Peter Misson, 50, of Locking Road, was reluctant to come on the Changes course - aimed at those making the transition from Incapacity Benefit and Employment Support Allowance - because he suffers from dyslexia and hasn’t worked for a long time.

But after completing the course at the College’s Training Solutions in Locking Road, Peter has now gone on to a higher course and hopes either to enter employment or full-time education.

“I didn’t want to come on the course at all,” he said, “because I felt I wasn’t good around people and found it hard to engage. But after just two weeks I found my attitude had changed tremendously. I always thought I’d struggle in groups, but the others on the course, and the staff, were fantastic to be with.”

Peter, a former warehouse manager, said the Weston College staff had been ‘very understanding’, which had given him the confidence to think he could break out of the benefits cycle.

“They helped me to realise that I was capable of being around people and actually enjoy that,” he said. “I’ve now got my CV up together, plus a covering letter, and I’m thinking about a much brighter future.”

Changes is a four week course focusing on several areas including IT, Healthy Eating, Employability Skills and Volunteering. The course culminates with an event the participants organise themselves.

Peter has now gone on to the College’s Aspire course, which teaches employability skills. “Weston College has changed my life,” he said. “I feel much more confident and I’ve really surprised myself.”

Laura Leadbetter, Peter’s Trainer Assessor on the Changes course, said his story was just one of a number of similar transformational stories resulting from the course.

“Some of the learners have been off work a long time, and have suffered from various illnesses which have kept them away from work. However, there has been a tremendous amount of positivity around Changes and because we treat people as individuals we find we get excellent results, as with Peter. He enjoyed the course so much he asked if he could do it again!

“We wish him all the best of luck for his future.”

Personal Statement Basics

The personal statement is the most important part of your application. If you are applying for a course that does not require an interview, the admissions team will be making a decision mostly based on your statement. If you are applying for a course that does have an interview, then the admissions team will decide whether to put you through to interview based on the statement, so either way it is really important. But don’t see it as a threat – it’s a great chance for you to let the university know why you are so motivated to study that subject and how you have developed that interest.

The maximum length is 4000 characters including spaces, which is around 500-700 words depending on how long your words are. Make sure you aren’t over the character count as UCAS will cut you off once it reaches 4000. If you’re struggling to keep within the character count, ask ASPECT to take a look and try and cut it down for you. It should be in paragraphs and have a clear introduction and conclusion; it should be written as an essay rather than a letter. 75% of your statement should be about your motivation to study the subject and how you have developed this interest and your relevant skills through college and work experience, and then 25% is about your extra activities.

What goes in the personal statement?

Make sure you keep your statement content really relevant to the subject you are applying for. You should write about your current course and any other courses you have done that are relevant, and mention your work experience. If you have done extra reading around the subject you are applying for or have attended lectures that have added to your interest, the university would love to know how these have inspired you.

Remember not to just explain what you did, but also make it clear to the university what knowledge and skills you have gained from each experience. Which modules on your course have been really good preparation for the degree you’re applying for? Did you get so inspired by a lesson you then researched into the subject in your own time? How have you developed your teamwork and leadership skills in your part time job? Really let the university know how these experiences have prepared you for university study.

Using the ABC Method will help you check that you are expanding enough on the points you are making.

A – Activity (e.g. module on your course, work experience, Duke Edinburgh award)
B – Benefit (e.g. the skills or knowledge you gained from the experience)
C – Course (e.g. how has this prepared you for the degree you’re applying for?)

C is the really important part for the university, so make sure you always relate back to the degree you’re applying for.

