I have been part of St John Ambulance and air cadets for many years and I have achieved so much as an air cadet developing skills in many areas and gaining these qualifications along on the way

• Level's 1 & 2 & 3 First Aid (Including AED - Automated External Defibrillator)
• Leadership Level's 1 & 2
• Communication with the Deaf and Blind
• Prior Award (24 Different Qualifications in St John Ambulance - Bronze, Silver, Gold)
• Peer Education which has enabled me to teach my peers and other young people Basic Life Support.

As an air cadet I reached the rank of NCO (Non-Commissions Officer - Corporal) in my Worle Cadet Unit. I am now a St John Ambulance Adult in the Clevedon St John Ambulance Unit.

My volunteering work also involved fundraising for multiple different charities including The Great Western Air Ambulance Charity (GWAAC), Lighthouse Charity and now The Grand Appeal (Bristol Children's Hospital).

I am currently the Development Worker for the Eagles Non-Profit Trust and the Team Leader for the brand new Eagles South West Project.

We run a project known as the Eagles South West Project which is part of the Eagles Non-Profit Trust. We have various Mini Projects including Charitable Fundraising which cover's the work of various charities including; The Grand Appeal - Bristol Children's Hospital - which I am very keen to support because I had Cardiac and Orthopaedic Surgery there. I work with an Orthopaedic Surgeon in the hospital studying Health and Social Care, Level 3 to go onto do Paramedic Science at University.

Within the project we work with various charitable organisations that support people that are homeless and in need within our local area of WSM and surrounding areas. This is known as The Eagles Homeless Outreach - we work with Winter Warmth, Feed the Homeless WSM and Bristol and Somewhere To Go, for which we are planning an Easter Homeless Donation to support them.

We then have a third and final Mini Project Category known as 'Company and Project Partnerships'. We are currently supporting the 'Plastic Pollution Action and Awareness Project'. We are working closely with the Project Manager to plan on how we can support them with events to help the environment including Litter Picks and Fundraising Events for their Project and running Awareness Campaigns.

Another mini project we are planning on running is a brand new idea that we are just setting up at the moment known as 'Donate For Defib (W-s-M) Project' and this will be fundraising for local Difibulators in the local area, so we are looking forward to starting that very soon.

Weston College is set to play a lead role in tackling the construction skills shortage by opening a multi-million pound training centre.

The Weston College Construction Training Centre, completed by Midas Construction, opens in May and aims to offer training in seven key areas of training – plant, health and safety, scaffolding, highway and groundworks, warehousing (e.g. forklift training) and apprenticeships.

The state-of-the-art training centre has been created in response to the growing demand for a trained and skills construction workforce in the region. The industry-specific training it provides has been designed with employers’ needs in mind, and will be available on request, rather than fitting into the traditional academic year.

Dr Paul Phillips CBE, Principal and Chief Executive of the Weston College Group said: “The Construction Training Centre is a big step into commercial training and starts an exciting chapter for us.

“Over the last ten years, we’ve built strong relationships with employers to develop our apprenticeship provision. But we’ve recognised, more and more, the need to deliver training at the point of need – not only for school leavers during the academic year.

“The Construction Training Centre means employers can come to us at any time for short courses, top-up courses, and to up-skill staff who are taking on new roles.”

“This month we launched the new website – www.construction-training-centre.co.uk, which enables people to easily navigate between the seven key areas of training.

“It’s also designed to make it as quick and simple as possible to book and pay for the more basic training online. This includes non-practical, class based, one-day courses – for instance, Site Safety Plus, Health and Safety Awareness, and Driver CPC courses.” This training centre has been made possible through the efforts of Weston College in partnership with the West of England Local Enterprise Partnership and North Somerset Council.

The financial investment has been provided by the College match-funding a successful bid for £3.3m funding from the West of England Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) through the Local Growth Fund, administered by the West of England Combined Authority.

Chair of the West of England LEP, Prof Steve West, said: “We’re really pleased to support the fantastic new Construction Training Centre at Weston College. This will help to equip our current and future construction workforce with the skills they need to drive forward the building of new homes, business premises and infrastructure as our region grows. It will also help them to secure better career prospects and make the most of the opportunities available right here in the West of England.”

