Weston College Customer Service Assistant and former apprentice, India Pasby, has been highly commended in the Intermediate Apprenticeship Award category at the South West regional heat of the National Apprenticeship and Skills Awards 2026.

The regional awards ceremony took place on 13 October, recognising India’s inspiring apprenticeship journey, which has seen her overcome significant barriers, achieve a distinction and secure a full-time role at the College.

India joined Weston College on a Level 2 Customer Service Apprenticeship to gain valuable workplace experience while developing her confidence, communication skills and independence.

As a Reception and Customer Service Apprentice, India has become one of the first friendly faces welcoming visitors, students and parents to the College. Throughout her apprenticeship, she demonstrated exceptional personal and professional growth, developing strong customer service and organisational skills while confidently tackling challenges such as managing telephone calls and engaging in professional settings.

Beyond her distinction, India played an important role in helping the reception team achieve its targets, championed greater understanding of neurodiversity among colleagues and created a popular Wall of Positivity at Knightstone Campus to celebrate team achievements and positive feedback.

The judges commented that India’s progression has been fantastic, and that she is a great role model for apprenticeships as she has overcome challenges and is thriving in her role.

Speaking about her recognition, India said: “I am delighted to be highly commended for this award; it feels very surreal. Before starting my apprenticeship, I never thought I'd be able to hold down a job, so being shortlisted means a great deal to me.

“It has made me realise the value of an inclusive environment and the impact that joining Weston College has had on my life. Looking back, I now understand that it wasn't about trying to fit into workplaces by masking who I was. It was about finding an employer that recognised my potential and provided the support I needed to succeed.”

India also thanked her manager, Sarah Cammish, her assessor, Ffion Rose, and her Autism Support colleague, Alison Goodman, for their support throughout her journey.

The National Apprenticeship and Skills Awards celebrate outstanding apprentices, T Level students, employers and skills champions across a range of industries. With more than 1,000 entries nationally, the awards recognise excellence in training, recruitment, diversity and career progression.

If you would like to find out about apprenticeships, then click here. 

Major funding award will expand training opportunities for learners, apprentices and adults across Weston-super-Mare and beyond.

Weston College has secured £8.8 million in government funding to support the continued development of its South West Skills Campus (SWSC) in Weston-super-Mare.

The £8.8 million investment has been awarded by the Department for Education through the Post-16 Capacity Fund and Construction Skills Capacity Fund and is one of the largest capital investments in the College's history.

The investment will create additional capacity at the South West Skills Campus, improve existing facilities and allow Weston College to support more learners, apprentices and adults looking to develop their skills.

It will also strengthen the College's ability to deliver the technical and vocational training that local and regional employers need, with a particular focus on construction and the technologies shaping the future of the industry.

The investment reflects Weston College's ambition to be a national leader in education, while remaining firmly rooted in the communities it serves. It will create more opportunities for people of all ages to access high-quality education and training, supporting learners to build their skills, confidence and careers.

As part of the development, the College will enhance its facilities for Carpentry and Joinery, Brickwork, Plumbing and Electrical Installation, alongside training in emerging areas of construction and low-carbon technology.

This will include:

• Digital Construction and Building Information Modelling (BIM)
• Drone Surveying
• Low-carbon technologies, including heat pumps, renewable energy systems and retrofit.

The project will also support the ongoing decarbonisation of the South West Skills Campus, with investment in more energy-efficient infrastructure and low-carbon technologies. This reflects the College's commitment to sustainability, ensuring investment in its campuses delivers long-term value for learners, staff and the wider community.

Pat Jones, Principal and Chief Executive of Weston College Group, said:

"This £8.8 million investment is transformational for Weston College, our learners, our town and the wider region. It reflects the confidence that government has in our ability to deliver the skills that employers need, both now and in the future.

"The South West Skills Campus already plays a vital role in supporting learners, apprentices and industry partners. This funding will enable us to further expand capacity, enhance our facilities and ensure students gain experience with the technologies that are shaping the future of construction and technical industries.

"Most importantly, it will create more opportunities for local people to access outstanding education and training, helping them build successful careers while supporting economic growth across our region."

The College's approach is grounded in its values of integrity, compassion, ambition and being people-centred. These values will continue to shape how the new facilities are developed and how learners, apprentices, employers and partners experience the South West Skills Campus.

Dan Aldridge, MP for Weston-super-Mare, said:

"Investing in the next generation is exactly what this Labour Government is here to do, and I'm delighted that Weston College has secured £8.8 million through the Department for Education's Post-16 Capacity Fund and Construction Skills Capacity Fund.

"This is one of the largest capital investments in the College's history and a real vote of confidence in Weston. It will expand opportunities for post-16 students, apprentices and adult learners, while creating state-of-the-art facilities for construction, digital technologies, drone surveying and low-carbon skills like heat pumps and renewable energy.

"I've worked closely with Weston College since becoming an MP and have seen first-hand the incredible work they do to prepare people for the jobs of the future. This investment will help local people gain the skills employers need, create more pathways into good careers, and strengthen Weston's economy for years to come."

The investment comes at a time of growing demand for technical skills and for training that reflects the changing needs of employers.

For Weston College, the funding will mean more people can access high-quality technical education and gain practical experience with the technologies and skills increasingly required across the construction and wider technical sectors.

It will also help strengthen progression routes into employment, further and higher education, apprenticeships and skilled careers, supporting the College's wider contribution to the economy of Weston-super-Mare, North Somerset and the South West.

This project is supported through Department for Education funding awarded via the Post-16 Capacity Fund and Construction Skills Capacity Fund. Weston College acknowledges the support of the Department for Education in enabling the development of the South West Skills Campus and the expansion of high-quality technical education and training opportunities across the region.

Last week, our T Level Design, Surveying and Planning for Construction learners took part in a Speed Interview Day, meeting with a range of construction employers and gaining an insight into the different opportunities available to them through their T Level industry placement.

The day began with each employer giving a 10-minute presentation to the learners and fellow employers, introducing their organisation, the types of projects they work on and the opportunities they could offer to T Level placement students.

Following the presentations, learners were asked to identify their top three employers that they would be most interested in working with. This gave them the opportunity to consider the different companies, projects and career pathways they had heard about before selecting the organisations that best matched their interests and aspirations.

Learners then took part in 10-minute speed interviews with their chosen employers. The interviews gave them the chance to put their skills into practice in a relaxed informal environment, answer typical interview questions and demonstrate why they would be a good fit for an industry placement.

The day provided a valuable opportunity for learners to explore the different types of organisations within the construction industry and gain a better understanding of the work they could be involved in. It also helped them consider what type of company and working environment they might want to pursue a career with, while giving them a chance to connect directly with potential placement providers.

A big thank you to all of the employers who joined us and gave our learners such a valuable experience. Their time and support are helping our learners take an important step towards securing their T Level industry placement and gaining valuable insight into the wide range of opportunities available across the construction industry.

• Galliford Try
• Octavius
• Beard
• Mackley
• RG Group
• Kier
• Morgan Sindall
• Tilbury Douglas
• Bowman and Kirkland