Top Tips

Here are some top tips for writing your personal statement that will hopefully help refine your statement:

Write a plan first – do a mind map with different sections for each paragraph and then use the ABC method to expand your points
Read examples, but don’t copy – there are loads of example personal statement on the internet which can be great for ideas, but don’t copy as UCAS have a plagiarism filter
Use the documents on SharePoint to help you – there are guides and presentations on SharePoint to help you with your statement so make sure you are making the most of them
You don’t need to write it in order – if you’re struggling with the introduction write another paragraph first and come back to the introduction later
Be specific – rather than listing every single thing you’ve done, it’s more important to let the university know what skills and knowledge you have gained from your experience
Be positive – the universities want to know you are passionate about the subject you’re applying for, so use positive words and show how much you love this subject!
Ask for help if you’re struggling – remember that the ASPECT team are here to help

University Centre Weston (UCW) students approve of how the institution delivers higher education, according to the results of this year’s National Student Survey.

Students awarded UCW a score of 88 per cent in the category of ‘overall satisfaction’; above the average of 86 per cent for all of the university-level education providers in Britain.

The figure represents the third year in a row that UCW, which delivers its degrees in partnership with Bath Spa University and UWE Bristol, has improved its score in this key benchmark.

UCW is also in the top 25 per cent of higher education institutions in Britain for its ratings in the categories of ‘assessment and feedback’, ‘academic support’ and ‘personal development’.

Its Applied Computing, Business with Management, Early Years, Music Production and Musical Theatre foundation degrees received overall satisfaction scores of 100 per cent.

UCW student Becca Arlington, pictured, said: “I am not surprised that University Centre Weston's National Student Survey results are so high as I have loved my time here and have seen UCW go from strength to strength.
“The ethos of constant enhancement has been evident throughout my three years of study, and I am certainly very proud to have been a part of this phase of growth at UCW.” 

More than 300,000 final-year UK undergraduates responded to this year’s National Student Survey, which is conducted by independent research company Ipsos MORI.

UCW still has a limited number of places available on its more than 35 foundation and top-up degrees starting this September.

So, you’ve found the job that’s right for you, you’ve applied, and now you have to go to an interview…

This is a scenario most people will find themselves in, and one of our aims is to ensure that our students leave Weston College with the qualifications that employers look for as well as the soft skills such as interview techniques that will put them ahead of the rest when applying for a job.

We have plenty of experience when it comes to employment. Weston College itself is one of the largest employers in the region, which means we’re well versed when it comes to providing interview advice and guidance.

Here are our top tips for interview candidates…

Find out about the employer

The more you know about an employer, the closer you will be to understanding the company’s ethos and skills requirements. You’ll have a better understanding about what the business expects than other candidates. Doing background research into a company also shows that you like to be prepared and are willing to put effort into your work. Knowing about the employer may also come in handy during the interview.

Think about the questions you’re likely to be asked

It’s impossible to tell for sure what questions you’ll be asked at an interview, however some questions are more likely to come up than others. At your interview you’ll be asked some specific questions about the job as well as some more generic ones. Click here to find out the frequently asked interview questions and how to answer them.

If the job you are being interviewed for requires certain skills or qualities, think about the key points that make you the ideal candidate.

Dress to impress

First impressions count, and it’s always good practice to dress professionally when attending a job interview. Not every interview requires a suit – a general rule is to think about the dress code that the workplace has and aim to dress one level higher.

For example: if the dress code is casual, go one step higher and wear smart casual such as a shirt and tie.

Arrive on time and come prepared

There is no better way to spoil your chances at getting a job than arriving to the interview late. Arriving early means you can benefit from getting a feel of the organisation and will give you some time to calm down and mentally prepare for the interview.

Make sure you bring some extra copies of your CV, a pad of paper, and a couple of pens just in case you want to take notes. If you have one to hand, a portfolio of your work could also put you ahead of the other candidates.

The first impression is often the most important

You only get one chance to make a first impression, but studies show that the first impression is often the most important. When going to a job interview, try to be as polite as possible to everyone you meet, regardless of their job.

When you meet the interviewer, shake their hand, smile and make eye contact.

Give concise answers

Pay attention to the questions being asked and your communication style, and try to give concise answers. When you enter the interview, you should already have an idea of the more general questions they might ask and how to answer them. Click here to find out about the most common generic questions and how to construct your answer.

