It can’t have escaped your attention that further education is undergoing a major shift towards workplace learning.

Locally and nationally, we’re experiencing widening skills gaps in numerous sectors, which requires government, providers and employers to work together to find alternative ways of providing the skills the economy demands.

Among the government’s solutions is the T Level qualification – described as the biggest overhaul in post-school education for 70 years.

And Weston College will be at the forefront of this ‘revolution’ as one of 54 providers selected to pilot the new qualification.

T Levels will be available in 15 industry-related subjects, known as ‘pathways’. We will deliver the Digital (software applications design and development) T Level from September 2020 – two years before the full roll-out.

T Levels provide a genuine alternative, and equivalent, to A Levels. They’re aimed at 16 to 19-year-olds who would rather study work-related courses than traditional academic subjects. As well as preparing learners for employment, T Levels are designed to raise career aspirations and to dispel the myth that vocational courses are the poor relation of A Levels.

An integral component of each T Level programme is a high-quality, structured and outcome-focused industry placements.

T Level learners must undertake an industry placement of 315 hours (45 days) before they can complete the course. However, industry placements will be important in their own right, by helping young people gain the skills needed to move into employment.

Delivering such extensive and authentic workplace learning clearly requires a huge commitment from local employers. We’ve taken great strides over the last decade to forge close relationships with businesses but, with T Levels fast approaching, we’re working even harder, and putting even greater resources, into building new partnerships with industry.

After successfully applying for Capacity and Delivery Funding (CFD), we’ve put in place a Work Placement Team, whose remit is to work with employers from across the region to establish and develop high-quality placements that fulfil genuine commercial need.

The team will also provide support and guidance throughout the placement and monitor learners’ progress.

T Levels represent a tremendous opportunity for employers.

The curriculum is shaped by employers and benefits from the unique insights of business leaders. The industry placements at their core provide businesses with talent pipeline where they can develop their, potential, future workforce according to need. They also allow existing staff members to share their knowledge and develop mentoring skills.

Aside from T Levels, work experience is at the core of virtually all Weston College provision.

All our FE courses are part of a ‘study programme’ that is designed to prepare young people for their future career. Our facilities aim to mimic real-life workplaces and some – including our Hair and Beauty Centre and Grove Restaurant – operate as commercial businesses.

We recently became one of just 22 providers to be awarded Career College status. This significant investment will enable the College to provide an extra 1,000 places for 16 to 19-year-olds, who want to combine academic studies with practical, work-based learning.

These developments and facilities will complement the T Level curriculum as we prepare for the pilot.

It’s an honour and an exciting challenge for the College to be helping to roll out this pioneering new qualification, but it also represents a huge opportunity for regional businesses – one I’d urge them to get involved in.

If you’d like to find out more about T Levels and/or industry placements, please get in touch with our Work Placement Team workplacementteam@weston.ac.uk

Students and staff at Weston College have been busy raising money for chosen charities as part of their annual Raising and Giving (RAG) week.

Compared to 2018’s total of £3,600, the combined effort managed to raise an incredible £5,900 for mental health charity Young Minds and local organisation Weston Hospicecare.

Across the week, money was raised through a number of different ways including talent shows, cake sales and an entire day of fancy dress. From sponsored silences to Gecko inspired haircuts, each department also arranged a fundraising event for students and staff to get involved with.

Uniformed Public Services students rowed the equivalent distance of the 24 highest mountains in the world and Inclusive practice students managed to travel 475km (the distance from London to Paris) by walking, running and rowing throughout the week. The Computing department managed exciting events such as Beat Sabre on the VR, a Golf chip challenge and a Nerf gun firing range, raising a total of £1,400 as a department.

Weston College Principal and Chief Executive, Dr Paul Phillips CBE commented: “The atmosphere across campus is always vibrant and full of positivity during RAG Week. This annual fundraising event is a fantastic opportunity for our learners to contribute to our community and raise aspirations by helping others. Yet again our staff and learners went above and beyond and, as ever, bucked the trend.”

