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.
Yesterday (Tuesday 6th December), six volunteers from our plumbing and electrical courses headed to Asda in Weston-super-Mare, to give back to the local community.
Learners got stuck in, supporting shoppers and staff throughout the day, taking part in tasks such as: packing customers bags for them, handling stock control and stacking shelves.
Shoppers and staff alike were impressed with the learners, who were praised for working selflessly, and having a smile on their face throughout the day.
Lee Baker, Electrical Lecturer at Weston College, said: “I am so proud of the learners, they not only gave up their time to help others, but they were very happy to be there and offered support in as many different ways as they could.
“The learners were a great representation for Weston College. They were fully engaged, and held some great conversations with members of the public, as well as staff in Asda - it was fantastic to see. A huge well done to all involved.”
A huge well done to our volunteers: Russ, Molly, Jack, Lee, Leon and James.
UCW Engineering Degree Apprentice, Jared Newnham, has been named the Institution of Engineering and Technology’s (IET) Apprentice winner.
At age 20, Ministry of Defence Aerospace Engineering Degree Apprentice, Jared, is currently undertaking a placement as an Airworthiness Certification Manager, where he is responsible for increasing air system operational capabilities through risk reduction and type design change embodiment. As part of his apprenticeship, Jared created a robust, regulatory compliant procedure that has been used for multiple complex technical queries and is being rolled out to all projects within the Delivery Team.
Jared’s apprenticeship is delivered through University Centre Weston (UCW) in partnership with UWE, Bristol. The course offers apprentices just like Jared the opportunity to combine full-time paid work with part-time academic study. All engineering courses at UCW are delivered in the fantastic facilities on offer at our South West Skills Campus. This ensures students like Jared have access to the highest of industry-standard facilities, in order to learn and develop inside and outside of the classroom.
In addition to his main duties, Jared has become a keen advocate for engineering within the local community, coordinating an outreach event to promote careers to sixth form students and mentoring struggling classmates. Outside of work, Jared has a keen interest in exploring the outdoors through hikes and amateur astronomy.
On receiving the award, Jared said: “I can’t believe that I’ve been chosen as the IET’s Apprentice winner for 2022. There are so many apprentices doing great things across engineering so to be given this award makes me really proud.
“For anyone thinking about taking up a career in STEM, I would definitely recommend looking into apprenticeships. My placement with the Ministry of Defence has led to so many incredible opportunities which I will look back on fondly and which will hopefully lead to a long and enjoyable career.”
The IET Achievement Awards exist to recognise individuals from all over the world who have made exceptional contributions to the advancement of engineering, technology and science in any sector. This can be through research and development in their respective technical field or through their leadership of an enterprise.
Professor Bob Cryan, IET President said: “This is a fantastic achievement for Jared who has been making great waves in the world of engineering despite being so early on in his career. It is inspiring to see that Jared is using his passion for STEM to help teach others about the opportunities available to them, increasing awareness amongst members of his local community.
“Each of the award finalists demonstrated an exceptional level of skill and knowledge, spanning beyond their roles which made judging extremely difficult. All have taken on challenging projects and thanks to their creativity and resolve, have had a positive impact in their companies. I wish all of them the best of luck for a rewarding engineering career ahead.”
The Achievement Awards are part of the IET’s Awards and Scholarships programme, which celebrate excellence and research in the sector and encourage the next generation of engineers and technicians. All IET awards seek to inspire and reward engineering excellence, including apprentices at the start of their careers, through to reputable, established professional engineers and technicians.
Amazing work Jared!
Weston College continues to buck the national trend when it comes to apprenticeships, having successfully achieved more than 300 apprenticeship enrolments in just 50 days!
The campaign which aimed to counter youth unemployment, and provide new opportunities for people looking to take the next step in their career, proved to be highly successful; with opportunities created across sectors.
Companies of all sizes pledged to get involved, from global heavyweights such as GKN, to national organisations like the NHS, as well up and coming businesses, like Apache Construction.
Jayne Pashley, Apprenticeship Co-ordinator at North Somerset Council, has hired an apprentice through the campaign, she said: “ At North Somerset Council we love apprenticeships. For us, they offer a fantastic way of not only recruiting new talent, but also unlocking the future of our workforce, which we believe is key in business growth.
