City & Guilds Group recently published a report, entitled ‘People Power’, exploring how employers are, and will be, affected by the UK Skills Gap. They polled over 1000 employers and found that 89% struggled to recruit the skilled staff they need. They also felt that the UK education system was failing to create the skills required, with 38% stating this as the reason they struggle to recruit. Closing the skills gap certainly isn’t going to be an easy fix, but there are lots of ways Weston College are tackling the issue.

As a college, we pride ourselves in preparing our learners not just for exams and assessments, but for the workplace. This is reflected in our facilities, which mimic real life workplaces. Some operate as commercial businesses, for example our Hair and Beauty Centre and The Grove Restaurant. This opportunity to work with real customers develops our learners’ transferrable skills, such as teamwork and communication, as well as their sector specific skills.

We are continuing to develop this provision with our new Health and Active Living Skills Centre, which will create teaching environments for health and social care learners. According to the People Power report, care workers and nurses will grow the most as occupations over the next 6 years. Our facility will offer courses from Level 1 to degree-level, with the aim to address the current and future skills shortage within the healthcare workforce.

One of our key values as a college is to be responsive to the needs of businesses and the community, and, in reflection of this, the new centre was designed in consultation with health sector employers. Dr Paul Phillips CBE, Principal and Chief Executive of the Weston College Group, said: “The development will bring together the College’s health and social care, sports therapy and active living curricula into one bespoke facility, which will benefit our students as well as the wider community.

As well as providing qualifications to people new to the healthcare sector, the Health and Active Living Skills Centre will also work with local and regional employers to upskill and retrain their existing staff.”

Weston College learners benefit not only from these facilities, but also from outstanding teaching staff who are experts in their field. Many of our staff come from industry, and are in fact still working in their trades, so are able to transfer skills to our learners required not just by the syllabus, but by employers. They work to develop a curriculum, which reflects local and national trends in terms of employment, which is particularly apparent in our apprenticeship provision.

The School of Food Apprenticeship scheme, will seek to address the recruitment gap in the local catering and hospitality industry. On this scheme, apprentices attend weekly masterclasses with professional chefs, offering them the opportunity to develop current and competitive skills.

In addition to their study programme, Weston College learners receive Careers Information, Advice and Guidance (IAG) from their in-house award winning ASPECT team. Through the employability tutorial programme, learners have the opportunity to explore their career options and improve their skills in areas such as job applications and interviews. The team also offer 1:1 appointments and a drop in service to provide tailored IAG. Members of the team are kept up to date with local and national trends in employment through CPD activities such as the Business West Next Generation Careers Review, the National Graduate Careers Conference and Inside Government’s Women in STEM event.

ASPECT’s offer is predominately aimed at 14-18 year olds, and is complemented by the College’s 19+ provision. In addition to the adult course and careers IAG delivered by our College Information Service, a National Careers Service Advisor offers appointments to support career exploration and skills development for learners aged 19+.

We also recognise that employer engagement with learners is a crucial element of IAG. A particularly successful example of this is our annual Brighter Futures Fair, which last year brought together 49 employers and universities in an event attended by over 1500 Weston College learners. They had the opportunity to meet local and national employers, and ask questions about the skills and qualifications they needed, resulting in 82% saying they felt more confident about their future options after the event. After the success of last year, we are continuing to develop this event, which will next take place on Thursday 8th November 2018.

We are not naïve about the problem the skills gap poses, particularly within more specialised and senior roles, but we recognise the difference we can make as a large educational provider. We aim to continue and to grow our initiatives to create brighter futures not just for our learners, but for businesses and our community as a whole.

Offsite Solutions, the UK’s leading bathroom pod manufacturer, in partnership with Weston College has launched an apprenticeship scheme to attract new talent into offsite manufacturing.

Offsite Solutions is an important employer in the South West and recently won the Manufacturer of the Year Award at the Business Leader Awards. The company was also a finalist in the Made in the UK Awards in the Manufacturer of the Year category.

