Creating brighter futures

A Weston College student has created a logo, chosen by North Somerset Council to symbolise Knife Angel’s visit to Weston-super-Mare this spring. 

Graphic design student Ryan created the winning design. He is currently studying for a degree in graphic design from Weston College. His cohort, along with second year Level 3 graphic design course students, were tasked with designing a logo and brand identity concepts as part of a live client brief. 

This follows the announcement that the Knife Angel will visit Weston in May 2024 as part of a nationwide tour to highlight the issue of violent crime. The iconic 27-feet-tall statue has been created from over 100,000 knives and blades confiscated by the UK’s 43 police forces. Designed by Alfie Bradley at the British Ironwork Centre (BIC), the Knife Angel is a national monument against violence and aggression. 

Councillor James Clayton, North Somerset Council’s executive member for safety in the community, said: “Violent crime, particularly knife crime, is a major issue across the UK. The Knife Angel symbolises the devastating impacts that this can have on communities. What a brilliant idea to get this group of talented young people involved in creating a logo that can be used before, during and after the Knife Angel’s visit. 

“Ryan has created a visually striking design that I’m sure will help to make sure the Knife Angel’s powerful message leaves a positive and lasting impact. Well done to him, and indeed all of the students who took part in the brief. It was hard to choose an overall winning design as the submissions were so strong.” 

Coralie Kyriacou, Graphic Design and Digital Arts course co-ordinator and lecturer at Weston College, said: “The Knife Angel represents a real-life problem and something that needs considered communications to help strengthen the public’s understanding around the important issue of violent crime. 

“I feel honoured that our graphic design students have been given this opportunity to work with North Somerset Council on this. Live briefs are a fantastic opportunity for our students to work with clients, develop their professionalism, confidence and specialised design skills to enable them to become industry-ready for future careers.” 

Ryan, the designer of the logo, said: “It’s a real honour to have my logo chosen to represent Knife Angel for North Somerset, as knife crime is such a current and growing problem. Being involved in this project makes me feel really proud of the work I’ve done.” 

This employer project forms part of the Creative Arts Careers Excellence Hub. The College has fourteen sector-specific Career Excellence Hubs, which evidence our dedication to supporting both employers and learners in achieving their future goals. By creating a seamless connection between industry and education, we enable learners to acquire not only the essential skills and knowledge but also the professional networks necessary to excel in their chosen fields. 

A huge congratulations to Ryan, and all the other learners who took part in this incredible effort, for an incredibly important cause. A big thanks to North Somerset Council, and especially Katie Williams and Rhiannon Davies from the North Somerset Violence Reduction Partnership who set this challenge.  

For more information about Ryan’s course click here. 

For more information about graphic design courses at Weston College, click here.  

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.

This year’s Business Enterprise Project has now come to a close and has been the most successful yet!  

Twenty-one groups of learners have been working with an employer mentor from the local business community, who provided invaluable guidance and support to the groups. These business mentors also funded the £50 start-up costs of each business, with the challenge being to turn this into the most profit, with all proceeds raised going to Weston Hospicecare. 

The groups ran their businesses from October to December, selling innovative and exciting items including ‘Christmas Treat Baubles’, Pet Stockings, Mobile Phone Charms, Candles with Personalised Messages, Scented Christmas Decorations and so much more!  

The winning team was mentored by Michelle Michael MBE, and raised a phenomenal £1275! Turning £50 into £1275 is incredible achievement and the team should be very proud of not just the personal achievement, but also of how much they have raised for charity. The winning team will be honoured with an award at the prestigious Celebration of Success event in February.  

The grand total raised by all teams was an amazing £6771.75! Since the project began three years ago, this means that our learners have raised a staggering £14,568.28.  

This impressive feat has certainly caught attention, with the strong support of people in Weston. 

Ben Melhuish, Subject Area Manager for Business said: “we are so proud of what our learners have achieved as part of this challenge. Over the course of the challenge, we have seen learners’ grow in confidence, increase their understanding of running a business and build vital skills that will support them throughout their future careers”. 

Ben Whitwell, Creative Director at Benji Graphics and mentor for the project said “my team were very well prepared when we first met, they had a clear plan and roles agreed. I was really impressed with their ambition to run some events to build up their capital to buy stock further into the project. It was a great plan that worked brilliantly. The team took my feedback really well, especially around pricing. As with other Weston College students, they were very respectful of me and my time, but confident enough to ask for favours, which I was happy to help with!” 

Jane Murch, Visitor & Information Services Manager at WSM Town Council said: “What a brilliant team!  From their first presentation through to watching them sell their product, they were such an inspiration.  Creativity – 10/10, business knowledge – 10/10, commitment – 10/10.”  

This project forms part of the Business Careers Excellence Hub; Weston College is committed to preparing learners for success in a rapidly evolving job market which is reflected in our offer via our bespoke Career Excellence Hubs, which form an integral part of all college programmes. In a world where professional networks and industry-specific skills are integral to landing employment, these hubs provide a unique solution to bridge the gap between education and industry demands. 

A big thank you must be extended to all of the mentors who generously donated their time and money to help with the Business Enterprise Project. Thanks must also be given to The Sovereign for allowing our learners to utilise the centre retail space.  

To find out more about Business courses, click here!

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.

Automotive students at Weston College received an exciting visit on the 22nd of January, welcoming RAC to deliver a comprehensive five-session presentation. This was a crucial moment for our Automotive Careers Excellence Hub – a study programme with the aim of providing you with an opportunity to become career ready, helping you achieve your dream career. These sessions introduced the learners to RAC’s world – the opportunities they offer, their missions and even a patrol van to give them an immersive learning experience.

The Automotive students were lucky enough to receive a fascinating insight into its operation and functionality. A highlight of this visit was an interesting Q&A with a RAC apprentice – only three months into their apprenticeship – and a staff member with over 37 years of service! Learners had a feel for the first-hand aspect of RAC and gained valuable advice from the staff that were in various stages of their automotive journeys.

Our facilities and commitment to training impressed RAC, so much so that they expressed how eager they were to create a collaborative partnership! After a tour of the Automotive Department, there were discussions about developing the partnership to potentially include Level 2 apprenticeship cohorts, enabling opportunities for work experience, internships developing into traineeships post-course, and possible mock and real interviews, which includes the RAC entry exam!

This visit is crucial to our Careers Excellence Hubs – an initiative to equip learners with employability skills and tools. This way, our students can embark on their path to success with relevant knowledge and skills, ready to thrive in a professional career!

Weston College looks forward to partnering with the RAC, creating an atmosphere where students can academically soar and equip valuable industry insights to become well-prepared for their promising futures.

You can find out more about our automotive courses by clicking here!

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.