Professional make-up artist Jennifer Lenard took a break from working on the set of the upcoming period drama Fanny Lye Deliver'd to guest lecture at Weston College on Tuesday (29th March).

Jennifer, who specialises in airbrushing, wig making and prosthetics, began her career working on TV productions such as Last of the Summer Wine, Dalziel and Pascoe, and Dancing on Ice, and her recent credits include The Office, Doctor Who, Pride and Prejudice, and Star Trek.

She came to Weston College to demonstrate a variety of airbrushing techniques to the College’s Hair and Media, and Level 2 Beauty students. She transformed College student Jessica Rees, age 17, into a geisha – complete with kimono – and answered question about working in the professional make-up industry.

Sandra Bull, Weston College’s Hair and Beauty Curriculum Manager, said: “Jennifer is a BAFTA award winning hair and media make-up artist with extensive industry experience and so it was a huge pleasure to have her here working with our students.

“Having influential demonstrations and instruction from key industry professionals is a great way to raise student aspirations and for them to see how exciting the hair and beauty industry is to be working within.” 

Weston College’s Hair and Beauty Centre is available to the public and offers a range of hair and beauty treatments at competitive prices. All treatments are performed to a very high standard by trainees under the supervision of experienced, qualified staff.

For more information or to book an appointment, contact the Hair and Beauty Centre at hair&beauty@weston.ac.uk. 

A Royal Marine who lost his leg helping a crashed motorist on the M3 visited Weston College to give an inspirational speech to sports and public services students.

Lee Spencer, 47, came across the car accident and began helping the injured driver and passengers using first aid training he had learned during his 24 years in the army.

Suddenly, another car crashed into the vehicle, sending the car’s engine and gearbox flying across the motorway lanes towards him. The impact severed his right leg and dislocated his left.

He used the training he learned as a Royal Marine to instruct a bystander to tie a tourniquet around his wounded leg and got the bystander’s daughter to stop the bleeding by standing on his femoral artery.

He told the students about the impact the accident had on his life, and how he was inspired to help change other people’s lives by raising money through a variety of sponsored walks, marathons and even rowing 3000 miles across the Atlantic Ocean.

He gained a place in the Guinness Book of Records for being part of the first disabled crew to sail the Atlantic raising awareness for Row2Recovery.

Rebecca Ranson, Weston College Section Area Manager for Sports and Public Services, said: “This was a fantastic and inspiring opportunity for the students to find out about life in the army, how to act in an emergency situation, and how the training they're undertaking can help in real-life scenarios.”

Local pork belly and crackling, Cheddar mash with Thatcher’s cider sauce; seared Brixham scallops with squid ink risotto and pea shoots – these are just a couple of the dishes invented by David Newman for Lasseter’s at the Winter Gardens Pavilion, which opened in September...

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“Great food is important to me,” he tells us as we sit in The Florentine Bistro, another new addition to the Winter Gardens complex.

“Good food makes people happy, and the key to good food in my opinion is making the dining experience special. A big part of this is the food, but there are other aspects that make a meal great.

“At Lasseter’s, we want the food to be accompanied with natural and memorable service, great views of Weston’s bay, and we want the food to tell a story. Another important factor is ensuring value for money.”

David grew up in the Weston-Super-Mare area and has fond memories of visiting the Winter Gardens as a child. It was at a young age that David developed a keen interest in food, inspired by his dad, a former RAF chef who has cooked for royalty.

At the age of 15, having completed work experience in a professional kitchen, David started working part-time jobs around his school work as a kitchen porter at Cabot and preparing vegetables at a local Hewish farm. As the years went by he completed an apprenticeship at the Summerhouse in Worle, then gained more experience at the Woolpack.

His first major job was sous chef at Mendip Spring Golf Club, and from here he went on to become a head chef at The Exchange in Bridgwater, where he cooked for high profile clients such as the BBC, and gained a mention in The Times.

After this he went from strength to strength, becoming catering manager at Bristol Water’s head office before returning to the kitchen as head chef at the Friends Life Centre in Bristol. Some highlights of his career around this time were cooking at places like Ascot Racecourse and the Olympics at the Olympic Park, London.

Most recently, he has been working as head chef for catering giant Chartwells at Millfield Senior School in Street, Somerset. At this exclusive school, David worked with top chefs Nick Dorber, Dean Parsons and Chartwells’ executive chef Andrew Walker. These chefs shared David’s love of food and inspired him to take on the opportunity at Lasseter’s at the Winter Gardens.

The restaurant itself follows a 1920s-inspired theme with a modern twist. The Winter Gardens’ iconic columns are painted with luxurious hues of navy and gold, and the bar is adorned with vintage mirrors and blue tiles. The split level layout means that diners at Lasseter’s get to admire the stunning views along the seafront, and there are plans to use the sheltered outdoor seating area on the seafront for barbeques and outdoor catering in the summer months.