“The team at Weston College have supported us from start to finish, and have made the whole process really easy. I would highly recommend apprenticeships.
“We look forward to developing our apprentices and hopefully supporting many more in the future.”
John Mackeldon, Hewlett Packard Enterprise agreed, saying: “The whole apprenticeship process has been really easy, and our new apprentice has brought fresh ideas and energy to the team which has been really important in our business.”
Sir Paul Phillips, Principal and Chief Executive of Weston College, added: “We continue to lead the way when it comes to apprenticeships. Apprenticeships offer everyone involved tangible benefits, from vital experience for the apprentice to employers accessing talented individuals.
“Every year we set bigger challenges, and every year we deliver. To create so many opportunities in such a short period of time, truly is incredible, so I’d like to thank our local business community who have got behind the campaign and pledged to support our community, by offering residents the opportunity to retrain, upskill or get their first taste of employment.
“Something I have been especially pleased to see, is the fact that we are working with employers of all sizes through apprenticeships – including over 300 new SMEs in 2022.
“It isn’t too late to pledge to take on an apprentice, we offer apprenticeship opportunities all year round, so we can help you with your recruitment whenever you are ready to offer an apprenticeship.”
Last week, three of our wonderful Digital learners competed in the National WorldSkills Finals in computing, hosted in Middlesborough.
We were able to sit down with two of the competitors, Fin and Skylar, who told us all about their journey, training and success in WorldSkills; Skylar achieved Silver in the competition!
Both learners expressed an interest in WorldSkills after seeing the success of the previous cohort of Weston College learners who competed, including Jack Kimmins who won gold! They also each explained that it was a great way to work on their own skills to apply to their degree courses.
The whole competition spanned over a long period of time, with the qualifiers being in July. The qualifying round was a day with an issued web development task, with a time limit to complete it. Once the learners had confirmation they had passed this round, they began to revise until the finals, which took place this month (November).
Skylar explained the competition days: “The competition was very challenging. It was a set of five modules spread over three days, based up at Middlesbrough College in their new MC Digital building. The five modules included everything website development, from design work to client side scripting to server side scripting. As well as a speed round where time was of the essence. I felt very prepared due to the wealth of knowledge of previous competitors as well as the practise resource is we were given to help train us for the real briefs.”
While Skylar said that the JavaScript and PHP aspects were the best part of her day, Finley highlighted the speed module on the final day as his best part: “The smaller tasks within the short timeframe was quite fun and was a challenge to think of solutions without spending too much time on a single section given the time restraints.”
However, the competition days were not without their difficulties. Both learners touched on the aspect they found the most challenging; for Finley it was PHP module where he felt he could have benefit from more revision in that area, and Skylar found the design round the trickiest.
Despite the difficulties, all the participants did incredibly well, with Skylar achieving Silver overall! This is such a wonderful achievement, and she was absolutely thrilled, saying “It felt absolutely amazing to achieve silver in the website development competition. Knowing that I am the second-best student website developer in the UK feels absolutely amazing.
I found out the results through a virtual medal ceremony, live streamed by Steph McGovern from her studio where they announced all the winners of the competitions. I just couldn’t believe it when my name was called out!”
Both Skylar and Finley were very enthusiastic about the prospect of competing again next year, Finley commenting, “I am already looking forwards to the sign-ups. I entered this year, unsure if it was the correct choice, but after attending and reaching the finals, its been an amazing experience. I am excited to attend again!”
If you are considering following in their footsteps and entering WorldSkills, here is the first-hand advice from those who just competed: “Just go for it – you won’t know how far you can go or the extent of your knowledge unless you try, and it’s such a great learning experience. Even if you don’t get through to the finals, it’ll still look great on your CV!”
Both learners expressed huge gratitude to their teachers and tutors at University Centre Weston, Jason Hill, Jack Kimmins and Jack Cole, who have been so supportive throughout the whole process, including numerous training sessions.
Many congratulations to everyone involved!
Why choose to study Sport?
