LATEST NEWS AND UPDATES
There is always so much going on across our various campuses and courses.
Stay up to date on our latest news here or check us out across social media.
Public Services learners are part of an initiative called Career Excellence Hubs. This is an initiative to give all of our learners interesting and high-quality work experience. This is vital for learners to get a feel for the working environment and what a job in public services would be like for them. Despite the learner working independently with the employer for work experience, they are always supported to find a placement, and support is given throughout the placement.
Some of the skills that would be learned through public services work experience are discipline, teamwork, and an understanding of duty. On top of this, work experience can teach lots of soft skills like punctuality, respect, and reliability. As well as teaching these skills, work experience can also be used by learners to get their foot in the door for an employer they want to work for in the future. Employers are more likely to seek out someone who has experience of the company.
There are many jobs that people who study public services can go into. For example, students can work for the police or as a firefighter – saving lives in a highly respected role. The armed forces also seek public services, with branches such as the army, navy, air force and the marines. Weston College works with both Avon and Somerset Police and Avon Fire and Rescue as part of the Career Excellence Hubs.
Public services learners will study at the whole seventh and eighth floors of Weston College’s Knightstone Campus. This area features a gym, classrooms, and a massive sports hall with a climbing wall, perfect for learning about fitness and service.
For more information on how to apply to Weston College and join our incredible Career Excellence Hub for Public Services, click here.
Student's from the Criminology course at Weston College Sixth Form visited Shepton Mallet Prison to further develop their understanding of the criminal justice system.
Level 3 Criminology BTEC Diploma (equivalent to one A Level) is studied alongside two other A Level subjects and includes elements of psychology, law and sociology.
The programme leads to the development of knowledge and understanding of the criminal justice system, awareness of the cause and effects of different types of crime. You will also examine theories that explain the behaviours and reasons why people commit crime.
Taking place just before the Christmas break, the prison visit provided the second year students with a tour of the prison itself accompanied by a former prison officer, they also experienced a lock in the cells and an extensive question and answer session with the prison staff.
Trips such as these are one of the career-boosting benefits that stem from the college’s newly formed Sixth Form Career Excellence Hub. These innovative subject specific hubs allow for students at Weston College to have access to exclusive opportunities. Endorsed by employers from within the industry, this enables for better integration with the sector to make sure class content is relative and opens doors for learners so they leave college with more than just a qualification.
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The world of work is changing. Young people are coming out of mainstream education every year and looking to build sustainable, meaningful career paths that will not only enable them to reach their full potential in the workplace, but also contribute to the communities they live in and work for.
The earlier that organisations understand this and make these connections (by helping to influence content and opportunities), the easier it is for employers to build a workforce infrastructure fit for purpose and the future and find those individuals who are its future.
This is why we (the Soil Association) are passionate about supporting Weston College’s Business Career Excellence Hub.
The Career Excellence Hub allows us to support the future generation by:
- Co-designing the training provision
- Helping to create an inspirational learning experience
- Providing the skills training required for us and the wider industry
- Giving learners a real-life context to their studies – the barriers and opportunities of the workplace
- Creating a space for soft skills to be developed further
Weston College is an excellent further and higher education provider – one which has a fantastic reputation locally for supporting employers to build progressive, creative and agile employees. As a UK charity, we want to align ourselves with organisations like them, as we can inspire each other to positively impact the future workforce of our industry.
We are only in the early stages of this partnership through the Business Career Excellence Hubs, but I am excited to see the impact that this will have for years to come.
Katie Dominy, Head of HR, Soil Association
The Automotive industry is exciting and dynamic. Cars are everywhere, and they often need servicing, repairs and enhancements!
The Automotive Career Excellence Hub is a way for Weston College learners to enter industry while being supported the whole way through. Learners have the chance to get vital experience in what a mechanic’s workshop is actually like which will prove incredibly useful for their future career.
Learners will benefit from meeting mechanics and being able to get their foot in the door early for future employment in these workshops. Some of the skills learned in these work placements could include body repairs, paint, working on interior & trim, and repairing the electrical systems on a vehicle.
Careers that learners in the Automotive Career Excellence Hub can go into include being a vehicle technician, mechanic or electrician, vehicle body repairer, vehicle paint technician, or a parts salesperson or advisor. These careers are lucrative, with individuals in these roles earning a good living. For example, a vehicle technician earns on average £26,068.
