News and events

We are so thrilled to celebrate the outstanding success of a Weston College Fashion and Textiles A Level learner, Tom, who recently completed an exciting work experience opportunity at the renowned tailoring establishment Anderson & Sheppard on Savile Row, London. 

Tom's journey to this exceptional experience began with his proactive approach. He took the initiative to contact Anderson & Sheppard, a 117-year-old tailoring house located at Mayfair’s historic No. 32 Old Burlington Street. Tom reached out to the Managing Director and, after careful consideration of his CV, he was granted the opportunity to participate in a day of hands-on learning on July 11th. 

During his time at Anderson & Sheppard, Tom delved into the intricate world of tailoring, gaining insights into various aspects of the craft. He told us, "I began with the trimmer, who taught me about his role within the business: ordering and stock-checking in all materials...We then assembled what is called a tailor’s parcel, which contained the threads, facing felt, buttons, zippers and buckles rolled in the suiting patterns that had been cut and then wrapped in the canvas.”  

Throughout the day, Tom had the privilege of working with skilled tailors, including both the trouser cutter and jacket cutter. He even had the chance to try on a piece of history – Daniel Craig’s electric pink velvet jacket, worn on the red carpet at the 2021 James Bond Premier. Tom told us how excited he was to spend the day somewhere with such rich history, with the most iconic clientele such as Fred Astaire, Charlie Chaplin, Laurence Olivier, and more. 

Reflecting on the experience, Tom emphasised the significance of his time at Anderson & Sheppard for his future pursuits. "This experience has introduced me to the fundamentals of tailoring and all the materials involved. My hope is that with a few more visits, I can take measurements and draft an exquisite jacket. My next step is to begin enrolment on the University of the West of England’s BA Fashion course, local to me this autumn." 

Tom also shared advice for fellow Fashion and Textiles learners: "Fashion’s a harsh game. But so long as one is prepared to carry on and go out to new places, meet new people, and learn new things, even without having any confidence, the world is your oyster."  

Throughout his time at Weston College, Tom has demonstrated exceptional commitment and passion – continuously investing in his future in the fashion industry. He even hosted his very own debut fashion show, which featured 15 bespoke looks designed and styled by him. Read more here. 

We commend Tom for his dedication, enthusiasm, and proactive approach, which led to this remarkable opportunity. We are confident that his experience at Anderson & Sheppard will continue to shape his journey in the world of fashion and textiles, and we eagerly anticipate the future accomplishments that lie ahead. 

To find out more about our A Level in Fashion and Textiles, click here.  

To find out more about other A Level options, click here.  

"My name is Josh and I just completed the level three Esports Course at Weston college and have just been offered a job with Sheffield Wednesday Football Club!

I found out about the job when they wanted to bring me in as a Content Creator for streaming. They found my studies interesting and then asked me to apply for the job. The application was pretty straight forward as they knew me already but the trip up to the stadium was amazing and I loved that part of it!

Studying at Weston College was great; the classroom was kitted out with high-end equipment, and we definitely made the most out of it. I learnt a lot from the course about how to build both mine and other peoples brand online.

In my first year, the support team at Weston College helped me with my dyslexia by guiding me to the dictator function on Word. For me, it’s easier to get my ideas down by speaking them instead of writing. I found it challenging and it has always been difficult trying to understand things more than once, but I finished the course with top marks which is brilliant!

The wait for the phone call confirming the job was incredibly long, and truthfully when they told me I had got it, I didn’t believe them, but I was relieved and couldn’t wait to get started! I officially start my job on the 7th of August and I’m both nervous and excited. Moving away from everything I know is the worst bit, but I know I’ll learn and adapt to new surroundings and hopefully it will be a good few years!

I’m looking forward to starting a career I’m passionate about and also getting paid for it. As well as this my office is in the football stadium which is awesome! I can’t wait to get started!"

The Esports Course at Weston college explores both the theoretical and practical areas of the industry. On the course you cover a variety of subjects including Business, Sport and Creative media. 69% of parents believe that the Esports Course at Weston college teaches their children skills that cannot be learnt by traditional learning. Alongside the course you can join our Esports Academy, train for national competitions and become an ambassador for our area.

The South West Apprenticeship Awards took place last month, at Ashton Gate Stadium in Bristol. We are thrilled that George, an apprenticeship learner at the college, won both Apprentice of the Year (Construction & Property Industries) and South West Apprentice of the Year, after being nominated initially by his college mentor.

George is currently completing the Level 3 Advanced Civil Engineering Apprenticeship with Mott MacDonald.

We were lucky enough to catch up with George, and find out some more information about his win, and what led to his success, as well as plans for the future. George told us:

“The opportunity to earn while I learn was an absolute no-brainer for me, offering incredible prospects for young people in what can be a challenging world for those just starting out. Engaging in an apprenticeship gave me a solid foundation to pursue my aspirations and shape my career according to my desires. Learning directly from experienced industry professionals and collaborating with them immediately was an invaluable advantage that I immediately embraced.

“Their wealth of knowledge enriched me in ways I could never have achieved within the confines of a classroom. My determination helped me to constantly pursue my goals, which made the apprenticeship a perfect fit for me, as I eagerly seized every opportunity to grow and fully exploit all the possibilities presented to me. “The A428 really helped me with my application process due to it being such a complex project. It gave me the opportunity to develop skills in managing and developing pavement models and drawings for multiple assets whilst implementing the correct engineering standards regarding the Polished Stone Value (PSV), Foundation and Pavement Treatment types. My commitment led me to identify unsafe design decisions and challenge practices that could impact cost and the environment.

“The support from Weston College has been unmatched; the in-classroom course is very informative and well-structured. The training providers are always great communicators and support me in many ways for internal work and external coursework. The college is also there to develop non-education-related skills, such as my softer skills, which I will carry throughout my career.

“I was very excited and happy to have won my category and was thrilled to have won the overall award, and it is a moment I will remember for the rest of my life. My placement providers were over the moon and proud of me and were sure to let me know how proud they were on the night and had some great conversations with people within the company that night. My line manager was the most pleased!

“The event was great, with some great networking at the start, a great host, and many great categories celebrating all types of awards in the South West. The food was also amazing, and I had family attend, friends, and members within the company with whom I work very closely.

“My career aspirations are to complete my level 3 apprenticeship and then progress onto the level 6 apprenticeship, where I will achieve my civil engineering degree. At the end of this, I will have 8 years of experience in the industry. Within these 8 years of experience, I wish to have gained experience as a respectable design engineer and managing a drawing production team. Then I want to achieve my Chartership from the ICE to open an opportunity where I then hope to be able to take up a role still within my company however, in Australia, where I will relocate to and hopefully progress to gain experience as a design manager, I will then wait for an opportunity as a design manager in the United States. I will then move to the United States where I will hopefully continue to be a successful design manager."

Thanks George, and best of luck for the future!