At Weston College, we believe there is so much more to sport than just what happens on the pitch. While, yes, developing physical ability and skill in a game is essential, there are so many more areas of daily life that sport can impact. Careers in sport also go far beyond being a professional player.
We encourage our learners to consider the social and cultural influence sport can have within the community; how it can be used to bring people together and encourage healthy and active living.
Understanding the importance of inclusivity is also a major factor in teaching sport.
Whilst honing these skills and learning about the role of sport and fitness within the wider community, our students have been taking part in delivering practical sessions to learners from our very own Faculty of Inclusive Practice (FIP), as well as preparing for some upcoming sessions with local primary schools.
The first session was a festival of sport, taking place on Friday 11th November. It was a huge success, with both Sport and FIP learners enjoying the collaborative and engaging event.
Jack, Sports Academy and Enrichment Manager, told us:
“The festival was a really good opportunity for the learners to see how sport is inclusive for all, and it gives them a good chance to demonstrate what they’ve learnt in a real-life situation.”
The sport learners have also recently organised and delivered a dodgeball festival in partnership with Dodgeball UK for local primary schools.
This was another enormous success! Jack said:
"We’re really excited to be growing and building local links with local stakeholders. This is a fantastic opportunity for us to provide sport and enrichment to the community. It’s also a great opportunity for the learners to work on the employability skills that are going to be crucial for them to develop alongside their knowledge in order to become employable.”
This is just the very beginning of the multitude of sports festivals and events our learners will be delivering.
Upcoming events will include:
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A sport festival for local Extended Learning Academy Network (ELAN) primary schools
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Festival of football - with Weston College FIP learners competing with Westhaven School
Amazing work to the brilliant learners taking part, we can’t wait to see more of the community impact you’re making!
To find out more about career opportunities in Sport, visit our Sports and Fitness Careers Excellence Hub.
To learn more about our Sport courses, click here.
Last week the West of England Institute of Technology (WEIoT) officially opened the doors of the brand-new Bristol Training Institute.
Based in central Bristol (12 Colston Avenue, BS1 4ST), the Bristol Training Institute offers courses tailored to the specific needs of employers in the city region – focussing on digital qualifications and management training to support with driving digital change.
The grand opening was marked by an event held at the Bristol Training Institute, where key industry and community figures were invited to hear about the WEIoT, the Bristol Training Institute and the emphasis on inclusion and technical skills/careers.
The audience heard from Principal and Chief Executive of the Weston College Group, Sir Paul Phillips, the Director of the WEIoT, Claire Arbery and President of the Bristol Chamber of Commerce, Jaya Chakrabarti MBE.
The guests were also treated to a tour of the facility, witnessing the state-of-the-art digital training hub across two floors, which includes two conference training rooms and a boardroom, all including smartboard facilities and laptop stations.
Sir Paul Phillips, Principal and Chief Executive of the Weston College Group, said: “Bristol is one of the largest hubs for digital and professional services industries outside of London, so the Bristol Training Institute marks another exciting development for the West of England Institute of Technology which is supporting a drive to increase the number of people engaged in higher level technical skills training, supporting learners in the region to secure and progress in high-quality jobs.
“Bristol has a strong demand for digital skills training, and we have worked with employers, key stakeholders and communities in the region to truly understand how the WEIoT can offer a training solution that complements existing provision in the city.”
Jaya Chakrabarti MBE, President of the Bristol Chamber of Commerce, commented: “I am really excited about what is going to happen at the Bristol Training Institute.
“We have a skills shortage locally, but the Bristol Training Institute will help to empower local people with the skills they need to engage with the digital sector and bring prosperity to the region.”
Claire Arbery, Director of the WEIoT, added: “Accessibility is a focus of the WEIoT, which brings education providers together to deliver the skills required by employers.
“The courses offered are based on what the economy and local communities need and our mission is that our students on completion of their programmes will have the best possible career prospects, whilst employers can benefit from a new talent pool, plus use the Institute as a way to develop and upskill their existing workforce.”
You can view the January offer at the Bristol Training Institute, by clicking here.
Weston College’s public services students demonstrated their fitness to their parents by completing a series of challenges designed to demonstrate skills they’ve learned on their course.