On top of attending the Career Excellence Hub, learners will be able to study at one of our three full-size Automotive workshops at the South West Skills Campus. This area features working vehicle ramps and all of the tools that learners will find in industry. The Automotive team also has several cars which can be worked on by learners to learn crucial skills such as servicing, diagnostics and repair. These vehicles are changed and updated frequently to provide further experience of different models and issues.
For more information on how to apply to Weston College and join our amazing Career Excellence Hub for Automotive, click here.
There's a big push at Weston College to make sure all of our students gain English and maths at Level 2.
This is because English and maths are important skills that will benefit you in many ways, including your studies, your future employment, and your general wellbeing.
Having a good understanding of English and maths is more important than you might realise and every course that we offer includes English and maths development.
The Digital industry is growing at a quick pace – 6x quicker than any other industry in the UK, with lots of exciting opportunities to work with the latest technology available in the area.
In order to meet the growing demand of industry, we have launched our brand-new Digital Career Excellence Hub, which provides opportunities for our learners to develop the skills needed by local employers – and get a head start on their career!
Students will use ‘real world learning’, with a curriculum that is co-designed by our employer endorsers, focussing on employer briefs and real-life scenarios to encourage up to the minute workplace problem solving. On top of that, as a Microsoft Showcase College, we will upskill learners with the latest digital tools and technologies.
As mentioned, skills is a critical element of our Digital Career Excellence Hub, with learners working on their hard skills such as:
- Vendor Certifications
- Systems Thinking
- E-safety
- Commercial Awareness
- Research
And their soft skills as well, some which include:
- Problem Solving
- Communication
- Teamwork
- Organisation
- Innovation
Digital organisation, Eloquent Technologies is one of our digital endorsers, and their Managing Director, David Ford said: “The biggest constraint to growth is finding exceptional talent. We partner with Weston College to future proof our business, working with young talent, which has proved to be an effective pathway for our business.”
Through this partnership, and the Career Excellence Hub, our digital learners have the opportunity to gain vital work experience with local employers like Eloquent Technologies, which is a real benefit to those studying courses with us at Weston College.
You can find out more about our Career Excellence Hubs, and the benefits that they bring, here.
Our Fashion and Textiles learners have worked all term practicing their skills and considering contemporary print designs that could be used in high street stores. Take a look at some of the amazing designs.
All of our Creative Arts courses are taught at our Loxton Campus, the home, heart, and hub of creative arts in Weston! Learners are taught by industry professionals, and are encouraged to find their voice, express their personality in a multitude of art forms and blossom beyond their expectations.
As a student on our Level 3 UAL Extended Diploma in Fashion and Textiles course learners are given the chance to explore fashion and develop their understanding of fashion by experiencing varied disciplines across fashion design, production, digital media, communication, and fashion business. The course offers the exciting opportunity for our learners to embrace textile art, textile design and elements of fashion looking at the design industry from an artist’s perspective. It introduces our learners to the contemporary approach of the industry and encourage them to flourish as potential textile designers.
The Fashion and Textiles courses are a part of the Creative Arts Career Excellence Hub. These innovative subject specific hubs allow for students at Weston College to have access to exclusive opportunities. Endorsed by employers from within the industry, this enables for better integration with the sector to make sure class content is relative and opens doors for learners, so they leave college with more than just a qualification.
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- Learn more about the Fashion and Textiles A Level course
- Find out more about the Level 3 UAL Fashion and Textiles course
- Discover the Art & Design courses on offer
- Read more about Career Excellence Hubs
The Hospitality industry has always been dynamic and exciting to work in, and with restrictions lifting and everyone resuming life as normal, restaurants and hotels are hiring more staff than ever! This industry is worth over £59 billion in the UK alone!
The Hospitality Career Excellence Hub prepares learners for the world of employment and for a life in their chosen industry. Students will take away absolutely loads of skills required to work in Hospitality all of which can be put on a CV to impress future employers.
It focusses on work experience which is a fantastic way to gain knowledge of an industry and how it works while learning skills that can be applied to College at the same time.