Working with its training partner Weston College, the company is looking to employ up to six apprentices who will train to be plumbers, electricians and bathroom fitters at its bathroom pod factory in Highbridge, Somerset.

The company will also be giving up to 10 existing production staff the opportunity to join a new apprenticeship scheme for team leadership and to train as electricians and plumbers. This will give them additional skills and valuable career progression.

Commenting on the new scheme, Steve Dancer, Factory Manager at Offsite Solutions, said, “Apprentices are constantly learning new techniques and bring fresh ideas and enthusiasm into a business which they pass onto their colleagues. This approach fits really well into our commitment to encouraging innovation through offsite manufacturing, to help reinforce our position as the UK’s market leader in factory-built bathrooms.”

“Our aim is for the apprenticeship scheme to provide us with a pool of talented individuals who will benefit from first-hand experience within our manufacturing operations and gain relevant qualifications to help their personal development and maximise their potential. The quality of our workforce is fundamental to the long-term success of our business and our trainees will play a vital role in ensuring we continue to achieve our ambitious plans for growth.”

Ian Porter, Associate Business Development Officer at Weston College, said, “Apprenticeships deliver for businesses, individuals and the economy. They enable young people to gain the skills and knowledge they need to succeed and for businesses, this is a productive and effective way for them to grow their own talent by developing a motivated, skilled and qualified workforce.”

Vacancies are coming soon! Sign up to our Apprenticeship Vacancy Mailing list here, to be the first to hear on available vacancies. 

The manager of a coffee shop and café run as a joint venture between Weston College and Leyhill Prison has won a surprise award.

Leyhill Grounds Coffee Shop is based next to the Gloucestershire prison, and is open to the public.

It employs people who are in custody as part of a Weston College social enterprise which has been created to provide opportunities for those in custody.

Kaye Thomas received the special award in recognition of her work with the prison ‘residents’ and the quality service the shop provides.

It was presented by Charles Martell, the High Sheriff of Gloucestershire, who visits the shop on his regular visits to Leyhill.

“It was a wonderful surprise,” said Kaye.

“Ray Johnson, the prison governor, called me into a room to, apparently, talk about buying some new blinds for the shop.

“I was then presented with the award by Charles Martell. The High Sheriff of Somerset and the future High Sheriff of Gloucestershire had come as well. There were a few tears in my eyes I don’t mind admitting.”

The award recognises Kaye’s efforts in developing the social, communication and employability skills of the employees, who are all residents of the prison.

“It’s a very rewarding job,” said Kaye.

“As well as barista and catering training, we provide work experience and help residents develop the broader skills they’ll need to secure jobs on release.

“Everyone who works in the shop has to hand in a CV and is interviewed – just like any job.

“It’s great when former employees get back in touch to say how well they’re doing and how we helped them.”

The shop is run in partnership with HMP Leyhill by Releasing New Potential – a Community Interest Company operated by Weston College – which helps people lead crime-free lives.

Gerry Shattock, Releasing New Potential’s Social Enterprise Manager, said: “Leyhill Grounds Coffee Shop is a commercial venture. That means everything has to be up to a very high standard –the quality of food, drink and service – or customers won’t come back.

“This not only provides residents with the practical knowledge they need in order to work in a hospitality environment, but also broader operational skills that can be applied in many other sectors.”

Leyhill Grounds Coffee Shop is clearly proving a big hit with customers. It’s currently the top-ranked coffee and tea shop in the Gloucester area on Trip Advisor, and second in the list of ‘places to eat’.

As well as running Releasing New Potential, Weston College provides education in prisons across the South West of England, including Leyhill. Curricula are designed to engage offenders in learning and help them find employment when they are released. The Weston College team delivers a wide range of courses in the prisons, including catering, English, maths, customer service, art, plastering, carpentry, and bricklaying.

Digital technology is advancing rapidly – at a rate that threatens to leave behind millions of people in the UK.

According to a report by the Centre for Economics and Business Research, around 12% of the population will lack basic digital literacy within a decade.