West of England Mayor, Tim Bowles said: “Construction is a key contributor to our region’s growing economy. It’s clear that there are huge opportunities here and we need to continue to provide the right skills to sustain the industry. The West of England Combined Authority has committed to working with colleges, councils and businesses to help the construction industry fill the estimated 82,500 jobs that will be created by 2036. The new Construction Training Centre at Weston College is a great example how we are addressing that challenge. It will help prepare young people, apprentices and higher education students for successful careers in the construction sector.”

Derek Quinn, Executive director for Midas Construction, said: “We are delighted to have created a much-needed training centre which will benefit students and the wider construction industry for many years to come. Midas is passionate about supporting the training and development of our staff and the communities we work in so we are proud to help develop a highly skilled and highly-trained workforce for the future.”

Having recently written about the precarious situation in which further education currently finds itself, it’s great to be able to discuss a far more positive subject.

Our newly built Construction Training Centre has been open a few months now and has, so far, been met with universal approval.

There’s a good chance you’ve already seen the centre as it’s visible as you enter Weston from junction 21 of the M5. But if not, let me tell you, it’s a hugely impressive sight – particularly the vast ‘hangar-style’ building, which is used for scaffolding training and warehouse-based activities, such as forklifting.

The centre also provides courses in plant operations, highways and groundworks, and large vehicle driver training.

As well as the purpose-built practical training areas, the centre boasts six classrooms (which ‘open out’ to form meeting rooms), an ICT suite, CSCS testing facility and canteen.

The centre was developed in response to the growing demand for a trained and skilled construction workforce in the region. With that in mind, the training has been developed with employers’ requirements in mind – namely to provide the skills business’s need, when they need them.

And we’re already seeing the benefit of this approach, with bookings for training – from employers and individuals – already exceeding expectations.

Not only that, we’ve been inundated with positive feedback on the facilities, and the quality and range of the training.

Among the reasons for the construction sector’s widening skills gap is the scarcity of specialist training facilities across the country. To illustrate the point, before our centre opened, there was nowhere in England to train scaffolding workers between Plymouth and Birmingham. Our centre – conveniently situated off the M5 – provides businesses and workers in the south west region with a purpose-built resource on their doorstep (comparatively).

This is particularly important given that the region will be home to a number of nationally significant developments over the next decade.

But as with any development of this nature, it wouldn’t be possible without the support and input of a range of partner organisations, including North Somerset Council and the West of England Local Enterprise Partnership.

Likewise, the project has benefitted from our long-running relationship with Midas Construction, who were commissioned to build the centre. They understand the College, our priorities and how to provide the learning environment that students and businesses need.

Another key partner in the development are scaffolding training and safety experts, Simian, who deliver CISRS scaffolding training and other related health and safety courses at the centre. Simian are world leaders in the sector and their expertise has enabled us to develop these outstanding facilities and offer sought-after courses.

Although it’s still early days for the centre, the signs are extremely promising – and that’s great news for students, employees, businesses and the wider construction industry.

Dr Paul Phillips CBE

Principal and CEO

You can take a closer look at our courses and facilities on the construction section of Weston College’s website, or the dedicated Construction Training Centre site. You can also apply for our construction courses and training straight through these websites.

Three Weston College lecturers have been chosen to join Microsoft’s global network of educator experts. This means a wealth of benefits and possibilities for learners.

Louise Pratten, lecturer in English, Shaun LaTouche, lecturer in Foundation Learning and Lynne Richards, lecturer in ICT, have been awarded Microsoft Innovative Educator (MIE) Expert status.

As MIE experts, the trio will get to use a huge range of the technology giant’s resources and programmes and be able to test new products before they’re released. They’ll also have the opportunity to share innovative and exciting teaching methods with thousands of fellow experts around the world.

And this will all be channelled into developing innovative teaching methods and engaging learning environments – with the ultimate aim of improving the learner experience.

The MIE experts will have the expertise and knowledge to:

• Enable learners to get the best out of Microsoft’s resources
• Use technology to spark learners’ creativity and uncover hidden talents
• Help learners overcome barriers to learning and support learners with special educational needs or disabilities
• Create more inclusive learner-centred classrooms and environments
• Communicate more effectively with classes and encourage learners to collaborate with a range of resources
• Create learning resources in a variety of formats to suit a range of needs and learning styles.