Hospitality learners will learn in Weston College’s state-of-the-art training kitchen called The Grove. This kitchen is fully equipped with all of the facilities that will be used in industry. The Grove also features a spacious dining room and a bar, offering students a chance to learn about setting and waiting tables.
Learners have a monthly masterclass from top chefs from the local area. These classes teach a wide range of skills and disciplines including butchery, sausage making and working with seafood. Chefs who have provided masterclasses in the past include Martin Felstead, from Greenway Farm and Mark Chapman - the Executive Chef from Gambas Tapas Bar, Bristol.
Dan Flannagan from the Liberation Group said “We are proud of our Somerset roots and having grown our business in this area, a relationship with Weston College seemed a natural step. Weston has a superb set up and our partnership will provide a huge benefit for us as a business to develop future talent, but also for learners to gain vital experience and develop the skills needed for industry.”
For more information on how to apply to Weston College and join our awesome Hospitality Career Excellence Hub, click here.
Who let the dogs in?! Photography did...
Loxton Campus was recently visited by an incredible crew of canine companions as our Photography department hosted free dog photoshoots for the public.
The student-led sessions, that sold out in less than 1 hour, allowed learners from Level 2 and Level 3 Photography courses to take on a number of different job roles including: Photographer, Photographer's assistant, Studio Manager and Meeter and Greeter. As well as practicing practical and technical skills using challenging subjects, the learners gained invaluable experience working with the public.
Jo Halladey, Lecturer in Photography added: "We had a fantastic response to our Dog Photoshoot sessions resulting in our Level 3 Photography students having 3 full days of studio work.
"The experience they gained from working with members of the public and in particular working with all kinds of different dogs from Labradoodles to Pomchis, old and very young has added to their skillset and made them even more ready for the industry. We are hoping to do a cat version next year... Watch this space!"
Experiences such as this are one of the many career-boosting benefits that come to students by being part of the Creative Arts Career Excellence Hub.
These employer endorsed Hubs unlock many exciting opportunities for learners. From guest speakers to industry placements, connecting with the industry helps to make our courses as fresh and relevant as possible so that you leave college with more than just a qualification.
Following the free photoshoots, the department are asking for donations to Many Tears Rescue: A dog rescue charity whose buildings were severely damaged by recent storms.
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Marketing and Communications
The marketing department is responsible for promoting Weston College to the public, by promoting the Colleges courses, achievements and events.
Our aims are to attract learners to study within the Weston College Group, build and grow the College’s brand and highlight its reputation, and promote the College Group’s success, student progression and outstanding support for our learners.
The marketing department manages the College’s websites and official social media accounts, runs advertising campaigns, creates press releases, and manages many of the College Group’s events, such as Graduation, the Celebration of Success and the Business Awards.
We produce a wide range of publications including our full-time, Higher Education and part-time prospectuses, course leaflets and posters, and other documents such as the College’s annual report, magazines and newsletters, course brochures and the student handbook.
Weston College is committed to providing accurate and timely information for local, regional and national media, and the general public.
The marketing team is available between 8.30am and 5pm, Monday to Thursday and 8.30am to 4.30pm on Fridays. You can get in touch with us by emailing marketing@weston.ac.uk.
All of our press releases are uploaded to the news section of our websites. News from the academies we sponsor, including the North Somerset Enterprise and Technology College, can be found on the news section of the Inspirational Futures Trust’s website. News pertaining to our Higher Education Provision can be found on www.ucw.ac.uk.
The marketing department produces most imagery and film in house, and keeps an extensive archive of the photographs it takes. If you would like a copy of an image featuring you or a member of your family, please contact us at photography@weston.ac.uk.
Our photos of graduation and many other events can be found on the College’s Facebook page. High quality images can be found on the College’s Flickr account.
Weston College is able to accommodate many requests to provide locations for film and photography. The College has a range of attractive, modern and adaptable facilities which can be viewed on our youtube channel.
We also are able to provide heritage facilities such as the Victorian Hans Price designed Conference Centre and, from September 2017, the 1927 Winter Gardens Pavilion.
For booking details, contact marketing@weston.ac.uk.
For enquiries about sponsoring key events such as Celebration of Success, Business Breakfast, Business Awards and Graduation, please contact the marketing team by email at marketing@weston.ac.uk.
