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.
Our T Level Year 1 Education and Early Years learners hosted their first Stay and Play of the year in our purpose-built Community Room on Thursday afternoon. Learners set up a range of activities including painting, playdough and a story corner, which they then welcomed a group of children from The Nursery to come and play! The Nursery is in Portishead, and has a great relationship with the Early Years learners, particularly as they are a Career Excellence Hub Employer. This means they provide industry placement opportunities for our learners, and provide industry standard knowledge that can influence the content taught on the course.
It was a lovely afternoon had by both children and learners, and they received some amazing feedback following the session!
The Nursery commented, “We have made a really valuable link with Weston College to support our future early years practitioners. The preschool children explored the wonderful activities the students had set up, and interacted so confidently in the new space. We are all looking forward to returning and trying out some fun new activities.”
The Assessor and Placement Officer for Early Years, Rachael Moger, commented, “The Stay and Play was a fantastic opportunity for both the learners and the children. We’re very lucky to have The Nursery as a CEH Employer – ensuring work experience opportunities to our learners is so important to us here at Weston College, so having that close working relationship with The Nursery is so beneficial. We all can’t wait until the next Stay and Play, which is Christmas themed!”
Click here if you’d like to find out more about Early Years and T Levels.
On Thursday 3rd November, we welcomed tropical biologist and conservationist, Dr Ian Redmond to our Animal Management Education Centre, at Puxton Park.
The students were treated to a fascinating talk from Dr Ian Redmond, around his work with great apes and elephants. He has been associated with mountain gorillas for over 35 years, through research, filming, tourism and conservation work.
Summarising his work to date, Dr Ian Redmond said: “I am a naturalist by birth, a biologist by training, and a conservationist by necessity. But conservation for me isn’t just about saving species. On a larger scale, the planet needs us to save functioning eco-systems; on a smaller scale, we must also recognise that species are made up of individual animals. For me, it became personal when I had the privilege of getting to know individual animals in the wild… I can truthfully say that some of my best friends are gorillas, and I care passionately about them and the future of all life on Earth.”
Animal Management Lecturer, Laura Link, added: “It was great to welcome Dr Ian Redmond to Puxton Park yesterday, who really captivated our learners with his incredible story.
“We learnt about his journey, his career and his research, including the story about how he introduced David Attenborough to the Mountain Gorillas – which inspired our learners to aim high.
“One learner mentioned how it was one of the best talks they have ever heard – opening their eyes to a potential new career within the industry.”
Find out more about our Animal Management courses, by clicking here.
On Wednesday 2nd November, we welcomed the Recruitment Team from Hinkley Point C to discuss career opportunities.
With a packed schedule, learners from South West Skills Campus and Knightstone Campus were fortunate to find out about career prospects as well industry placements available for Weston College students.
Learners from across our Construction Career Excellence Hub, and our Business T Level students took part in special bespoke sessions, which looked into Hinkley Point C as a whole as well as the wide range of job roles which go into making the project work – from project managers to engineers.
Kirsty Woods, Business Partnership Manager (Construction) at Weston College, said: “It was fantastic to welcome the Recruitment Team from Hinkley Point C, who inspired learners from across our Construction Career Excellence Hub, with their engaging talk.
“At Weston College we have thousands of really talented students who constantly impress employers across the region with their knowledge, skills and application.
“We have links with employers across the region, to provide our learners with industry placements, which is a vital element of their development.”
Find out more about our Construction courses, by clicking here.
We celebrated Careers Week in November, with our Protective Services learners engaging in numerous career related activities with employers.
Employer engagement is extremely important to our students, as it helps them to confirm their first choice of career, as well as enthusing and motivating them on their course of study.
The week commenced with our Year 2 students traveling down to Okehampton Camp on Dartmoor to spend 4 days residential with the Army. Activities included an assault course, stalk and overnight bivvy camp. Throughout the experience, learners developed their ID skills including rapport building, resilience, and teamwork.
The trip received glowing feedback, with Harry saying: “This is the best thing that I have ever done!”
On the Tuesday a group of students travelled to RAF Brize Norton to spend an exhilarating day with the RAF. Activities included boarding an A400M aircraft, a tour of the base gym and lunch in the Sergeant’s Mess.
The day was ran by Squadron leader Jacqueline Millard Smith who runs a bespoke mentoring service for the Weston College Protective Service Provision.