After receiving a cheque from Dr Paul, Simon Angear from Weston Hospicecare added:

“Weston Hospicecare is once again enormously grateful to all staff and students at Weston College for their fabulous efforts on our behalf during RAG Week.

“We love hearing about all the different activities held to raise money, and were bowled over by some of the creativity displayed in some of this year’s events.

“Community support is vital to the hospice, and this wonderful donation from Weston College will play a big part in helping us continue to care for our patients across Weston-super-Mare and beyond.”

A massive thank-you goes to all of the staff and students for their generosity and dedication to raise such an amazing amount for some brilliant causes.

Please see below the list of winners for the RAG week awards 2019.

Most Innovative Fundraising Idea

Dungeon and Dragons Escape Room Challenge - Will Price and Jon Barnett (Engineering and Computing)

Best Use of Digital

Sponsored Silence Communication Through Assistive Technology – Zoe Benton, Paul Kelly, Lorna Whitford (Extension Studies)

Most Money Raised by a Staff Member

'£891.16 - Cameron Lyes (Engineering and Computing)

Most Money Raised by a Student

Super Smash Bros Tournament £126 – Tom Jory (AEC Faculty)

Most Money Raised by a Faculty

£1,400 - Faculty of Engineering and Computing

Outstanding Commitment to RAG

Gecko Inspired hair cut - Rob Heaton (Sixth Form)

Best Dressed Faculty

101 Dalmatians – Management Information Systems

Best Challenge

Mountain Rowing Challenge - Uniformed Public Services

Best Event

Extension Studies Talent Show – Faculty of Inclusive Practice

Weston College has been selected as one of three Centres for Excellence in Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND).

As a Centre of Excellence, the College will become a national leader in SEND learning.

It will be a focal point for expertise and resources, and a key provider in helping young people with SEND achieve their potential.

The College will also be responsible for sharing expertise and resources with practitioners and organisations, and providers across the further education (FE) sector.

Dr Paul Phillips CBE, Principal and Chief Executive of Weston College, said: “To be chosen as a Centre for Excellence in SEND learning is a huge honour.

“We’ve always taken great pride in the quality of our provision and the expertise of our SEND staff. But, to become a national hub within the sector, sets us apart as a leader in the field.

“It also represents a major challenge – but it’s one we relish.

“As a College we’ve always embraced the ideals and ethos of inclusive learning and supported employment. Becoming a national SEND centre provides the opportunity to help even more learners transition successfully into adulthood. Working with the Education Training Foundation and providers we are poised to embark upon a journey of impact, entrepreneurship and inclusion ensuring it is led from the top of the organisation. ”

The College was awarded the Centre for Excellence contract after competitive tender, which was open to every SEND provider in England. Each centre will deliver a specific aspect of SEND learning, with Weston College selected to focus on the theme of ‘people’, supporting organisations to create an inclusive culture, motivating staff to engage in continued professional development with an emphasis on supporting the development of innovative evidence based approaches to supporting the success of students with social, emotional and mental health needs.

In recent years, Weston College has won a string of prestigious accolades for its SEND provision.

These include the Queen’s Anniversary Prize – regarded the highest honour in the education sector – three AOC Beacon Awards, SEND Champion at the Apprenticeship Awards and ‘Inclusion in Employment’ winner at the national SEND Awards.

Weston College works with hundreds of employers across a range of sectors to create training opportunities for students.

Among these is Weston Museum, which provides work experience opportunities for learners who face barriers to employment.

As well as matching roles to individual abilities and providing each learner with a mentor, the Museum offers their staff autism training to develop their understanding of the condition.

In recognition of its efforts, the Museum was named Disability Confident Employer of the Year at the College’s annual Business Awards.

Matthew Hardy, Weston Museum’s Visitor Services Manager, said it was an honour for the Museum to win the award.