Anthony Salcito, Vice President, Worldwide Education, Microsoft, perfectly sums up the role MIE experts play: “Microsoft Innovative Educator Experts are inspiring examples of educators, applying new ways of teaching and learning in their classrooms that motivate learners and empower them to achieve more.

“We celebrate and support the work they do every day.”

This news follows hot on the heels of the announcement that we are one of 14 providers in the UK to be awarded ‘Microsoft Showcase College’ status.

As a Showcase College, we’ll benefit from billions of pounds of research and knowledge, as well as Microsoft’s support in the personalising student education. This includes the use of one-to-one devices, Office 365 Education, Office Mix, OneNote, Skype, Minecraft and more.

Interested in joining us, browse our courses:

• 16-18 full-time courses for school leavers
• Part-time adult courses

A Weston College apprentice is through to the finals of a prestigious skills competition after a stunning display of his catering-related work in London.

Max Bennett, a Level Three Supervisory and Leadership Apprentice , currently works at the Marco Pierre White Restaurant at the Doubletree at Hilton Cadbury House venue in Congresbury, North Somerset.

His hospitality skills and highly professional manner with the restaurant's customers made him an ideal candidate for the 'WorldSkills' event, the largest unique biannual competition in the world involving around 1,000 apprentices and students, aged 18 – 24 in 46 different skill areas.

Max, 18, from Clevedon, travelled to Westminster College in London for the regional finals, pitting his skills against fellow apprentices and students. He was asked to supervise in a professional restaurant setting, which included the serving of a flambéed banana dish as well as carving salmon, serving wine and interacting with the guests.

Max's skills and overall manner has now earned him a place in the WorldSkills UK final in Birmingham in November. If he wins that, he will be off to Rio De Janeiro next year as part of the UK squad.

Max said: “It was a real challenge and quite nerve-wracking. I know I made a couple of mistakes but I think the way I chatted with the customers got me through. I'm really looking forward to the next round and I'd love to be in the team that goes to Brazil.”

Max has worked at Doubletree at Hilton Cadbury House for 18 months. He said: “The staff and my managers have been really supportive, as have Weston College. They're all willing me on to get through the next round in Birmingham.”

Brian Howe, Weston College's Work Based Learning (WBL) Development Coordinator, said: “Max is a great guy and a real credit to his employers. His outstanding success at WorldSkills just proves what you can achieve if you put your mind to it, and at Weston College we'd love to recruit other potential apprentices who feel they could achieve the same.”

A new sensory learning base for students with Profound and Complex Learning Disabilities (PCLD) has been officially opened at Weston College.

The centre is the final part of a £1million investment that provides high quality facilities.

The new base opened its doors to students in September 2014 at the Knightstone Campus in Weston town centre, meaning students with PCLD no longer have to leave the local authority to receive specialist support.

Ben McConkey, the College’s strategic lead in inclusive practice, said: “In the past, students with PCLD may have had to leave the local authority when they finish school to access the specialist education and support they require.”

The Sensory Learning Base provides students with an individualised high quality multi-sensory programme.

Ben McConkey said: “Our programmes will help young people develop the skills to lead a more independent life, access their community and develop and maintain relationships with family and friends through a wide range of sensory experiences and holistic approaches.”

Weston College Principal and Chief Executive Dr Paul Phillips OBE described it as a ‘vital’ facility for the area.

He said: “It’s a far cry from when the College first opened its doors to a small group of teenagers with learning difficulties and disabilities back in 1981.

“We now have more than 1,000 learners receiving support on further education and higher education courses across all sites.

“This is a vital new facility for the local authority that will support some of the most vulnerable young people in our community and I look forward to welcoming new learners to the College.”

“The Sensory Learning base will work in collaboration external agencies to ensure every individual receives outstanding support and positive outcomes.” 

Students from Weston College's Sport and Public Services Department visited Weston Town Hall last week to discuss the changes to Weston-super-Mare's town centre with Cllr John Crockford-Hawley, Chairman of North Somerset Council.

The students discussed projects such as the Tropicana, Backwell leisure facilities, the town square/Italian Gardens development and using sport as a rehabilitation tool.

Cllr John Crockford-Hawley said: "The students showed their excellent debating skills and their ability to present new ideas. They were very passionate about using sport to help people struggling with addiction.

"I wish all debates that I chair could be of this quality!"