You should also have thought about the key points that will put you ahead of the competition. Try to refer back to these points in your answers and aim to mention all of them.

Think about your body language

80% of how we communicate is non-verbal, and body language plays a huge part in how we come across during an interview. Although you may be nervous, try not to fidget or sit in an awkward position.

Smiling, making eye contact, and nodding when listening to the interviewer are an effective way to use body language to your benefit.

Thank the interview panel

This is common courtesy, but interview candidates often forget about this simple and effective way to end the interview.

Just like first impressions, the impression you make as you leave has a lasting impression on the interviewers.

Want more advice and guidance?

If you’re a Weston College student you can contact the ASPECT team for more helpful careers guidance.

If you’re not currently a student, the College has a variety of courses to teach you how to succeed at an interview.

Click here to find out more.

Thursday 1st February was national ‘Time to Talk’ day, dedicated to encouraging everyone across the country to begin opening up and starting important conversations about Mental Health. As part of this, Weston College launched a new exciting partnership with an online support service called ‘Togetherall’.

All Weston College students can now access free online support with Togetherall (www.togetherall.com). Whether students are struggling to sleep, feeling low, stressed or not coping, Togetherall can help them get support, take control and feel better. At any time of the day, all around the clock.

Togetherall provides 24/7 online peer and professional support in addition to providing a safe space online to get things off your chest, explore your feelings and learn how to improve and self-manage your mental health and wellbeing. It is run and monitored by professional psychiatrists and allows the College’s students to explore ways to better manage stress, worry and general wellbeing.

To sign in, all students have to do is use their Weston College log in. The College has invested in a year’s subscription to this service, and is one of only 13 pioneering colleges in the country to do so.

Georgie Amos-Ford, Lead Specialist Practitioner in Mental Health at Weston College, said: “Togetherall reflects the changing dynamics of the mental health needs of students’ and allows a proactive approach to positive wellbeing. Mental Health needs arise 24/7 and Big White Wall provides support for students outside of college hours utilising the technology that is so familiar to them.

“We hope that Togetherall will have a big impact within the college and allow all of our learners to reach their full potential, emotionally and academically.”

For more information, go to: www.togetherall.com

Exams are just around the corner and revision is getting into full flow. We want to help make the process as painless as possible for you, so we have looked into 5 revision apps which you can download right now to get you prepared for exam season...

Gojimo

Gojimo was created by the Telegraph and is the UK’s most popular revision app, giving you access to over 40,000 practice questions. This app covers a wide range of subjects, from exam boards such as AQA, CCEA, Edexcel, OCR and WJEC. The app features questions from 28 GCSE subjects, and 20 A Level subjects, giving you a great platform to prepare for your exams. 

The app is also a great tool to track your progress, and by taking the quizzes it can be a fun way of revising. It will give you instant feedback and also detailed explanations which can help you learn from your mistakes. 

Quizlet

Quizlet allows you to create study sets and according to research 95% of students who learn with Quizlet improved their results. Through Quizlet you can access revision cards which have already been made, or you can create your own to share with your friends. There are also games which offer a different way to test your skills and learn new information.

Revision App

The suitably named app has over one million revision notes, flashcards and quizzes. If you are a visual learner then you can also watch videos, allowing you to go back over any topics that you don’t feel quite so confident with. By offering such a variety of tools, this app will help ensure you feel suitably prepared for your exams. 

This app makes it easier for store all your revision tools in one place, as you can tailor the app to your courses and level.

SelfControl

If you are a procrastinator then this app will allow you to make more effective use of your time. SelfControl blocks websites in a set time period to stop the temptation of checking your newsfeeds and helps you to put your full focus on the task at hand.

Simple Mind

This app gives you the chance to create mind maps, it is easy to use and allows you to colour code, add images and keep all the vital information you need in one easily accessible place. An advantage of this app is that you can use it across platforms, so whether it be on your computer at home, or on your phone whilst out and about, this is a great revision tool.

