Weston College has been announced as the national winner of the prestigious Jisc Award for Effective Use of Digital Technology in Further Education and The Careers and Enterprise Company for Innovation in Careers and Enterprise Award.

The Association of Colleges’ Beacon Awards celebrate the best and most innovative practice among UK colleges each year.

The Digital Technology award supported by Jisc celebrates an outstanding example of the use of technology designed to improve the student experience in a digital age. Weston College’s cloud-first EdTech strategy has empowered a forward-thinking organisation seeking to answer the post-pandemic question “what next?”.

Since 2016 the College has committed to integrating cloud technologies to enhance connectivity/flexibility and accessibility within teaching/learning and working. These technologies enabled the College to build learner-centric online communities and significantly improve the digital capabilities of staff and students. It also saw the College creating the UK’s first Virtual Classroom.

The second award supported by the Careers and Enterprise Company recognises, celebrates, and promotes examples of outstanding and innovative careers leadership and practice. The College was commended on its vision to mainstreaming careers excellence through a ‘whole college’ approach, to nurture talent for all learners regardless of their starting point in life.

Prior to COVID the College had already cemented a highly inclusive ‘careers not courses’ ethos through significant investment from the Principal, Dr Paul Phillips CBE in redesigning the careers programme, the creation of a highly expansive careers partnership model and by impressive CPD to create L6 Careers, Education, Information, Advice and Guidance (CEIAG) advisors. In lockdown, the work also benefited from significant career technology leadership such as becoming a Microsoft Showcase College and being able to flick the switch as the first FE College to offer remote MS Teams CEIAG, with timetables seamlessly moved across within 7 days of closure.

Weston College’s strategy also showed real careers agility in responding to the upskilling needs of the FE White Paper and in meeting the unprecedented student demand for careers exploration post lockdown - with the roll out of its dynamic Careers Excellence Hub model, where each faculty (14 in total) have signed its Careers Excellence Hub Charter – putting careers at the heart of its strategic plan by ‘making careers everyone’s business.’

The College’s Chair of Governor’s Andrew Leighton Price commented:

“To be recognised on such a national stage is a tremendous accolade for the College. As well as the two ‘wins’ we were also a finalist for The Edge Award for Excellence in Real World Learning, where the College was recognised for its transformational approach to making inclusive ‘real world’ learning a reality across the region using the College’s dynamic Institute of Technology model.

“Key to the College’s success has been the inspirational leadership from Dr Paul Phillips CBE, he has created a drive for entrepreneurship and ethos that puts the learner first in all that we do.”

Mark White, Chair of AoC’s Charitable Trust said: “The AoC Beacon Awards showcase exactly why colleges are so important to every community and why people value them. These awards recognise examples of excellent practical teaching and learning. The work of the winning college shows how important colleges are in providing students with the necessary skills for the real world.”

On May 12th Weston College will be hosting a Business Breakfast for regional employers and stakeholders, the event will reflect on actions being taken by the College, in response to the Government asking the education sector to bridge the skills gaps in order to progress the key national sustainability and social action agendas.

During the breakfast a number of speakers will illustrate activities relevant to the College, Careers and the Community, and discuss the College’s journey as an employer, as they put strategies in place to work towards Net Zero - adopting the College’s ethos of being green, lean and socially responsible.

Guests will also benefit from a perspective from keynote speaker, Chris Hines MBE Hon.D.Sc. Chris has been working and campaigning for the environment for 30 years and revels in inspiring positive change.

He was a co-founder and then Director of Surfers Against Sewage and then Sustainability Director at the Eden Project and was awarded an MBE for “services to the environment”.

Chris works on strategic planning, communications, leadership and embedding sustainability principles as part of a profitable business and strongly believes that business can be a force for good in a challenging world.

Dr Paul Phillips CBE commented: “Weston College are proud to be playing a key role in this agenda, working in partnership with North Somerset Council and other key organisations, on this important issue of progressing sustainability and social action for the region. This event will enable us to share our direction and work in partnership with our business community to make a difference. The College will also shortly be hosting a Sustainability Conference for its learners to bring together their thoughts and to share a direction for a greener, leaner and more socially responsible future.”