For anyone over the age of 19 and looking to return to education, financing your course can seem like a huge hurdle. However, there are a variety of options when it comes to helping you pay for your course – some people may even find that they are eligible to take a course for free.

We’ve broken down how to pay for your course, along with which icons and symbols to look out for on the course pages.

Full fees and supported fees

On the left of our course pages there is a box labelled ‘financial information’ which is where you will see the course fees and any relevant icons and symbols. The fee listed here, whether supported or full, is the absolute maximum fee anyone will pay for that course.

‘Full’ fees are exactly what they sound like – the full fee for the course. If something is listed as a ‘supported’ fee, this means that funding is available to the College to discount the course’s ‘full’ fee. Therefore, if a course says it has a ‘supported’ fee, this means that the full fee has been discounted for all people taking the course and you will only have to pay the final supported fee.

Although not all of our courses have a supported fee, the amount you see is the maximum you will have to pay.

Free* courses

Some courses have the above symbol in their financial information, which means some people qualify for free tuition and won’t have to pay anything for that particular course.

In order to get courses with this symbol for free, you will need to meet certain conditions. Although these conditions may differ depending on the course, if you click on the symbol a screen will pop-up that will tell you which specific conditions you have to meet.

When you click the symbol, it might say this:

“The qualification you have chosen to study is part of the Legal Entitlements list and you are aged 19-23 at the start of your course and you do not already have a qualification at Level 3 or higher.”

This condition means that if you don’t already have a Level 3 qualification (such as AS/A Levels, NVQ Level 3, BTEC Extended Diploma, Advanced Apprenticeship etc.) and are aged 19-23 when you start the course, you will not have to pay any fees. However, if you do have a Level 3 qualification or are aged 24+, you will have to pay the full or supported fee displayed.

When you click the symbol, it might say something a bit different, such as:

“This course is Free* if you are:

Receiving Universal Credit, earn less than 16 times the national minimum wage a week or less than £330 a month and are determined by JCP as being in one of the following groups:  All Work Related Requirement Group, Work Preparation Group, Work Focused Interview Group

Unemployed and receiving JSA/ESA or wider benefits.

Or

Aged 19-23 at the start of your course and you do not already have any qualifications at Level 2 or higher and you intend to study at this level in the future.”

When you this message, it is clearly stating the conditions that must be met in order to complete the course for free.  In the first part, you must meet all of the listed conditions in order to qualify for free tuition.

However, if you don’t meet the conditions listed in the first part, you may still qualify for free tuition in the next condition which again clearly lists all the conditions you must meet to be eligible.

Remember, you must meet everything listed in the first condition, or everythinglisted in the second condition. Otherwise, you must pay the full or supported fee listed.

24+

If you see this symbol and you do not qualify for free tuition/there is no Free* symbol, then you might be able to apply for an advanced learner loan to finance the course.

Advanced Learner Loans are available to anyone aged 19 or over (this used to be 24, however was reduced to 19), and is not means tested or based on your income or current financial situation. Also, your current qualifications will not stop you from taking out a loan regardless of the level.

These loans can be used to pay for qualifications at Level 3 or above.

For more information on Advanced Learner Loans, see our information page here.

ELC

Enhanced Learning Credits (ELC) are available to serving members of the British Armed Forces, or those who have recently left. To be eligible, you must meet certain criteria according to the ELC scheme, and there are two tiers of funding available depending on length of service.

For more information about the ELC scheme, visit www.enhancedlearningcredits.com.

A Level Law students at Weston College’s Sixth Form were recently visited by a top law firm to learn about how to get into a legal career. 

Representatives from Womble Bond Dickison, who have offices across the UK and US, came to the College’s Loxton Campus to give an informative session to year one and two law students. 

28 students attended, and were given practical advice about the different aspects of law, including information about the support service roles that law firms also need, such as IT, HR, finance and management. 

They discussed related career options, including being a barrister, solicitor, legal executive and paralegal. They also told students how, when a firm such as themselves recruit, personal statements were key along with their grades at A Level. 

Liz Painter, Development Manager for the Law and Professional Service Academy at Weston College, said: “The students were really engaged and interest to hear directly from an international law firm how they recruit and the different routes that are now available in the legal profession. This impartial advice and guidance is vital for students to be able to make informed career choices.”