“Being nominated and receiving the Disability Employer of the Year was a huge achievement for us,” he said. “We take pride in our inclusivity, so to be recognised in that way was amazing.

“We offer volunteering opportunities and work experience in customer service, the café and administration. Staff and volunteers are also encouraged to undertake autism awareness training, which is facilitated by Nina from Weston Bay (the College’s residential training centre for students on the autism spectrum).

“As well as staff support, our learners shadow existing volunteers who have been doing the role for a while. This not only helps with learning but also boosts confidence.”

Matthew believes that these steps enable learners to make a noticeable impact on the business.

He said: “The learners, like all of our volunteers, enrich Weston Museum and enable us to offer the diverse range of services that we do. Their support is invaluable.

“The learners vary so much in terms of ability, confidence and skills when we first meet them, but they all develop during their time with us – especially their confidence and social skills.

“Many are completely unrecognisable as the person they were when they started, which is fantastic.”

And Matthew insists that the relationship with the College is central to the work it does for learners who need additional support when it comes to learning and employment.

He said: “Weston Museum values its relationship with Weston College hugely. Whilst we are limited in what we can offer, what we do offer is very important to our culture and is at the heart of our inclusive ethos. We genuinely couldn’t do what we do without them.”

To find out how we can help you to create an inclusive workforce, click here. 

Local Holiday Park Pontin’s Brean Sands has made a significant commitment to training their staff through their work with Training Solutions.

The park, based in Burnham-on-Sea, approached Training Solutions as they wanted to offer further training and qualifications to all their staff.

So far the park has had nine achievements in the NVQ Level 2 Food & Drink Service qualification and an impressive 22 achievements on the Level 2 EDI Certificate in Team Leading. They have also had achievements in Customer Service, NVQ Level 2 and 3, and the NVQ Level 2 in Professional Cookery.

Brian Howe, Training Manager at Pontin’s, said: “We have a great working relationship with Training Solutions; they are extremely professional and always help us achieve our goals.” He added: “Training Solutions has had a significant impact on our business; our teams have had a fantastic time working with them, our business has flourished and we now have a more positive and professional team.”

This NVQ level 2 Food and Drink Service is best suited to people who provide a table service of food and drink, and bar staff, who prefer to do a qualification directly related to their job. The qualification covers topics such as customer service, teamwork, health and safety, food service, and preparing drinks.

Ryan Edgell, aged 27, recently complete the NVQ Level 2 in Food and Drink Service. Ryan said: “Training with Training Solutions has been a very beneficial experience. The staff helped me throughout the qualification with a dedicated and supportive assessor as well as informative workshops which were flexible and tailored to my needs. Achieving my NVQ has enabled me to put my knowledge and skills into practice and has given me greater confidence in providing a quality service.”

Brian explained the key benefits of working with Training Solutions and said: “They are flexible to our needs and they offer support and advice which is both professional and personal to us and our teams. Our team members have all gained knowledge, experience and achieved great results – and some of them have even been promoted!”

He also encouraged other employers to contact Weston College and said: “I would recommend Training Solutions as they are achieve to high standards and work with you not against you - on time every time. They are team players who are professional, approachable and friendly.”

This NVQ Level 2 in Professional Cookery qualification is best suited to anybody who is a chef that prepares a wide range of dishes using numerous cooking methods from basic fresh ingredients. The course includes topics such as preparing fish, meat and poultry, maintaining food safety, effective teamwork and ordering stock.

Glen Simpson, aged 22, recently completed this course. The Catering Manager said: “My NVQ has really benefited the running of the kitchen and I am planning to offer the qualification to the rest of the team. As a manager, having an enthusiastic team who want to do well, are driven to achieve something for themselves, makes my job a lot easier.”

Alex Moore, Senior Work-Based Co-ordinator at Training Solutions, said: “Over the past two years we have developed a strong working relationship with Pontin’s and we’re delighted to see so many of their staff achieving. We’ve built a good level of communication and trust, and I am always keen to help them identify any training opportunities.”