And this doesn’t only apply to the ‘older’ generation. Research also suggests that even the most digitally confident young people are being taken by surprise at the evolving skill-set required in an increasingly digital world.

In short, more needs to be done to equip the next generation with the digital knowledge and know-how they need to succeed.

At Weston College, providing learners with the most up-to-date digital skills and resources is among our highest priorities.

That’s why it was such a huge achievement and honour that we recently became one of 14 providers in the UK to be awarded ‘Microsoft Showcase College’ status.

As a Showcase College, we’ll benefit from billions of pounds of research and knowledge, as well as Microsoft’s support in the personalising student education. This includes the use of one-to-one devices, Office 365 Education, Office Mix, OneNote, Skype, Minecraft and more.

Microsoft will share ideas to enhance staff development, student employability and innovation, and provide the College with opportunities to host Microsoft-branded educational events.

Every PC user in the world has Microsoft tools, and every job that young people apply for will require them to use Word, PowerPoint and Excel. That’s why embedding these systems – as well as digital skills and capabilities – into our teaching is so vital.

We also get the opportunity to share ideas with other Showcase Colleges around the world – all striving to improve teaching and learning, raise the engagement and attainment of students, and to boost regional economies.

This places us within an exclusive global community, recognised for educational transformation, creativity and collaboration, and a willingness to promote a growth mind-set among staff and students.

It’s a deeply held belief of mine that everyone should have an equal opportunity to learn, regardless of background or ability. And, by providing students with the latest technology, we’re able to reduce barriers to learning – for example, dyslexia, hearing and impairments, physical disabilities, and financial and geographical barriers.

The accreditation also enables the College to run a range of courses to equip students and staff with the latest Microsoft certification and provide access to online resources that target skill and knowledge gaps. These courses are:

• Microsoft Office Specialist (MOS) Certification
• Microsoft Office Specialist Expert Certification
• Microsoft Technology Associate (MTA) Certification
• Microsoft Certified Educator – specifically for teachers.

As a College, we’re constantly striving to push the boundaries in terms of what our students can achieve. This puts the onus on us to provide the very best resources and technology, and gaining Microsoft accreditation is another example of how we’re achieving this.

As Anthony Salcito, Vice-President of Worldwide Education at Microsoft, said: “Microsoft Showcase Schools and Colleges are shining examples of those applying purpose-driven innovation in a variety of ways to build connection, motivate students and to create community in and out of college.

“They are truly transforming learning and providing more personalised education to students, empowering them to achieve more.”

Dr Paul Phillips CBE

Two Weston College beauty therapy learners are on their way to the UK final of a prestigious international competition.

Zoe Clarke (Beauty Therapy Level 2) and Chloe Williams (Beauty Therapy Level 3) showcased their skills to fight off competition from around 80 students in the South West heat of the WorldSkills beauty therapist event. They are among just eight students to reach the national final, which takes place in November.

WorldSkills is a prestigious international competition designed to create excitement and passion for learning in young people. Around 5,500 young people compete in various regional and national events for a place in the British squad for the international finals.

It is the largest competition of its type in the world, with apprentices and students, aged between 18 and 24 competing in 46 skill areas, including beauty therapy, robotics, graphic design, carpentry, catering and mechanics. Experts design the industry-specific competitions, which help equip apprentices and students with the skills UK businesses need to compete globally.

Both learners had 1 hour 40 minutes to perform four treatments. Chloe had to perform a back massage, mini-facial, evening make-up with lashes and French varnish. Zoe performed a tint, mini-facial, day make-up and French manicure.

Zoe said: “The amazing hands-on training I’ve received at Weston College has really boosted my confidence and knowledge, and helped me to this great achievement.”

Jenna Ratcliffe, Beauty and Sports Therapy lecturer, said: “Zoe and Chloe had to put in an additional six hours per week on top of their College timetable. This hard work enabled them to hone their technical skills, analyse each element and ensure excellence.”