It was announced by Downing Street today (28th April 2022) that Rt Revd Michael Beasley will the next Bishop of Bath and Wells.

To celebrate the announcement, Bishop Michael has spent the day meeting people across Somerset, including a trip to Weston College, where he met four Sixth Form learners at Knightstone Campus.

Whilst meeting the students, there was a fascinating debate of science and religion, which was insightful for all involved.

One of the learners who attended the event, was A Levels student, Greg, who said: “It was interesting meeting the new Bishop. He gave us an understanding of his role and answered questions we had about his religion.”

Bishop Michael shared his joy in becoming the 80th Bishop of Bath and Wells and said he was looking forward to getting to know the people of Somerset: “I am delighted to becoming to be the Bishop of Bath and Wells and to joining with everyone in the diocese as together we live and tell the story of Jesus.

“We have strong family connections with Somerset and I’m very much looking forward to working alongside its people, communities and churches.

“We have all been through a challenging few years. The COVID pandemic pushed us all apart. Now is the time to come back together. Our churches have an essential role in helping us rebuild communities and in facing the challenges present to us both internationally and at home.”

Dr Paul Phillips CBE, Principal and Chief Executive of the Weston College Group, said of the visit: “It was a pleasure to welcome Bishop Michael to the College, and great that he took the time to meet with some of our students and hold an interesting discussion with them. From his visit it was clear how involved he is going to be with the local community, which is fantastic to see.”

Education and isn’t a “one size fits all” situation. People learn and thrive in different learning scenarios.

Those who perhaps struggled in a traditional learning system can really thrive when focusing on a single subject, working alongside like-minded people in smaller classes and having more creative freedom. 

Since graduating from the Graphic Design BA (hons) in 2021, UCW alumni Dan Swan now works as a Graphic Designer for multinational technology company Dyson (yes, THE vacuum cleaner company!) 

Before studying his degree, Will went to Weston College, studying Level 3 Graphic Design and Digital Arts UAL Extended Diploma. 

Dan said: “School was very difficult for me. School’s always pushing you to get your GCSE’s and doing exams and I think not having to do exams and not having to write as much, allows me to shine through my practical design work instead, which is a better representation of what I’m capable of. I came into Weston College just having like my own creative mind and yeah just trying to apply it some how.” 

Passing college with flying colours, Dan then went on to study at UCW, being the first in his household to go and get a degree. 

“When I started studying Graphic Design I kind of had the realisation, that was like ‘oh yeah THIS is going to be my job. 

“Design is a very broad concept to wrap your head around, and creativity is even broader. Having dyslexia, I learned so much more about why I am able to see and understand things the way I do. I think with images and I really don’t calculate words as well. I realised that I had the skillset for design prewired in my brain, knowing what I want to see because I can already see it in my head. I think that was something I learned quite early on in my degree. My degree helped me realise that I don’t have a learning difficulty, I have a learning difference. 

“At university, being able to try stuff, and just see if something doesn’t work – I mean for me, as like a visual learner, that helps me grow and learn rather than passing or failing in an exam situation. 

“I now see my dyslexia as a strength. I mean for anyone who knows that they have dyslexia and don’t feel like they are at the same level as everyone else… it’s because they’re comparing themselves to other people with different strengths. You have strengths, they’re just completely somewhere else.”

The Graphic Design BA (hons) is a full-time Level 6 degree course, taught in Weston-super-Mare delivered in partnership through Bath Spa University. Dan graduated this course with a First Class Honours… 

“I don’t think I could’ve really done it without the support of some of the staff here, and also the support of friends for feedback on work. 

“You need to be able to learn from the people around you, I think something I’ve heard once before was that you always want to be the dumbest person in the room so you can just learn and sponge from people. 

“The technicians at Loxton Campus, were astronomical. They were so good at helping me I can’t thank them all enough. Tracy, Nick and Ash, Charlie – they all had the time for me, because I was ready to apply myself and say ‘I want to do this, how do I do it? Can you tell me how, can you show me how, what should I do?’. They were always really nice and used their expertise to help me improve my practical and digital design skills.”