Pontin’s are intending to work with Training Solutions next year and considering retail training, housekeeping, customer care and team leader courses again, combined with skills for life in numeracy and literacy.

Training Solutions offer a wide range of flexible, business-related training, development and consultancy services including NVQ qualifications, Professional Development Workshops and Coaching and Mentoring programs. The majority of these can be delivered in the workplace, reducing the disruption to the business while engaging in staff training.

Pontin’s employ over 180 people. They are part of the Pontin’s holiday company founded in 1946 which currently runs five holiday parks across the UK.

For further information please call Training Solutions on 01934 411594. 

Talented Weston College student Ben Debreceni left Hungary for the UK aged 15 three years ago. Now he is a finalist in South West Student Chef of the Year competition. 

Ben, 18, of Clevedon, already beat scores of competitors who fought for a semi-finalist place in front of judges including top chef Michael Caines MBE, and  will battle it out at Exeter College on October 27^th.

Ben’s culinary expertise in the semi-finals saw him create two delicious set dishes for examiners in just 90 minutes.

The first was butter poached whiting with razor clams, beurre blanc, garlic-infused spring onions, radishes and baby beetroot and the second was pan-roasted pork fillet with potato tubes, texture of cauliflower, heritage carrots and red wine jus.

For the final he will have to create two new dishes with cod and lamb neck fillets as the main ingredients.

Ben said: “The experience of competing was amazing, and I never thought about getting into the final. Credit has to go to all my College lecturers for their teaching, support and faith in me.”   

Senior Weston College Chef Lecturer and mentor to Ben, Jos Wellman said: “Ben is an outstanding student with a genuine passion for food. He produces consistently wonderful food that tempts the eye and the palate.

“His level of professionalism shines through and he is a credit to himself and   to the College, especially as he only started learning English three years ago.”          

While Ben is training at Weston College, he has also been accepted into the Casamia Academy in Bristol. The Michelin Star chefs there have teamed up with the College to launch a specialist hands-on teaching facility.

Lecturer Jos, who has cooked for Royalty, Presidents and celebrities including her Majesty the Queen, Prince Phillip, Prince Charles and Princess Diana, Frank Sinatra, Bond actors and Bon Jovi as well as US Presidents Carter, Reagan, Clinton and George Bush’s Senior and Junior, added: “If Ben carries on like this the world is his oyster. Cooking is an amazing career if you love creating wonderful food.”

The College is now taking bookings for its on-site refurbished Grove Restaurant offering  three-course lunches on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays and dinners Tuesday and Wednesday from as little as £8.

The second-floor accessible restaurant can also be booked out privately for groups of 20-plus.

To book please call 01934 411 422 or email groverestaurant@weston.ac.uk

POLITICIANS from Weston-super-Mare and North Somerset visited Weston College to help students to understand how immigration affects modern politics.

Conservative MP for Weston-super-Mare, John Penrose, and UKIP politician Ian Kealey, who stood as UKIP’s parliamentary candidate for North Somerset in the 2015 General Election, visited the College on Friday 6th May.

The two politicians visited students on the social science diploma of the Access to Higher Education course, a course which provides adults with the qualifications and academic skills to progress to university.

The visit tied in with the students’ last assignment, contemporary political issues, where they are required to take part in a debate on immigration.

The two-hour debate covered a range of topics relating to immigration, including the economy, healthcare, cultural values, refugees, freedom of movement, border controls and more.

Mr Penrose said: “I was impressed by the depth of understanding on an extremely difficult and emotionally-charged issue and by the good natured style of the debate – perhaps a few MPs in Westminster could learn a bit if they were with me today.”

Sarah Rees, a qualified lawyer who lectures in Law and Social Policy at the College, said: “This was a great opportunity for students studying politics to hear first-hand from active members of parliament about a subject close to many people’s hearts.

“We are grateful to Mr Penrose and Mr Kealey for their contribution.”