This trip was really beneficial for learners, with Zoe saying: “After visiting and speaking to people on the base it has really interested me and has made me consider my future career options. It was an amazing experience!”
On Thursday learners travelled to HMS Raleigh in Plymouth. It was a fantastic occasion, which allowed students to visit a range of Navy Careers including Fire Fighting, Submariner Service and the Physical Training Branch. The mixture of Level 2 and Level 3 learners were fully engaged throughout the day and were excellent ambassadors for the College.
In the Hair, Makeup and Prosthetics for Production (HMPP) three-year degree programme at UCW, there is a module which requires the learners to work to an industry brief. This year, Puxton Park delivered the brief for the learners, for an event they held, called “Phobia”; a Halloween event that took place from 22nd – 29th October, consisting of five haunted attractions including a Haunted Tractor Ride, Doll House and the ‘Dark Wood’. The learners were required to design and apply makeup to a very high quality for this event, for up to 40 actors a night!
In total, 30 students across both HE & FE took part; the third year HMPP learners were in charge of running the event, and the first and second year HMPP learners also took part as assistants. The Level 2 Hair and media makeup learners were also involved as further assistance on certain makeup zones. Every learner was there every night, from 4:30 – 10:30pm, to ensure every actor was ready for their performance. It was important that they planned and practiced every aspect before the event started, as they had to make sure they could carry out the same quality in a fast-paced environment, under time pressure!
As well as designing and applying the makeup on the nights, the 3rd year learners were also tasked with ordering the products and costumes, and keeping within a budget, as well as holding workshops for the Level 2 students to demonstrate the desired looks, and build their confidence in their abilities.
The feedback from everyone involved has been overwhelmingly positive – the learners absolutely loved the opportunity to work in a professional event, working with other students across multiple courses, and being given a true insight into the industry. Puxton Park have also commented on the creative talent of the learners, and praised them for their professionalism. The general public, who attended the event, have said it was “a fantastic, immersive experience, but very scary!”
Tara O’Hare, an HMPP lecturer, has commented “I would like to personally thank my third year HMPP students, with special thanks in particular to Holly and Beth, who acted as project managers on the event, liaised with the other groups who were helping out, and worked professionally and fully committed themselves to the project throughout.
Both the HE and FE makeup students worked with enthusiasm and confidence throughout They will be an absolute asset in the makeup industry, and without them, this project would not have been as successful. We can’t wait to be back next year!”
If you’re interested in a qualification in Hair and Makeup, you can find out more information, below!
This month (November 2022) the Winter Garden’s is announcing an exciting partnership that brings together the entrepreneurship of the Weston College Group and the expertise of the hospitality industry from The Winter Gardens Hospitality Group. The Management of which come from HotelBiz, and the knowledge of the town and events from The Royal Hotel.
The Weston College Group has signed a management partnership agreement with The Winter Gardens Hospitality Group, which will lead the way for the new Winter Gardens complex offering.
Built in 1927, the Winter Gardens Pavilion is an impressive landmark on the Weston-super-Mare seafront, with its unique sunken ballroom and neo-Georgian details. For many years the venue has treated the community to an array of events, fairs and conferences; it also witnessed a multi-million-pound refurbishment by the owners the Weston College Group in 2017 when it reopened to the public after an extensive renovation and refurbishment.
A dedicated events team has been created by The Winter Gardens Hospitality Group which has many years of experience running a variety of events, the new team will be delivering an exciting, fun-packed programme of events to the community with the aim of bringing the Winter Gardens back to its heyday.
The Winter Gardens Pavilion has a licence to perform both weddings and civil ceremonies and this is another area where the expertise of The Royal Hotel will come into its own and the town will start to see the resurgence of couples choosing this beautiful venue as the place to tie the knot.
The successful Green House which opened in 2020 will continue to offer a first-class café style service with views across the Italian Gardens, serving breakfast, lunch, afternoon teas, takeaway coffee, and treats.
Principal and Chief Executive of the Weston College Group who own the Winter Gardens, Sir Paul Phillips commented:
“We are excited to announce this new partnership with HotelBiz and The Royal Hotel in regard to the Winter Garden’s Pavilions – our work with The Royal Hotel in particular spans many years and this is why we are confident that together we can provide an excellent venue facility that caters for community bookings, delivers a wide-programme of ticketed-events with a first-rate service and excellent food.”