Chloe said: “Going into competition is the best decision I have made. I love every minute of training and competition days and have come to realise that I really can do anything if I put my mind to it.”

The learners’ employers – Rookery Manor and Elements Hair and Beauty – also played an important role in their success. They helped Zoe and Chloe prepare by providing coaching and practice time in the spa/salon, this assisted in reducing their commercial timings to meet the competition brief.

Sandra Bull, College Lead for Hair, Beauty, Barbering, Hospitality and Catering, said: “The robust assessment processes helped Zoe and Chloe develop their confidence. They were also filmed and photographed throughout each practice so they could critique their own performance. We are extremely proud of them both – they have worked extremely hard.”

The pair will now compete in November’s two-day national final for a place in the UK WorldSkills squad.

For more details on the beauty courses at Weston College visit - https://www.weston.ac.uk/what-can-i-study/courses-16-18-year-olds/beauty-and-complementary-therapies

Bread and pastry professional Harrison Poole will be leading the next masterclass at the School of Food.

Harrison is Commis Chef at Bakers & Co – a café-come-restaurant on Bristol’s Gloucester Road. He’s worked with Albert and Michelle Roux, who are regarded as the godfathers of modern restaurant cuisine in the UK; cooked for renowned British food writer and critic Tom Parker Bowles; and holds two AA Rosettes (an accreditation for culinary excellence).

Here, Harrison talks about his education and career … and offers some expert advice to potential chef apprentices.

“I have always been interested in cooking. I studied art at college in London and then moved to Bristol. I enrolled on an NVQ Level 2 Professional Cookery course while working in The Town House in Whiteladies, Bristol, where I became an apprentice.

“After I finished my apprenticeship I moved back to London where I worked with Albert and Michel Roux at the Lanham Hotel. I was there for 12 months and learned all about French cuisine under two legendary chefs. I loved working there and learned so much.

“I moved back to Bristol and worked in various cafés and restaurants, including Wilson’s. Here I cooked for Tom Parker Bowles when he reviewed the restaurant for The Times.

“I finally ended up at Bakers & Co, which serves quality brunch, seasonal lunches and colourful suppers alongside coffee, fresh juices and natural wines.

“I manage the bakery and am responsible for the baking of all the bread, cakes and pastries. I also make fresh croissants, Danish pastries and bread daily.

“I love cooking, because everyone needs to eat and it’s an essential skill to have. There’s always something new to learn and it’s such an exciting career path to take. It’s also allowed me to work with and meet so many people many whom are now good friends.

“I would say to potential apprentices that there will be difficult times during your apprenticeship, and things will go wrong. However, working as a chef builds resilience and makes you a stronger and more confident person.”

You ‘knead’ to check out Harrison’s Instagram page – @pooleharrison

Find out more:

• The School of Food
• Apprenticeship vacancies
• Find out about our next open event

A College Apprentice has scooped the South West Regional heat of a National SPARKS* competition that could see him test his skills in Brazil.

Liam Bennet, 18, of Ebdon Road, Worle, competed at Bridgwater College against nine South West colleges, gaining 170 out of 200 points – 30 more than his nearest rival.

Weston College Building Services and Environmental Technology Manager, Christopher Simpson, said: “Liam has done brilliantly and we’re really proud of him.

“He’s been with us since he was 16 and is now a Level 3 Apprentice working for Weston Electrical Services. The whole electrical team here and at work have supported him.

Liam is now set to compete at a national level in April at Birmingham and if he succeeds is set to jet to Rio de Janeiro later this year for the international final.

The South West Skills Campus (SWSC) on Locking Road is undergoing an £11 million investment.

In 2010, the Construction and Engineering Centre of Excellence (CECE) won a ‘National Training Award’ for the South West of England.

It delivers training in a wide range of construction occupations including, plumbing, electrical installation, carpentry, trowel trades, painting, decorating, plastering, property maintenance, as well as renewable energy courses and apprenticeships.