The restaurant’s name is a nod to Dr Paul Lasseter Phillips CBE, Weston College’s Principal and Chief Executive, whose leadership of the College since 2001 has been the driving force behind its recent success, and has enabled it to purchase and restore this iconic seafront venue. This recognition is continued in some of the restaurant’s dishes, in particular the Dr 57 cocktail, one of Lasseter’s signature drinks.

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At the Honeytree Day Nursery we invest in apprenticeships as we believe that apprentices are practitioners of the future. We like to train apprentices and support them in gaining their qualification. We do this as we recognise that at times it is difficult for young people to gain the experience required to follow their career aspirations. All we ask for in return is hard work and a commitment to follow our ethos and values.

Apprentices allow us the opportunity to ‘home-grow’ our practitioners and as such we employ 98% of apprentices once they have completed their course. There are clear progression routes for our apprentices and this is evident in one of our Deputy Managers who started off as an apprentice within our business. I myself completed my Level 3 full time at college and if I was to turn back time I would have completed my qualification through an apprenticeship as the benefits are clear, both for apprentices but also employers. A very big benefit of completing an apprenticeship is the fact that you are getting paid as you learn, and you get to know what it's like to work in the industry. Employers see it as the ideal way to form their perfect employee, which is why so many apprentices are offered jobs at the end of their course. Apprentices are also entitled to paid holidays and other benefits.

The things that employers look for in an apprentice are quite simple. We look for people willing to work hard and commit to enhancing the lives of children. We work very closely with Weston College and we know at what stage each of our apprentices are at. This allows us to give support in the workplace.

Another benefit is that our apprentices work with a range of different ages ranging from 6 months to 5 years and in some of our nurseries the children are older as we offer holiday club. This means the apprentices receive a wide range of knowledge and understanding for different age children that may be in their care.

Jay Sparkle,

Lead Manager,

The Honeytree Day Nursery

Weston College took home a Bristol Life Award last week for its services to education in the Bristol area.

The Bristol Life Awards are in their second year now, and celebrate the best businesses in Bristol, Bath and the wider region. As an expanding college group, delivering a variety of training from fulltime study and apprenticeships to teaching in prisons, Weston College has become a strong educational force across the West. 

Beating off competition from education providers including ASDAN, Claremont School and Boomsatsuma, Weston College was recognised for its work with leading employers, and for its success rates which consistently surpass national benchmarks.

Judges for the awards included some big names in Bristol business and education, such as Jane Roscoe, Executive Dean at UWE Bristol, and Anna Starkey, Creative Director at We The Curious. 
The judges were impressed by the College’s continued investment into the regional economy, the way it supported young people and adults into gaining employment, and how it provides “positive outcomes for some of the most disadvantaged people in society”.

Calling the College “incredible,” the judges said that Weston College is “having great effect on higher education in the South West.”

Current student, Lorna Davey, met Dr Paul Phillips CBE, Weston College’s Principal and Chief Executive, to accept the award on behalf of the student body. Lorna studied Media Production at Level 3 before progressing to a Foundation Degree in Film and Media Arts Production at the College’s university centre. 

She said: “I can definitely see why the College has won this award – they provide so much for students not just locally but across the area and beyond.

“Throughout my time with Weston College, I’ve progressed more than I thought I ever would. They offer amazing support and progression opportunities, and put a lot of time and effort into helping their students. Having studied here, I’d never go anywhere else.”

Dr Paul Phillips CBE said: “We are thrilled to be recognised for our contribution to the region. We strive to support all of our students, no matter where they are or what they are studying, and this award is a testament to the hard work of our tutors and staff who continue to go above and beyond.

“We are most proud of our students, who continually exceed expectations with our support and help us prove that we really are the best in the West of England!” 

Weston College is currently the only Ofsted ‘outstanding’ college in the region and was recently awarded the Queen’s Anniversary Prize for Higher and Further Education and two Association of Colleges’ Beacon Awards for widening participation in education and inclusive practice.
 

Weston College have invested £60,000 in refurbishing the Grove, a commercially run restaurant and an industry standard training kitchen at their Knightstone Campus.

Dr Paul Phillips CBE, Principal and Chief Executive officially opened the refurbished facilities at a launch event on Thursday, 20th September. He was joined by Dave Newman, Head Chef from Lasseter’s at the Winter Gardens, Catherine Farina from Chefs Forum and representatives from Batch Farm and Twenty Coffee along with staff and students from the College.

The concept of the Grove was conceived to give learners a tangible insight into the hospitality industry and an understanding of the costings in set-up and running a business. The training kitchen if fully equipped with industry-standard facilities where students are mentored and trained to prepare for future work in the hospitality sector.

Dr Paul Phillips, CBE, Principal and Chief Executive said: “The extensive work completed over the summer will help students hone their skills in an actual working environment. We are proud to be one of the top performing Colleges in the country, and the Grove restaurant and training kitchen is just one of our many investments this year to ensure all existing and future learners will get the very best standard of education.”