With a job at Dyson lined up thanks to meeting a contact and hearing about the opportunity through his course, Dan is now working in the industry… 

“At first I was very anxious going to a job, how different it would be, the pressure going on but the desire and passion to do the work, I think that’s what pushed me and made me ready. 

“The subjects we covered in uni really set me up for my career. The core values of design are shared through most things, you can be designing for an editorial piece or maybe a magazine cover and now I’m designing stuff for the application that I’m using now which is the same sort of concept, but just different ruleset that you can follow. 

“The facilities helped too. I was quite impressed when I first came here as a College student because I’d seen anything like it before. I’d never tried any sort of traditional print method but now I understand loads more methods that I can bring into my work. For example all the different sorts of lino printing and using the roller press, it was just so exciting to do to see what textures come out. Being able to use those practices and then try it for myself to see what I like the most. It was a great way to learn.”

Huge thanks to Dan for sharing your journey with us. We hope you continue to thrive in your job and can’t wait to check back in and see your career progressing! A very bright future ahead. 

Click here to learn more about our Graphic Design BA (hons) degree programme

The Department of Education’s sustainability and climate change strategy issued yesterday sets out the government’s clear vision for green skills across England and highlights how education and Colleges in particular with green apprenticeships, can lead the way in terms of both upskilling young people and adults to take advantage of ‘green jobs’.

Weston College has long been a champion of sustainability and social action, with all new campuses designed to BREEAM standard, and renewable technologies built into its teaching infrastructure as early as 2013 at its South West Skills Campus (Construction Centre of Excellence) for students to see sustainable construction in action – first hand.

In response to the strategy, Dr Paul Phillips CBE said ‘At Weston we are already upskilling to meet this key agenda for our young people and adults and welcome the approach shown by the government. We are also helping businesses navigate towards ‘Net Zero’ as the lead for the West of England Institute of Technology (WEIoT). One of the ways we are doing this, is   through the WEIoT’s new Advanced Engineering campus, built within GKN’s new cutting edge Global Technology Centre. Based within Bristol’s aerospace heartland, it is a unique place to study as part of our higher technical skills engineering  apprenticeships, where students can learn about the decarbonisation of flight, and see the latest engineering technologies being used as they unfold for greener aviation.

The College’s ethos however, is that we also recognise that the talent needed to solve the global climate change crisis, will come from all backgrounds. More importantly, we also see that ‘green jobs’ are a great chance to level up and want to ensure that our green skills agenda is as inclusive as possible.

To this extent, learners from the Inclusive Practice faculty recently took part in an  Environmental Awareness Learner Conference. With a sustainable spotlight, this event saw learners with special educational needs and disabilities taking part in a carousel of thought-provoking games and engaging challenges to teach young people about everyday environmental impact and planet protecting, through interactive workshops and problem solving activities.’

The College is hosting its Sustainability Business Breakfast on the 12th May at the Winter Gardens Pavilion to share practice, working with key employers to build a strong network for climate change collaboration to benefit the region as a whole. The event will also mark the launch of its new ‘Sustainability and Social Action Framework.’

Here at Weston College, we take great pride in prioritising industry experience over teaching backgrounds. This means our staff bring relevant stories from the world of work as well as valuable insights and connections into the classroom to maximise the career-boosting qualities of our courses. Afterall, we’re all about shaping careers and not just courses! 

However, this ethos is not just exclusive to our teaching staff... Our talented team of creative technicians at Loxton Campus play essential roles, providing specific expertise to support learners to develop their techniques. 

A recent edition to the Film and TV Production team is technician Kate Heaney. Joining the Digital Design department in 2021, Kate brings an invaluable wealth of knowledge gained from her impressive resume thanks to her diverse experience in the media industry. 

Having studied Film & Television Production at the University of Westminster, Kate started working mostly as a Clapper/Loader or camera assistant on short films in London before ceasing the opportunity to move to Dubai for work after visiting on holiday! 

She commented: “I loved working in Dubai! I started out working for a photography and videography studio who were in desperate need of a female video editor as they started to shoot ladies only events and weddings. I had so many amazing opportunities whilst I was out there, as I also worked on all sorts of projects from weddings to corporate and fashion/events.” 

