Earlier this month, former Travel and Tourism student Ellie returned to Weston College to meet with our current Travel learners, sharing her journey since completing her course, offering valuable travel advice and discussing the things she wishes she had known before embarking on her adventures around the world. 

Ellie began the Level 3 Extended Diploma in Travel and Tourism in 2023, where she quickly established herself as an outstanding student. She achieved an impressive D*D*D* in her qualification, maintained 100% attendance and was named Business and Tourism Student of the Year at Weston College’s Celebration of Success awards. 

During her presentation, Ellie reflected on the exciting opportunities she has pursued since leaving college. She spoke about her role as a Customer Care Agent for ABM at Bristol Airport, where she has worked for nearly two years, alongside her international experiences, including taking part in Camp America twice and backpacking across Southeast Asia and Australia. Most recently, Ellie has embarked on a nine-week volunteering programme in Africa, supporting local communities in Ghana, Tanzania and Kenya. 

By sharing her first-hand experiences, Ellie gave students an insight into the diverse opportunities available within the Travel and Tourism industry and beyond. She offered practical tips and advice for those looking to travel independently, explaining how to get involved in international trips and projects, highlighting her favourite moments from her adventures and sharing lessons she had learned along the way. 

Guest lectures from former students provide a valuable opportunity for learners to see how their qualifications can translate into real-world experiences and career opportunities. Through discussing her role at Bristol Airport, Ellie demonstrated how the skills and knowledge gained during her studies can be applied in a professional environment, helping students understand the potential career pathways available within aviation and the wider travel and tourism sector. 

Her experiences also highlighted the personal development that comes with exploring new places, meeting people from different backgrounds and stepping outside familiar surroundings. By hearing from someone who was recently in their position, students were able to gain inspiration, ask questions and develop a greater understanding of the opportunities available to them, both professionally and personally. 

Ellie also discussed her future ambitions, revealing plans to return to Camp America for a third time, spend a year working as an au pair in Australia, complete a ski season in Canada, become a flight attendant and even work as an elf in Lapland. 

Her exciting plans demonstrated that there is no single route to success within the travel and tourism industry and that a willingness to embrace new experiences can open doors to a wide range of opportunities. Hearing about her ambitions encouraged students to think about their own goals, explore different career pathways and recognise how the decisions they make today can help shape their futures. 

Hannah Forrest, Curriculum Co-ordinator in Travel and Tourism, said: 

“It was fantastic to see Ellie again and hear about the amazing adventures she has experienced since finishing the course. She was always a model student, and to see the confidence she has gained from exploring the world and returning to share her knowledge with our current Travel students was inspiring. 

“Hearing first-hand from former students who have stepped outside their comfort zones and embraced new opportunities helps inspire our learners to pursue careers that allow them to experience different cultures, meet new people and broaden their horizons through the exciting projects and independent opportunities available to them.” 

A huge thank you to Ellie for taking the time to return to Weston College and share her fantastic journey with our current Travel and Tourism students. Her experiences are a wonderful example of how the opportunities available through education can lead to exciting adventures, personal growth and a wide range of possibilities.

This guest lecture forms part of the Travel and Tourism Careers Excellence Hub. Weston College's Career Excellence Hubs are designed to be the launching pad for our learners' careers. In a world where connections and relevant skills matter more than ever, these hubs offer a holistic approach that prepares learners to thrive in their chosen industries. With the support of these hubs, our learners are well-equipped to make a significant impact in their professional journeys.

If you are passionate about education and are looking for an opportunity to join the staff team at a leading college, then look at the latest job vacancies available at Weston College here. You can find all the latest job opportunities that Weston College has to offer, with a commitment to providing quality education for learners and a focus on continuous professional development for staff, Weston College is an excellent place to work and grow in your career.

Welcome to the October Edition of the Careers and Employability Team Blog! 

Welcome to the Careers and Employability Blog. Each month, we’ll share the latest careers news, upcoming events, celebrations and important key dates. You can access our blog through the college website to stay up to date with everything careers and employability related.

Our team is here to support every learner, whether you are exploring career options, planning your next steps to university, or looking to develop your employability skills. As part of our Careers and Employability Programme, learners can access a range of support, including:

• Careers and Employability group tutorials
• One-to-one careers guidance appointments
• Careers drop-in sessions
• Employer engagement opportunities
• Participation in our annual CareersFest event

• Support with CV writing, applications, and interview preparation

   

Work Experience Support:

Work experience is a valuable part of a learner’s journey, helping them develop skills, confidence, and a greater understanding of the world of work. For many courses, learners are required to complete an element of work experience as part of their programme, providing them with the opportunity to apply their learning in a real workplace setting and gain experience valued by employers. 

Working closely with curriculum teams, we oversee and support this process, while encouraging learners to take ownership of securing and managing their own placement. We also encourage families to make use of their personal and professional networks, as many excellent opportunities are found through local contacts, friends, and family connections. 