Sandra Bull, Divisional Lead of Hair, Beauty and Hospitality and Catering, said: “At the Grove, the next generation of talented chefs and front of house staff will be serving up delicious cuisine that is freshly prepared and cooked in Weston College’s training kitchens.

“Situated in a quiet corner of the College’s Knightstone Campus, this contemporary style bistro offers a relaxed setting for a delicious meal.

“By visiting our restaurant you provide our learners with invaluable experience. In return you will receive high quality food and service, for a fraction of the usual cost.

To prepare for the opening, the Level 2 and Level 3 learners all hand prepared the canapés, which included mini Yorkshire puddings with beef and horseradish, mini fish and chips on a stick, stuffed mushrooms and pastries. Bristol Twenty Coffee also attended to assist students in learning how to prepare barista style coffee, which learners served alongside hand-made petit fours.

To reserve a table at the Grove please call 01934 411 422.

TLT are a UK law firm with six offices across the UK. We have over 1,000 staff and over 100 partners, 60 of which are leaders in their fields.

We are a growing firm – so are always looking for good people across a range of levels and areas of expertise who can support us in delivering an exceptional service for our clients. Opportunities vary from working in our specialist legal teams through IT and projects to marketing and HR.

One area where we have found a particular skill shortage is experienced Legal Secretaries. We believe this is a culmination of secretaries not moving jobs coupled with the role diversifying into either a PA focused position or document management/admin role.

One way in which we have combatted this challenge is by working with Weston College. We chose Weston College due to their reputation, location and the range of courses they provide. They currently support us with level 2 and level 3 apprenticeships within our volume business teams. The opportunities that they currently support with vary from apprentice office assistants to apprentice case handlers.

Over the last 12 months we have successfully recruited around 11 apprentices through Weston College on a range of level 2 and 3 apprenticeships.

Weston College offer us a range of courses to suit our needs across both legal and non-legal teams. We currently have apprentices undertaking level 2 and level 3 courses in business administration and customer services and are looking to expand our apprenticeship offering to other courses in 2019.

Weston College are also close to our Bristol headquarters and on hand to support with the recruitment and delivery of the onsite training required for each apprenticeship.

Since working with Weston College, we have seen a reduction in the time it takes for someone to start their apprenticeship. This has helped to get them up and running sooner, boosting our ability to deliver work for our clients.

We've also offered permanent positions to a number of our apprentices upon finishing their programme, which allows us to bring on staff with the skills we requires and make a long-term investment in their career with us.

We are able to attract a wide range of talent into the business from a variety of backgrounds by taking on apprentices. We feel that apprentices positively impact our business by bringing a range of skills, a fresh outlook and enthusiasm.

Rebecca Mitchell, Recruitment Business Partner, TLT

Over the last year, Weston College students have been given the opportunity to work with some great businesses on live project briefs.

These ‘real-life’ assignments have included creating videos and working on websites.

Students have worked particularly closely with Visit Somerset, who produce a website promoting Somerset as a tourism destination. Here, John Turner, CEO of Visit Somerset, explains more about the students’ work and the partnership with the College.

The working relationship that Visit Somerset has with Weston College is possibly one of the most progressive and dynamic that we currently have within the county.

Both organisations are working closely to ensure that we are not only empowering businesses through combined social mobility and digital strategy, but – just as importantly – empowering and giving opportunity to the next generation. Students are gaining vital vocational skills, which will help them attain the confidence and employability skills they need for their future careers.

Weston College students are helping support three key facets of Visit Somerset strategy:

• Helping with disability awareness through our social inclusivity strategy, which involves ‘signing’ for film developments, supporting our conferences and updating members on the latest disability awareness opportunities and courses.

• Digital students have been creating new websites for our SME members, whilst also providing ongoing maintenance. This will allow the £500 million accommodation industry in Somerset to finally get the vital support it needs to compete against online travel agents. With the support of Weston College students, we are already making considerable improvements to help empower and train SMEs so they can create sustainable futures for themselves. And, at the same time, we’re giving students the opportunity to experience key client relationships and build their all-important interpersonal skills.

• Students have also enjoyed helping shape the new Visit Somerset official county website, creating video content to help market the important meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions industry and our accommodation sector. They’ve also created image-led, content-rich videography to help market the county’s overall beauty.

At 18 months old, this relationship is still only in its infancy. However, we have already achieved so much together. Both organisations and their teams and, most importantly, the students, should be deeply proud of their efforts and their incredible abilities. One thing I always remind students of is that the only barriers to your success are those that appear in your mind.

If you would like to offer a live project brief to our students, you can pledge here.

Weston Bay learners have been renovating the 1st North Worle Scout Hut over the last three weeks, painting, decorating and clearing the gardens.

To fund this they have been fundraising through a summer fete and a bag packing session at Asda. The learners then went and bought all the paints and gardening tools needed.

Weston Bay learners will be hosting the grand opening this Thursday (27th June) from 4-5.30pm at the North Worle Scout Hut. There will be some food, drink and speeches from the learners. Please come along and show your support.