and how we offer support for all our learners at Weston College. You will also find key dates for upcoming events for you and your young person to get involved in. You can get in touch with the team on cet@weston.ac.uk for all Careers & Employability and T Level Industry Placement support.

The Careers & Employability Team

Last month, we celebrated our very first STEPS Month! Throughout March, we dedicated our time to personal development with a packed schedule of exciting activities aimed at enhancing skills, expanding knowledge, and offering new experiences.

As part of STEPS Month, the Careers Team led the way during National Careers Week, delivering a range of valuable opportunities for our learners. This year’s NCW was packed with engaging activities, guest workshops, and tailored lessons, all designed to inspire and inform. Over 150 learners from seven different subject areas took part in special workshops to learn more about gap years, giving them valuable insights into how they could broaden their horizons before stepping into employment or further education.

Additionally, our Maths and English departments incorporated career-related lessons, helping learners see the real-world applications of their studies and how they can connect to future opportunities.

To celebrate International Women’s Day, which coincided with National Careers Week, we were delighted to welcome Georgia Thomson, former Chairperson for Women in Property. Georgia shared her experiences and valuable insights into the construction industry, inspiring our learners with her journey and expertise.

We really enjoyed hosting career drop-in sessions at our careers stands across campuses! It was fantastic to engage in meaningful conversations with learners about their ideas and goals. As part of the careers stand, we encouraged learners to write a pledge for National Careers Week – a commitment to take action and start preparing for their next steps. 

Check out some of their pledges here:

The week was a great success, with learners actively engaging in career discussions, discovering new possibilities, and taking steps towards shaping their futures. Feedback from the week highlighted the impact of our sessions. One learner described their guest speaker experience with Secret World Wildlife as "informative and useful for my work experience”. Another learner commented on the Apprenticeship Guide talk, noting that it provided valuable information to consider when planning their future progression. Curious to learn more about what we’ve been up to during National Careers Week? Keep reading!

Kilroy Guest Speaker

Kilroy is a gap year organisation who support young people in embark on life-defining adventures all over the world. They support young people to plan gap years, organise volunteering and much more! During National Careers Week Eliza and Rhea delivered informative sessions to nearly 200 learners from eight different faculty areas across three sessions over two days. With learners from Loxton campus engaging in a targeted workshop with bespoke conversations. Learners at Knightstone using the Conference Centre to hear great stories about the support Kilroy can offer, and Early Years receiving their own bespoke session!

National Career's Week - Puxton Park Guest Speakers

National Careers Week at Puxton Park was a fantastic opportunity for our Animal Management students to gain valuable insights into the animal industry. We were thrilled to welcome two guest speakers who shared their experiences, knowledge, and passion for their work.

Meet Our Guest Speakers

We were privileged to have George Bethell, Head of Education and Public Relations at Secret World Wildlife Rescue, who gave an insightful talk on the incredible work they do. George highlighted their core mission: RESCUE - REHABILITATE - RELEASE. He emphasised that: 

• Animal welfare is at the heart of what they do. 
• Secret World Wildlife Rescue is a place of safety for wildlife. 
• They are there for British wildlife, no matter what the species, to give expert care and rehabilitation.

George's presentation provided a deep dive into the operations at Secret World Wildlife Rescue, showcasing their dedication to providing expert care and rehabilitation for British wildlife. His talk inspired students to consider careers in wildlife rescue and rehabilitation. 

We were also delighted to welcome Ceri-Anne Verrinder and Andy from the RSPCA North Somerset Branch. They provided an insightful look into the role of the RSPCA, emphasising their commitment to rescue, rehabilitation, and rehoming a wide variety of animals. They shared stories of dogs and cats rescued from cruelty and neglect, and how their rehabilitation and care at the centre allowed them to be rehomed eventually. Their dedication to animal welfare and the comprehensive care they provide was truly inspiring for our students.

Insights and Inspiration

Both speakers provided invaluable insights into their respective fields, inspiring our students to explore the many career opportunities in the animal industry. They discussed the skills and qualifications needed for various roles, the importance of volunteer work and the potential for making a difference in the lives of animals.

A Bright Future Ahead

National Careers Week at Puxton Park was a resounding success, thanks to the contributions of our guest speakers. Their presentations not only educated but also motivated our Animal Management students to pursue their dreams and make a meaningful impact in the animal industry.

This month, our T Level Health Year 2 students had the incredible opportunity to complete their 3rd block placement at University Hospitals Bristol and Weston, as well as with Sirona Health and Care. The placements took place across a variety of wards, including Dermatology, Cardiology, General Medicine, and more. Additionally, one of our learners had the chance to work in a District Nursing role with Sirona, gaining invaluable experience in community healthcare.

Throughout the placements, our learners were able to apply their classroom knowledge to real-world settings, developing practical skills while gaining insight into careers within the NHS. They had the chance to practice essential healthcare skills such as wound care, ECGs, and providing holistic care, including personal care and manual handling. Our Cardiology learner had the opportunity to observe pacemaker insertions, while other learners gained experience in specialised services such as Ear, Nose, and Throat, as well as Rheumatology.

One of the highlights of their experience was building rapport with patients, which allowed them to demonstrate effective communication in healthcare settings. It was great to hear from placement mentors who praised the learners' skills, initiative, and growing confidence. One mentor even mentioned they would be happy to employ the learner, highlighting their excellent communication and compassion when interacting with patients.

Such positive feedback is a testament to the hard work and dedication of our T Level Health students as they continue to grow and develop in their healthcare careers!

T Level learner Sophie said:

"During my time on Kewstoke at Weston General Hospital, I had a fabulous time, while it was my first time on this ward, I learned many things that come with caring for patients over 75. It is very eye opening to care for people who have gone through so many different times than us. I cared mainly for patients who have Dementia as well as Parkinsons. I would provide personal care and manual handling. It can be difficult to care for people emotionally as they are going through tough times themselves.

"The staff were amazing and very supportive as I learnt what a Health Care Support Worker does for 8 hours a day. 

"Overall, I've had a lovely time on the ward and cannot wait to go back in June for my last two weeks on clinical placement."

• Engineering Fast Track Apprenticeship Interviews- Thursday 3rd April 2025
• Post 18 Parents Information Evening – this is open to Level 3 year 1 students and their parents - Wednesday 30th April 2025
• Construction Fast Track Apprenticeship Interviews- Tuesday 29th April 2025
• University Centre Weston Open Day- Saturday 7th June 2025