Mr Kealey said: “I thought the students seemed well-informed about the topic and the issue of immigration, its economic impacts and how it affects services.”

The 2016/17 academic year was an exciting and ambitious year for the Weston College Group, which saw record success rates and the creation of sector-leading facilities. These successes were appraised at the College's annual Business Breakfast, which broght together hundreds of businesspeople from across the South West. Here is a summary of what the College did between September 2016 and August 2017...

We’ve received national recognition for our teaching

The Association of Colleges was so impressed with our teaching that they awarded us two out of the 11 Beacon Awards presented this year. Judges recognised our work towards creating an inclusive and engaging learning environment for our students with special educational needs and disabilities and our offender learners.

We’ve invested £25 million in our facilities

The money has gone towards refurbishing classrooms, installing the latest technology, and creating some of the most high-tech learning environments in the country. Most impressively, the successful refurbishment of the Winter Gardens has secured the building’s future as a community asset. We plan to invest a further £20 million in the current academic year to create specialist facilities for health, sport and construction.

Our success rates are at an all-time high

Our 16-18 achievement rates grew by 4% to 86.5%, and 90.7% of our adult learners successfully completed their courses. The overwhelming majority of our apprentices were taken on by their employers at the end of their course. Our 90% student satisfaction rate places us 18th on the FE Choices survey of colleges across the country.

We’ve been working with businesses to create apprenticeships

We work with over 1,400 businesses to deliver apprenticeships, and our new relationships with employers such as the Bristol Port Company, the Ministry of Defence and Rolls Royce means that we are bringing more and more apprenticeship opportunities to young people and adults across the South West.

We’ve put on free courses for the community

2017 saw us announce our first free adult leisure courses to great success. The courses helped hundreds of adults reengage with education, as well as teaching them some useful skills such as car mechanics, cooking, dancing and bricklaying.

For more information, contact the Marketing Department

 

Find out more

Degree apprenticeships are an exciting new way to combine academic study with work-related, practical experience which is crucial for employers.

One of the degree apprenticeships that we offer at University Centre Weston (UCW) is the BSc (Hons) Degree in Digital and Technology Solutions. This has been developed with UWE Bristol, and delivers four of the pathways which have been developed for the Digital and Technology Solutions Degree including cyber security, software engineer, business analyst and data analyst.

To get the low down on this course, and how the apprenticeships are helping our students, we spoke with two of our apprentices…

Dave Rose, who studies the Digital and Technology Solutions degree-level apprenticeship at UCW, said: “With the degree apprenticeship I was given the opportunity to have one day out of work a week, while my pay and benefits stayed the same for my job that I had already been in for quite a while.

“This has given me a great chance to upskill and as long as I put the work in I can walk away with a full honours degree all with no student loan or debt. I think that is an absolutely incredible deal, it’s almost ridiculous and anyone who can should jump at that opportunity!”

Tommy Beaton, UCW degree apprentice, said: “My course covers a large part of IT and allows me to learn a lot of the skills required to do my job.”

There is a stigma around apprenticeships that apprentices don’t get stuck in with real life tasks, however this is not the case. Tommy said: “I am working for the College and I’m currently helping to develop online courses for distance learners. I am also building a coaching and mentoring course for our online platform, 'TIDE'.

“I've always wanted to be in a working environment as I find that's when I learn best, so to be able to work on real projects allows me to be creative and learn a lot too. It's an excellent opportunity and not one I was willing to turn down.

"This apprenticeship has given me the opportunity to develop my team working skills, instructional design and website development.”

It has become an increasingly popular choice to choose an apprenticeship over a degree in recent years with apprenticeship participation at a record high.

Interested?

You can find out more about becoming a degree apprentice over on the University Centre Weston website.

Degree apprenticeships are increasingly used to upskill existing employees using this industry approach.If you’d like more information about how degree apprenticeships can support your business please contact our Training Solutions team on 01934 411 594.