Public services is a subject which prepares people for a career in the army, security services, or the emergency services. Many people who study this course go on to apply for the armed forces, and a lot of them are successful – but how do they do it? Read on to find out more.
Could you be a soldier?
Soldiers need plenty of self-discipline, loyalty and confidence, as well as physical fitness. Good teamwork skills and effective communication are crucial, as are quick reactions and the ability to use your own initiative.
Check the entry criteria
You’ll need to be between 16 and 33 to join the army as a soldier, but if you’re under 18 you’ll need your parents’ permission.
The army has nationality and residency requirements, which mean you must be a British citizen or subject, a British Protected Person or Commonwealth citizen who has lived in the UK for at least five years.
If you’re shortlisted you will be expected to present a GP’s medical report and pass the army medical examination, so a high level of personal fitness is required.
Get the relevant training
In general, you don’t need any qualifications to join the army as a soldier, but you do need be physically fit and proficient in communication, teamwork and English and maths. Our public services courses will train you in these areas and put you ahead of the competition.
If you want to join the army in a certain field, such as engineering or communications, you may need some technical skills.
Apply
You can apply to join the armed forces online. If your application is accepted you’ll have to pass a medical examination and physical fitness tests, and numeracy and literacy tests.
You’ll then sit a British Army Recruit Battery test which will match your abilities to jobs that suit them, and a technical selection test for the field you want to serve in. There are also team activities and a formal interview.
Further development…
Once you’ve applied and been accepted, you’ll go on to the Phase One of the army training programme, which lasts 14 weeks, six months or 12 months depending on your age. Once you’ve completed the Phase One course, you’ll go on to do the Phase Two course, called the Combat Infantryman’s Course, which lasts 28 weeks.
Joining the army is only the beginning. There are plenty of qualifications and courses you can take once you’ve enlisted - some soldiers complete degrees while they serve!
This week plumbing learners from our Construction Career Excellence Hub, were treated to a visit from German specialist tool manufacturers, REMS.
Daniel Parker, Regional Product Engineer at REMS, delivered a brilliant guest talk, whilst also showcasing the wide product range on offer. Daniel said: “It was a real pleasure to show off our product range to the next generation of Plumbing and Heating Engineers, the lads were really enthusiastic and a real credit to the College.”
The learners were all engaged, and enjoyed hearing from the industry – something that is a critical part of the delivery at Weston College, through the Career Excellence Hubs.
Ethan Sampson, who is a second year plumbing and heating technician apprentice with Gas Safe Ltd, was in attendance and commented: “I really enjoy it when manufacturers come in and do demonstrations because it really helps me to relate our theory lessons, and look at the new products on the market we will be using in future within the plumbing industry. When I talk to other people in the industry, they have told me that they didn’t receive this type of support at college.”
If you would like to find out more about the courses we offer in plumbing, click here.
Last year we met Lillie, a learner who lacked confidence, but had huge potential.
Lillie’s dream was to work as Healthcare Support Worker, and she started her journey with us, on a traineeship.
Traineeships give learners the opportunity to gain valuable work experience in a sector they are interested in, while also improving employability skills, English and Maths.
It wasn’t an easy start, as at first Lillie felt that she wasn’t ready to progress, but that simply wasn’t the case.
She impressed everyone on a daily basis, and her confidence started to grow. This resulted in Lillie gaining her first placement at St Michaels Hospital (UHBW), in the Ears, Nose and Throat (ENT) Outpatients Department.
Lillie started by shadowing members of the team, before moving on to independent tasks. She soon became a proactive member of staff, making a great impact, resulting in her being asked to stay within the team when she was due to move onto another department.
On completion of her traineeship, Lillie was asked to apply for an apprenticeship, and she was offered a Level 2 Health Care Support Worker apprenticeship. Following Lillie’s amazing impact on her traineeship, the ENT department then requested Lillie to complete her apprenticeship with them – proof of the hard work and commitment shown throughout her traineeship.
The good news didn’t stop there. Earlier this year Lillie was nominated for Traineeship Learner of the Year, at the Weston College Business Awards, which she won!
She is now progressing very well on her apprenticeship, and we can’t wait to see her continued development.
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.