After being promoted to Senior Videographer, Kate won a prestigious contract with Ritz-Carlton, shooting architectural videos for their hotels in Moscow, Bahrain, Muscat, and Abu Dhabi.  

To get a better idea of some of the things she worked on, take a look at Kate’s stunning showreel: 

Kate continued: “I then decided to go freelance and managed to get on the royal wedding circuit and shot as part of a team for the royal family in Saudi Arabia, UAE and Kuwait. I did this for about 3 years before returning to the UK (Spending around 6 years working in the Middle East overall).  

 “Working for the Royal family, and winning the contract for the Ritz-Carlton hotel group were definitely highlights for me.”  

After retuning to the UK and working in school photography, Kate decided to come and work for Weston College to accept a new challenge and work within a team again. 

Kate said “It's great how every day is different as a technician. Seeing the projects students are working on is so interesting as it is a completely different experience in comparison to the courses I studied when I was younger. Technology is always changing and its refreshing to see the courses here keeping up it in more ways than one. 

“I'm so impressed by the equipment that the department has. Everything is industry standard which is amazing for the students to have access to in order to properly prepare them for the world of work. 

“My advice to learners is to explore all avenues within the industry. Some are vastly different and if one is not for you there are so many other types of photography/videography/filmmaking you can get into!” 

What amazing accolades. Thank-you to Kate for sharing your story and continuing to help our learners reach their full potential. 

Kate assists students studying the following courses. Click each course to learn more:

Level 2 Creative Media Production, UAL Diploma

Level 3 Media Production, UAL Extended Diploma

Level 3 Photography, UAL Extended Diploma

Media A Level

Media and Photography Degree Programmes at University Centre Weston

Apprenticeships and Traineeships can often be confusing to understand, so we sat down with Sophie who is the new Apprenticeship/Traineeship Recruitment Advisor for Weston College.

Sophie went through both a Traineeship and Apprenticeship on her way to this exciting new position so she knows all of the ins and outs of both programmes. We asked her a few questions about her experience.

Who are you and what is your job role?

My name is Sophie Adams and I am the new Apprenticeship/Traineeship Recruitment Advisor for Weston College.

Why did you decide to do a traineeship?

I decided to do a Traineeship as I wanted to gain my Maths qualification and further develop employability skills to be more employable to employers. Long term I wanted to do an apprenticeship, but I felt like I wasn’t being noticed when applying for Apprenticeships as I lacked experience and struggled with interviews and application forms. The Traineeship helped me get noticed and supported me with ensuring I had the right skills, knowledge and experience in order to be successful with my next career step.

What did you progress on to?

I progressed onto a Level 2 Business Administration Apprenticeship with Weston College after completing three weeks of work experience.

What did you learn on your apprenticeship and how are you using those skills now?

I chose to do a Business Admin Apprenticeship as the skills I would be learning were really transferrable. Most jobs require the skills that I learnt on my Apprenticeship, and this opened up more options for me for after I completed my apprenticeship and gained employment.

I learnt to build my soft skills which included time management, teamwork, communication, positive thinking and self-motivation. I use this in my day-to-day life and in my current role as a Recruitment Advisor.

As well as building my soft skills I also further developed my hard skills which were more job related skills, this included Computer skills, Microsoft Office skills, public speaking, writing skills and technical skills all of which I use in my current role.

How has your apprenticeship helped you to develop into the role you’re in now?

An apprenticeship is an amazing opportunity for you to learn new things and get straight out into the world of work, all whilst gaining a nationally recognised qualification! Doing an apprenticeship is also the perfect alternative to university or college if you feel as though these options aren’t quite right for you.

An apprenticeship benefited my career massively and gave me a foot in the door with an outstanding employer. This has developed from me being an apprentice to a support worker and now my current role. Without doing a Traineeship or an apprenticeship I would still lack skills and experience to be able to secure employment with a company and progress within one too.

What is your current role and what support do you offer?

My role is to manage Traineeship referrals and ensure learners are supported onto the Traineeship and are ready to start. I also attend events and manage traineeship vacancies.

Why should people get in touch and access support?