The CECE holds specialist workshops for training electricians along with bespoke brickwork and carpentry workshops at a resource-based learning centre with online learning available.

The CECE is also a test centre for the Construction Skills Certification Scheme (CSCS) and health and safety card.

There is a 100 per cent success rate for Level 2 qualifications with around 70 per cent of CECE students finding work in industry while others enhance their DIY skills.

A former Weston College student who struggled to live independently has won a top award from the Prince’s Trust.

Carly Williams, of Weston-super-Mare, won the Trust’s Samsung Young Achiever of The Year award, and was presented with it by Prince Charles at a glittering ceremony at the Odeon cinema in London’s Leicester Square.

Carly, 21, won the South West heat of the award in November last year and was put through to the final with three other nominees who all had overcome barriers and sustained work/ education.

Despite struggling with depression and low self-esteem , Carly came to Weston College and completed an Access to Higher Education course.  She is now studying social work at Sheffield Hallam University.

With her at the ceremony was Danielle Day, who supported her throughout her time on the Prince’s Trust programme and is now a Weston College staff member.

She said: “We always knew Carly was capable of going to university, but she lacked confidence in herself and she needed support.  As her confidence grew she found she could do the things she wanted and she’s fitted in really well at university.

“She has done amazingly well, and I was so proud of her when she went up to receive the award from Prince Charles. The cinema was packed full of celebrities, and Carly made Prince Charles laugh when she kicked off her shoes before walking up the steps to receive her award.”

Carly was placed in care from the age of five and her time as a looked-after child wasn’t easy. Her first placement was one of many to break down.

It wasn’t until she was placed at the age of 13 that she began to receive the support and stability she had always craved. However, when she turned 18, she decided to live independently.

“I loved my foster parents, but after 13 years in the system, I was encouraged to live on my own, only it wasn’t how I’d imagined,” she said. “I was lonely and everything got on top of me. It was like lots of the stuff that happened to me when I was young had come back to haunt me.”

Carly sank into a depression and needed medication and counselling to help her cope.  Her confidence was in tatters when she joined Team, a Prince’s Trust programme that gives unemployed young people the skills and confidence to f ind work.

Rising to different challenges on the programme, Carly became more patient, discovered she had talents for problem solving and organising others, and felt a real sense of worth on a community-based project.

The actress Joan Collins was among the celebrities (including Ant and Dec, Pixie Lott and Vernon Kay) who attended. She said: “It is an absolute honour to be celebrating these truly remarkable and inspiring young people. I would like to congratulate each and every one of them for turning their lives around and showing that with just a little support, you can go a long way.

“Too many young people are facing unemployment, homelessness and depression. I have been a Prince’s Trust Ambassador for a number of years and have seen first-hand how vital their work is.”

Former Weston College student Bradley Ash has become a professional footballer after signing with SkyBet League One club Barnsley.

The 19-year-old, who studied BTEC Level 3 Sport at Weston College from 2012 to 2014, signed for an undisclosed fee on the opening day of the transfer window.

He had been watched by scouts from a number of Football League clubs after scoring 14 goals from 13 starts for Vanarama National League South side Weston-super-Mare.

Paul Taylor, Sports Development and Performance Manager at Weston College said: “We are very proud of Brad, particularly of his latest achievement of signing professionally for Barnsley Football Club.

“His determination, technical ability and incredible work ethic will I’m sure enable him to realise his dream.”

Barnsley Football Club, managed by former Bristol City midfielder Lee Johnson, snapped up Bradley without first taking him on trial.

During his time at Weston College, Bradley represented Weston College Football Academy throughout and was awarded ‘Sports Performer of the Year’ and ‘Outstanding Male Academy of Sport Athlete’ in 2014.

While in his second year, Bradley was nominated by Weston College to attend trials for the England Colleges National Team.

After three trials he was selected to represent England Colleges, making his debut against Australia, and going on to play a further eight times including matches against Wales, Scotland, Italy and San Marino during the season. In addition, Bradley represented England in an International Tournament in Italy.