A well-presented CV can open doors to these opportunities, and our Careers and Employability Team is available to help learners create professional CVs and prepare for a successful work experience journey.

To find out more about how the Careers Team can support your young person, please visit the Careers and Employability for Learners at Weston College page for further information and useful resources.

We are committed to helping every learner make informed decisions and successfully progress into further study, apprenticeships, or employment. If you’d like to get in touch with us, please don’t hesitate to email cet@weston.ac.uk or uni.help@weston.ac.uk for all UCAS queries.

UCAS Drop-In Sessions

We’re running weekly UCAS drop-in sessions where learners can get one-to-one support with their applications:

• Loxton Campus: Tuesdays in the Library – 12:15-13:15
• South West Skills Campus: Wednesdays in the Library – 12:15-13:15
• Knightstone Campus: Thursdays in the Library – 12:15-13:15

Internal Deadline

To ensure applications are submitted on time and with the best possible quality, our internal UCAS deadlines are:

• 23rd October – Internal personal statement deadline
• 20th November – Internal application deadline

Official UCAS Deadline

Meeting this deadline allows us to review applications and provide feedback before they are sent to UCAS. The official general undergraduate application deadline for UCAS is:

• 13th January 2027, at 18:00

Weston College and Bristol Airport Launch New Travel and Tourism Careers Excellence Hub

Weston College and Bristol Airport have strengthened their long-standing partnership with the launch of a new Travel & Tourism Careers Excellence Hub, creating even more opportunities for students to develop the skills, confidence and industry experience needed to succeed in the aviation, travel and tourism sectors.

The new Hub has been designed to bring learning closer to the workplace, providing students with an immersive industry-inspired environment and direct access to employers, helping them understand the breadth of career opportunities available across one of the region's most important industries.

As part of the partnership, Bristol Airport has helped transform the College's Travel & Tourism facilities into an industry-inspired learning environment. Featuring airport-branded installations, authentic operational equipment and a space designed to reflect the passenger journey, the Hub provides students with a realistic introduction to the world of aviation. Planned future enhancements will further strengthen the experience, creating one of the most distinctive employer-led learning environments in the region.

Tom's Finance Experience Through an Industry Placement at Yugo

Tom Hart is studying the Business, Management and Leadership T Level at Weston College and completing his industry placement at Yugo, working alongside the finance team to support financial operations across Europe.

His responsibilities include processing invoices and payments, managing financial records and using systems such as Excel and NetSuite. Through his placement, Tom has developed valuable skills in accuracy, communication and teamwork, while gaining practical experience of working in finance.

With support from Yugo and Weston College, Tom has grown in confidence and developed a clearer understanding of his future career ambitions. His placement has helped him identify his interest in pursuing a career in finance and business, while giving him the skills and experience to take his next steps.  

• 12th November 2026- Open Evening
• 19th November 2026- Internal UCAS deadline
• 24th November 2026- Careersfest
• 13th January 2026- Equal Opportunities UCAS application deadline
• 4th February 2027- Apprenticeship Open Evening

Delivered in partnership with Avon Fire & Rescue Service and the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), our Ignite Programme continues to make a positive impact, with all learners in the latest cohort successfully completing the programme and gaining the confidence to make their next steps, either in employment or further education.

The three-week programme supports unemployed young people aged 19–24 to recognise their potential, develop practical skills and explore opportunities in employment, education and further training.

With a strong focus on practical, hands-on learning, Ignite gives learners the opportunity to challenge themselves, try new experiences and build the confidence to take their next steps.

Throughout the programme, learners took part in a range of interactive activities, including:

• Fire station visits and activities with Avon Fire & Rescue
• Team challenges and problem-solving activities
• Confidence and resilience workshops
• Goal setting and planning their future
• Communication and presentation skills
• Health and wellbeing sessions
• CV writing, interview practice and employability workshops
• Outdoor activities

By combining community-based activities with employability and progression support, the programme helps learners identify their strengths, build positive relationships and feel better prepared to move into work, college or further training.

The progress made by the group was recognised by Ben Woolfson, Youth Intervention Lead at Avon Fire & Rescue Service, who said: “It is amazing to see the progress these young people have made in such a short amount of time, they should be very proud of themselves.”

The Mayor of Weston-super-Mare, Owen James, was also impressed by the learners, praising how articulate and engaged they were. He highlighted the fantastic community support provided by Avon Fire & Rescue Service, alongside the employability guidance and progression support delivered by Weston College tutor Paul Haycraft.

The Ignite programme demonstrates the value of partnerships between education providers, public services and employment support organisations in helping young people overcome barriers, build confidence and access new opportunities.

By creating a supportive environment where learners can develop their skills through practical experiences, Ignite helps them recognise what they are capable of and take positive steps towards their future.