Traineeships are fully funded and for anyone aged 16-24 or 25 with an Education and Health Care Plan. The future depends on what you do today so if you are unsure of what to do with your career but want to gain employment or start an apprenticeship or even get back into education then a Traineeship is perfect for you.

What would you say to someone considering a traineeship or apprenticeship?

Looking back, I’m so glad I did a traineeship, and I would recommend this to anyone who needs that little extra support or are unsure of their next steps and what their future holds. Traineeships put me on the right path for success and I am so glad I decided on this route for my career.

How can anyone get in touch with you and your team?

If you are interested in a Traineeship or would like to discuss this further please send an email to traineeship.enquiries@weston.ac.uk and I will be in touch.

Thanks so much to Sophie for speaking to us about her experience going through a traineeship and apprenticeship, clearly it’s been a great experience! We know she’ll do great in her new role and help plenty of future trainees!

Weston College music alumni Kezia Povey was recently a contestant on ITVs singing performance show “Starstruck”, hosted by Olly Murs. 

In the vein of “Stars in their eyes”, Starstruck sees members of the public transformed into famous music icons, performing their classic hits to impress a panel of star-studded judges and win a cash prize.  

Since finishing her Level 3 Extended Diploma in Music Performance and Production at Weston College, Kezia has been writing and releasing music whilst singing at a local holiday park. 

The 19-year-old singer added: “I was approached on Instagram during lockdown last year as I post lots of singing vids on my social media. I then did a zoom audition which led to a producers audition in London. I wasn’t sure of the format or what the show was about - just that it was going to be an ITV prime time singing show! So I knew it would be a good opportunity.” 

After this lengthy audition process, Kezia’s sensational singing skills earned her a slot on the show where she became American pop super-star Miley Cyrus. Kezia shared the stage with two other Miley mimics, each embodying a different era of her career whilst sporting the singer’s signature raspy vocal style. 

Kezia continued: “Miley has a very distinct voice - funnily enough I have done a couple of Miley covers before, including one for a college project and have been told I have a similar sound to her. I have been told I look like her too!" 

The show featuring Kezia aired on ITV’s prime-time slot on Saturday March 26th.  

Although the talented trio just missed out on the final spot, the Cyrus singers were highly commended for their performance of "Midnight Sky" by judges Sheridan Smith, Adam Lambert, Beverley Knight and Jason Manford for their extreme talents in bringing the pop-star to life.

 

 

 

 

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A post shared by Kezia Povey?? (@keziapovey)

Somewhat unsurprisingly, this is not Kezia’s first time singing on TV as she also appeared in ITV’s X Factor in 2018 when she was just 15, making it through the auditions with 4 “yes’” from the judges. 

Speaking about her return to national television, Kezia said:  

"The whole experience was great. I’ve loved my TV appearances, it’s a very surreal experience, especially meeting the judges.  

"Talking to Olly Murs was also amazing, he’s so nice and really puts everyone at ease. Knowing he’s been through being judged on a tv show too is really reassuring.  

"This show was all about having fun, transforming in to your idols and just an all round feel good Saturday night family show. I learnt a lot from the vocal coaches and of course the choreographers about working the stage and making the most of the performance."   

Starstruck has now concluded and had a staggering 4.7 million viewers, warranting its renewal for a second season. You can watch her full performance on the show here. 

Previously studying at Priory School, Kezia joined the Weston College Music department and quickly impressed peers and staff with her epic vocal abilities as she studied the Level 3 Extended Diploma in Music Performance and Production.  

She added: “My experiences at Weston college helped me learn the kind of direction I wanted to take with music. It gave me great experiences working with other musicians and using the great facilities that are within the music department at Loxton Campus. 

I loved my time at Weston college, performing with the other musicians on the course was my favourite part and doing gigs with a live band is still my favourite type of performance."

A well-deserved recognition for such a talented young person with a bright future ahead! We’d like to with Kezia the best of luck as she continues writing, releasing and recording music regularly in London. 

Click to:

• Hear Kezia's latest single "So Lovely"
• Discover our range of music courses
• Learn about the Music degree course taught in Weston-super-Mare