Weston College is sponsoring the brand-new initiative, The North Somerset Business Show, which is being organised by County Business Shows Ltd.

The North Somerset Business Show is a festival of business and innovation, which explores topical issues, all with the aim of supporting local employers.

The action-packed event is taking place at the Winter Gardens in Weston-super-Mare, on Wednesday 23rd and Thursday 24th March. It will feature 32 skills sessions, where employers can gain a greater insight into key themes, such as:

• Skills – A Catalyst for Regional Growth
• Equality, Diversity and Inclusion
• Mental Health in the Workplace
• Digital Security – Better Resilient Business
• The Business Imperative of Net Zero
• Building Better Hybrid
• + many more

As well as the skills sessions, there is also a live business exhibition, with businesses of all sizes showcasing at the event.

Dave Crew, Head of Business Growth and Employer Engagement at Weston College, said: “We’re really excited that The North Somerset Business Show is coming to Weston.

“The line-up looks fantastic, with so many topics that will support local employers to address challenges in their organisation, embrace creative problem solving, and also to grow their business.”

Find out more about the events, and book your place, by visiting Eventbrite: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/o/county-business-shows-ltd-15454231628

***We’re encouraging students and staff to plant a tree for the Jubilee!***

Weston College has joined the national campaign to support The Queen’s Green Canopy (QGC) - a unique tree planting initiative created to mark Her Majesty’s Platinum Jubilee. Our first tree is now proudly planted outside the eco building at South West Skills Campus.

I am now running a student and staff competition for the best picture of you and your tree!  1st and 2nd Prize £100/£50 amazon vouchers.

All Weston College staff and students have free access to LinkedIn Learning, a video training platform for business, creative and technology skills. There are over 16,000 courses on LinkedIn Learning already, and new content is being added all the time. After completing courses, you can share your certificate on your LinkedIn profile to demonstrate your new skills and understanding. 

This week we are bringing you a round-up of some of the most useful LinkedIn Learning courses focused on workplace wellbeing, for both yourself and your colleagues. 

Personal Wellbeing 

Wellbeing in the Workplace 

In this course, explore practical techniques for alleviating anxiety, worry, stress, and other common mental health issues. Learn how to reduce worry, avoid burnout, increase happiness & gratitude, and more. 

Balancing Work and Life 

Learn how to have it all and enjoy it all by balancing your life and work. This talk explores smart strategies to make work a focus at work and give yourself time to enjoy your time at home. 

Mindful Stress Management 

Get a new approach to managing your relationship with on-the-job pressure with the power of mindfulness. You will learn strategies that can help you identify what causes you to feel pressure, how it gets expressed in your body, and how you can mitigate its negative effects. 

Wellbeing of Others 

Communicating with Emotional Intelligence 

Developing your emotional intelligence can help you succeed at any stage of your life or career. In this course, learn how to understand others’ perspectives, balance empathy and accountability, demonstrate listening, and respond appropriately. Using these simple techniques, you can quickly improve your communication and make conversations at work and home more productive and satisfying. 

How to Support Your Employees' Wellbeing 

When your employees are struggling with burnout, stress, work-life imbalance, and other challenges, how can you support them? In this course, UK-based instructor Amy Brann provides specific tools based to help you be a source of strength and support for your employees.  

Managers as Multipliers of Wellbeing 

Most adults spend the bulk of their waking hours at work. Why not leverage that time to improve their health and well-being? In this course, instructor Laura Putnam covers the business case for well-being and the critical role that managers play in empowering employees to engage with their well-being.

We hope you enjoy this selection of courses! To find out more about how you can use LinkedIn Learning to support your professional development, or that of your learners or employees, please visit our LinkedIn Learning SharePoint page or contact learningtech@weston.ac.uk.

Digifest is the UK’s leading learning and teaching edtech conference, annually it brings together the UK’s learning and teaching community to consider the next stage in the evolution of learning.

Run over two days in early March, Digifest shared and showcased digital learning successes, challenges and possibilities while looking ahead to the future education landscape. Its focus was on the issues that really matter, from embracing change and sustainability to the value of collaboration – always putting the student and learner first.

Weston College Group’s Principal and Chief Executive, Dr Paul Phillips CBE, took part in the ‘Shaping a sustainable future’ Digifest theme, which focused on how environmental, technological, and social trends are reshaping how and where students choose to learn and how the education sector can shape its sustainable future. This strand’s sessions was chaired by Steve Frampton, FE/HE Climate Commissioner and John O'Brien, President and CEO, EDUCAUSE and covered topics such as hybrid teaching, flexible learning spaces, developing smarter campuses and best practice in relation to net zero pledges.

The pandemic caused job losses across the country, and one person who was affected, Vernetta, decided she had to explore different training options to retrain for a new career.

The beginning of the pandemic was tough for Vernetta, as she was not only made redundant in a job that she loved, but also found out that she was pregnant.

“I thought, ‘Oh my gosh, I’m pregnant and unemployed, what am I going to do?’”

Her sister told her about a free Level 3 qualification (the equivalent of an A Level) in leadership and management at Weston College – this was part of the Government’s Free Courses for Jobs programme, helping everyone gain skills for life.

The course was part-time, which offered Vernetta flexibility, something that is really beneficial for many adults who are juggling family life, studying and part-time work.

“I’ve just had to be really self-disciplined. My family have all been rooting for me, and we’ve got a group on the course where we all support each other,” says Vernetta, who kept working towards the Level 3 qualification after finding employment, in order to widen her career options.

