News and events

On 31st March, employers from across the region attended South West Skills Campus, for our HGV Skills Bootcamp Employer Day.

The Government announced the Skills Bootcamp in October, and it is part of the Skills for Life initiative, with the aim of training 5,000 (new and returning) people to become HGV drivers.

The Bootcamp has proved popular, as it offers participants free, flexible courses that last up to 16 weeks, with those that successfully complete the course being guaranteed a job interview.

Eight employers attended the event, to meet people completing training to gain licences for Cat C, Cat CE and upskilling with ADR (Hazfreight).

Employers in attendance, included:

• Muller
• 24/7 Recruitment
• Bradfords Builders Merchant
• Plantforce
• C&D South West
• BCA
• Kings Heavy Haulage
• RT Keedwell

HGV Skills Bootcamp participants heard from each of the employers, who told those in attendance about the jobs available in their organisation; including local drops for building merchants, heavy haulage and long distance driving.

Louise Greene, Business Growth and Employer Partnerships Manager at Weston College, said: “The HGV Skills Bootcamps have proved to be a fantastic initiative, with so many people signing up to become drivers.

“The Employer Day has been a success. Our participants have been engaged, asking lots of questions, and leaving a great impression on the employers – one employer handed out 20 application forms!”

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

Leila Morne is an Advanced Autism Practitioner and Lecturer in Autism at Weston College. Leila plays a key role in Weston College’s Centre for Excellence in special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) and explains how the college is supporting students with autism to transition into higher education.

The number of university students with autism is increasing every year, but we know some autistic students find aspects of the university experience challenging.

Not only can this have a negative impact on individual students, their studies and their quality of life, but also on wider society and the contributions of this type of neurodiversity. The world needs different types of thinkers!

Our programme therefore aims to prepare them for a successful transition, as there is more support that is needed beyond the academic preparation needed to secure a place in higher education.

A smoother transition

Leaving home, family and all that is familiar and safe can be daunting for most young people. However, for individuals on the autism spectrum, university entrance may seem like an impossible dream or a predictable nightmare.

At Weston College, we acknowledge that excellence in academia will not automatically mean success at university for students with autism. They may not even feel confident enough to apply in the first place.

The difficulties associated with an autism diagnosis can mean that accepting a place at university is often a highly anxious journey into the unknown. An effective means of reducing anxiety and ensuring success is through experiential learning.

An autism specific ‘dual curriculum’ can help students to gain the necessary skills and understanding for meaningful participation in university life.

Immersive learning experiences

The college has developed and invested in a new initiative that focuses on preparing learners with autism to successfully progress into higher education (HE). We provide an immersive experience where students can live in a HE halls of residence, alongside HE learners, as a transitional year.

Students engage in exciting opportunities to gain relevant, age appropriate, real-life experiences which stretch and challenge them. They are encouraged to develop the independence, social and communication skills needed.

The programme is largely experiential with students learning new skills by ‘doing’ tasks rather than listening to someone telling them how to do a task. Some of these include:

• Independence training: shopping, cooking, washing, ironing and cleaning
• Money management
• Study skills: use of library; organisational skills; VLE
• Digital technology: accessibility, chat bots and apps
• Social skills training: range of activities in the local and surrounding areas
• Visits to universities and cities
• Application process and UCAS
• Student finance application
• DSA/University disability teams
• Keeping safe socially, personally, and online
• Using public transport
• Driving lessons
• Employability training for part time / temp jobs whilst at university
• Individualised programmes

We make sure that programmes are tailored to the individual student’s needs - many involve new experiences and unfamiliar environments. Ensuring our staff have access to high quality training and SEND practices is so important in order to deliver tailored support programmes for our students. We support and provide staff with opportunities to gain relevant qualifications ranging from Level 2 to Masters Level. All Specialist Practitioners hold a relevant degree in their chosen specialism.

In most cases, these experiences are supported by young people trained as peer mentors by highly qualified Specialist Autism Practitioners. These experiences can include a range of different things from going out in the evening to pubs or clubs, joining sports’ clubs or gyms and accessing local community facilities. Students who find it challenging to cope with the social aspects of university life, are facilitated in doing so.

It is so important that these skills are taught to ensure successful transition to university, future employment and that individual aspirations are achieved. As I’ve seen for myself from our students, the results can be absolutely life changing!

A new tree now proudly stands outside the Animal Management Education Centre at North Somerset's popular tourist attraction: Puxton Park in support of the Queen's Green Canopy (QGP).

Sustainability Governor Ian Porter met with Puxton Park Managing Director Alistair Mead to mark the planting of the new apple tree. They were also joined by Animal Management learners and staff (as well as a few furry residents!) 

As well as being a popular tourist attraction, Puxton Park is where both Weston College and University Centre Weston Animal Management learners undertake their studies. Opening in 2019, The Animal Management Education Centre allows learners to get real experience in a public facing environment, working with a huge range of animals. 

Puxton Park is one of the College’s many business partners that Dr Paul Phillips CBE has been encouraging to take part in the national campaign to support the The QGC. This is a unique tree planting initiative created to mark Her Majesty’s Platinum Jubilee in 2022 which invites people from across the United Kingdom to “Plant a Tree for the Jubilee”.

This tree is the latest of many with the first at the College’s South West Skills Campus on Locking Road, Weston-super-Mare, closely followed by two more trees at Loxton Campus as well as Uncle Paul’s Chilli Charity at Butcombe Farm. 

The College’s support in this campaign to celebrate the Jubilee, is very much led by the Principal Dr Paul Phillips CBE who added "this is just one of many of the College’s green initiatives which ties in to our wider sustainability and social action framework. It is great to see Puxton Park support the Queen’s Green Canopy and I am looking forward to seeing others in the area pin their trees to the map!"

Visit www.queensgreencanopy.org to see who’s already planted in your area and how to pin your tree to the interactive Jubilee map, as well as to find out more information to engage with wider sustainability in support of Her Majesty the Queen. The best tree planting season is till the end of March, and restarts in October for the end of the year.