“I do not underestimate the importance of the Winter Gardens to the town and our community, it’s a hugely important feature of Weston-super-Mare’s history and landscape, and this partnership is determined to keep it that way.”
Nick Greaves, Director of The Winter Gardens Hospitality Group has commented: “It is an exciting time for the town as we are fully committed to making The Winter Gardens the first choice for local events as well as a way to bring a spotlight onto our town with events bringing business into Weston-super-Mare from surrounding areas.”
Shaun Potter, Director adds:
“The team at The Winter Gardens Hospitality Group is fully committed to making The Winter Gardens great again. My family have successfully run the historic Royal Hotel for over 20 years, and we are proud to be involved with the evolution of The Winter Gardens. We have every intention of taking it back to its glory days that we all remember from growing up in the town.”
To find out more visit:
Website: http://wintergardensweston.co.uk/
A team of our Protective Services learners travelled to Strode College in October, to take part in an Army run competition vs Strode College.
Against tough competition the team proved themselves to be highly competitive and tenacious in their efforts as they took part in various military orientated team tasks.
In just 25 working days, we are already over halfway to reaching our goal of enrolling 300 people onto an apprenticeship!
We set ourselves the ambitious goal to achieve 300 sign-ups for apprenticeships, in just 50 working days. We're half way through our time, at 25 days, but well over the number of enrolments, at 167 already!
We decided to set this goal, as at Weston College, we love creating opportunities for people to access their brighter future, and we believe an apprenticeship is one of the most effective ways of achieving your dream career. Whether this involves beginning your journey into an industry, upskilling, or embarking on a career change, we want to see you succeed!
Jack, who completed a degree apprenticeship with Weston College and the Ministry of Defence, says: “Apprenticeships have the power to unlock doors, provide opportunities and prepare you for the workplace in ways that universities don’t.
“If there is an opportunity to pursue your aspirations through an apprenticeship, then I cannot stress enough how seriously you should consider going down the apprenticeship route.”
Weston College is an award-winning apprenticeship provider, being named Bristol and Bath Apprenticeship Provider of the Year four times. We offer apprenticeships across the south west, from Bridgwater to Bristol and beyond, in multiple industries.
We would not have been able to reach over this amazing achievement without the help of some incredible businesses which have been taking on, and discovering the benefits, of having an apprentice.
If you and your business would like to pledge to discover the benefits of having an apprentice, follow this link to find out more!
Sir Paul Phillips, Principal and CEO of the college, commented on this achievement: “We are thrilled that 167 apprentices have already been enrolled. Throughout the campaign we have worked closely with our employer network, and it has been fantastic to offer apprenticeships with new companies as well. Apprenticeships are equally as beneficial for the employer as they are for the learner, and we want to be able to showcase this through this campaign. We cannot wait to watch the development of their workplace skills, and we’re honoured to give them the opportunity to create their brighter futures with us.”
Two Weston College Engineering Apprentices, Anisha and Owen, have been shortlisted for Insider Media’s, Made in the South West Awards 2022.
The event, which is taking place on the 3rd November at Bristol Harbour Hotel and Spa, showcases manufacturing from across the South West and gives the region's companies the opportunity to celebrate their commitment to world class quality and excellence.
Anisha and Owen are both apprentices with Airbus, and are shortlisted for the Apprentice of the Year category.
Owen, who moved from Pembrokeshire to complete this specific apprenticeship, said: “I’m feeling really proud to be nominated, and I’m not sure how I managed it, but I’m really looking forward to the evening.
“This apprenticeship with Airbus is something that I have always wanted to do – I even moved from Pembrokeshire at 17 years old, just for this specific role; so to be shortlisted for this award really means a lot to me.
“So far I’ve had many highlights but what stands out to me is being involved in an economic impact event. This meant I was speaking to MPs, heads of companies, senior management at Airbus. It really was a good experience.
“To be shortlisted itself is a massive honour, so win or lose I’m happy.”
Sir Paul Phillips, Principal and Chief Executive of the Weston College Group, added: “I’d like to offer my congratulations to Anisha and Owen, who have both been superb apprentices.
“They have both shown fantastic commitment on their apprenticeship, and we have been really impressed with the progress that they are making.
“Apprenticeships are a fantastic vehicle for people to develop their skills, grow their knowledge, and earn while they learn. Both Anisha and Owen have been the perfect examples of apprenticeships working in action, and would be very worthy winners of this award.”
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.