The leadership and management qualification is recognised by employers across multiple industries, offering a fantastic opportunity to upskill with its practical focus on how to manage projects, people and relationships.

“It’s really about expanding my knowledge. I’ve got experience of leadership and management but mostly from one sector.

“If you only know one way of working, you don’t get to see that there are other ways of doing things.

“My CV was really packed with experience but not with education. If I ever wanted to work in retail or real estate, I’d know different ways of leading and managing, thanks to the skills I’ve learnt from this course.”

Now she has gained the Level 3 qualification in leadership and management, there are doors open to Vernetta that were closed before. She has both the confidence and skills to go for promotions – and boost her salary.

Free Courses for Jobs is just one of the affordable routes funded by the Government to help people get skills for life. At Weston College we offer a number of routes that allow you to upskill, or reskill to enter a new industry, whether that be through earn-while-you-learn apprenticeships, or intensive Skills Bootcamps, all available to adults of any age.

For Vernetta, this opportunity to keep learning has been one of the best things about taking her course, alongside gaining the confidence to develop her career and forming some friendships along the way.

“You’re never too old to learn a new skill – so why not?”

Find out more information about how Weston College can support you, by clicking here.

Skills and work go hand in hand – throughout our lives we all need to boost our existing skills or gain new ones to get ahead in the changing world of work: it’s more important now than ever.

The new ‘Skills for Life’ website brings together hundreds of government-funded skills opportunities in one place. It promotes online learning options and free essential skills courses, such as numeracy, English and digital, sector specific qualifications, Skills Bootcamps, Free Courses for Jobs and in-work training, as well as personalised support and guidance from the National Careers Service.

From free careers advice and short courses, to advanced qualifications and on-the-job training, click on your area of interest below to start your Brighter Future today ...

Weston College has been offering the new T Level qualification over the last two academic years, and with more subjects coming on board, it is an exciting time for local school leavers who want to access the gold standard in technical education and gain practical industry experience whilst also studying in a classroom environment.

T Levels are an alternative to A Levels, but you study in just one subject area. The T Level also offers learners the opportunity to gain valuable experience through industry placements which lasts for at least 45 days.

T Levels are also popular amongst employers, who see the new qualification as a way of accessing future talent for their business. To prove their worth to open doors to employment each of Weston College’s T Levels are endorsed by employers, such as Belcan, Willmott Dixon, Eloquent Technologies and many more.

Learners that wish to go down the university route after completing their T Level are also catered for, with UCAS points on offer. Universities are recognising the importance of the skills on offer from T Levels, with UWE Bristol, endorsing Weston College’s T Level programmes.

Vice-Chancellor, President and Chief Executive Officer, at UWE Bristol, Professor Steve West, said: “We have been engaging with employers to try and gain a better understanding of what they are looking for as we progress learners through the education system. Working together has allowed us to think about different routes into higher education and higher education skills – and I am delighted to be able to support Weston College in their development of T Levels.

“T Levels are bringing together theory and practice, and engaging students in very different ways. It allows students to work closely with employers, and gives real life experiences outside of the curriculum, where students can apply knowledge and learn to adapt.

“As a university we will work with Weston College, through T Levels, by providing opportunities for students to come to the university and experience our facilities, and the opportunities that can flow as a result of them taking T Levels and progressing into the university.”

You can watch Professor Steve West’s full video, here.

To find out more about T Levels, and the opportunities on offer to you, click here.

Last week 15 construction learners had the opportunity to visit St Modwen’s Locking Mosslands site.

St Modwen are one of our Construction Career Excellence Hubs partners, which sees them:

• Co-design training provision
• Create an inspirational learning experience for our students
• Provide the skills training required for the construction industry.

Learners from across the construction provision were fortunate to be invited to the site tour, with learners studying brickwork and carpentry in attendance.

St Modwen have also committed their support to our construction provision, by providing 28 learners with a three-day onsite experience, from March.

Subject Area Manager for Construction, Richard Hanney, said: “I’d like to thank St Modwen for this fantastic opportunity.

“Our learners really enjoyed the experience and having the opportunity to see a real site in action is going to really benefit their learning. Learners have also mentioned how inspired they were by the visit, and this is why it is so critical for us to connect industry with education through our Career Excellence Hubs.

“We look forward to seeing our learners gaining valuable work experience and seeing them grow their skills through this fantastic partnership.”

You can find out more about our construction offer, by clicking here.

Weston College Career Excellence Hub endorser, Abatec Recruitment, challenged our learners to design a mural for Abatec House.

In order for the learners to be successful they had to follow a brief, design something that incorporated Abatec Recruitment’s ethos and branding, and finally, present their ideas in a Dragons Den style.

With over 20 entries, and a very high standard to choose from, two learners were crowned victorious, Chloe Parker and Lilly Greer.

Rob Dyer, Director at Abatec Recruitment, said: “We have been really impressed with that standard of work from these entries.

“All of the learners that took part did a great job, and it was very difficult to choose one winner, so we have decided to display two murals.

“I just wanted to say a huge thank you to everyone that took part, and congratulations to both Chloe and Lilly, who’s murals have helped to invigorate our offices!”

Dr Paul Phillips CBE, Principal and Chief Executive of Weston College Group, added: “We’re so proud of our learners, who showcased their skills and creativity to a really high standard.

“I’d like to extend my congratulations to Chloe and Lilly, their final pieces were highly impressive.”

If you’d like to find out how you can engage with our learners, contact us via email: employers@weston.ac.uk.