On Monday 2nd July, Weston College’s Rolls-Royce apprentices took a trip to the famous RAF Brize Norton in Oxfordshire. The apprentices are training to be aircraft engine fitters and this was a great opportunity for them to see up close the engines that Rolls-Royce produce on the airfield at an RAF base.

The students got to view an Airbus 330, an A400M and then had the privilege of going on board a Hercules C130J for a closer look! This gave them the chance to see the Rolls Royce engines in a real life situation. They also witnessed an Osprey aircraft doing some manoeuvres above the air field.

The students that visited the site have spent the first year at Weston College’s South West Skills Campus undertaking their Rolls-Royce Engineering Apprenticeships taking a mixture of academic subjects and hands on engineering workshop training. The College prides itself on delivering training specific to each company it works with and opportunities to visit places such as Brize Norton further enrich the students’ experience on their course.

Mick Jones, Aerospace Lecturer at Weston College said “All the students really enjoyed the trip and felt they had a greater appreciation of where all the work they do at Filton ends up, plus they could see first-hand why the quality of their work is so important! “

If you are interested in becoming a Rolls-Royce Apprentice please contact our Apprenticeship Team on 01934 411594 or click here to find out more.

Weston College has been awarded a prestigious accreditation after a comprehensive evaluation of staff satisfaction.

‘Best Companies’, who compile ‘The Sunday Times Best Companies to Work For’ lists gave the College a two-star accreditation after carrying out an exhaustive survey of staff.

The survey is a set of 70 academically designed questions based on eight ‘factors of workplace engagement’. The questions are confidential, so respondents are free to be completely honest.

When the survey’s complete, organisations receive a Best Companies Index (BCI) score – which is Best Companies’ unique measure of workplace engagement.

To earn its rating, the College had to show evidence of ‘outstanding’ commitment to workplace engagement. The accreditation tells clients, partners, investors and employees that the organisation understands the importance of workplace engagement and genuinely values its people.

Dr Paul Phillips CBE, Weston College’s Principal and CEO, said: “Best Companies are the experts in gauging the multitude of factors that separate good employers from the rest.

“To achieve the two-star accreditation is a significant achievement and speaks volumes of what our staff think about working for the College. We are one of the top-performing colleges in the UK and my staff are key to that success.

“It’s no secret that FE providers across the country are feeling the pinch from repeated and prolonged budget cuts. But, nonetheless, we're continually investing in our staff.

"We understand the importance of remunerating staff who perform well, and making them feel valued – or you run the risk of losing them, to the detriment of your learners.”

Alongside this accolade the College has also been awarded the Investors in People (IIP) Gold Standard, which is held by less than 2% of UK businesses and demonstrates commitment to invest in staff to improve performance. The College is also an Investors in People ‘Champion’ – a prestigious award given to IIP role models.

Weston College has been named ‘Provider of the Year’ at a national awards ceremony that celebrates outstanding achievement in developing English and maths skills.

Representatives of the College received the prestigious prize at The Skills Awards at Leicester City FC’s King Power Stadium.

The Provider of the Year award recognises “pioneering innovation, excellence and effectiveness” in the College’s English and maths teaching and outcomes.

The Skills Awards are hosted by BKSB, a company that develops interactive products to improve English, maths and ICT skills.

The awards are designed to reward the quality and diversity of educational delivery and achievement in the best educational establishments. They also recognise the most dedicated members of the teaching profession and their learners.

Dr Paul Phillips CBE, Principal and Chief Executive of Weston College Group, said: “We’re delighted that our English and maths provision has been recognised on the national stage.

“English and maths skills are vital to the prospects of all individuals for their education, career prospects and day-to-day living, and are quite rightly high at the Government’s agenda.

“This award highlights the priority we place on equipping learners with those skills, and also the quality of the tutors we're fortunate to have at the College.”