Visit Somerset have given four of our Travel and Tourism learners the very exciting opportunity to work with a prestigious animation firm on a new concept alongside Noah’s Ark Animal Park in Wraxall. Weston College has had a strong partnership with Visit Somerset for a number of years and so have recruited these learners for a week of work experience, shadowing the team and helping with content creation for the project.

The team at Visit Somerset, consisting of John Turner (CEO), Toby Jones (Digital Manager), Maisy Hatcher (Social Media Manager) & Libby James (Content Manager), held Dragon’s Den style interviews with the interested participants. The learners were encouraged to pitch themselves as a viable candidate for this placement opportunity; some even printed off their CVs for the interviewer's consideration.

Lynsey McKinstry, Business Partnership Manager at Weston College, commented: “Originally, 3 students were going to be considered but after the team from Visit Somerset met with everyone, they extended the opportunity to 4 learners due to their commitment on pitching for a place.

“Not only did the students deliver exceptional interviews, it was also a great experience for the two apprentices currently finishing their end point assessments.

“It’s incredible seeing these exciting projects open doors for our learners and allow them to experience first-hand what their future career may entail. We look forward to hearing how the students get on at Noah’s Ark and more exciting opportunities that will support not only the Travel and Tourism learners but across all our divisions where possible.”

Hannah Carstensen, the learner’s tutor, told us: “The learners have had a fantastic few days and have been able to put their Marketing knowledge from the classroom into practice. Hearing all the lovely comments from the Visit Somerset team has been so wonderful. Working with Visit Somerset will create so many opportunities for our Travel and Tourism learners moving forwards.”

John Turner, CEO of Visit Somerset, said: “The Visit Somerset team are honoured to have the opportunity to work alongside the Travel & Tourism students at Weston College, giving the students more knowledge of how tourist attractions function and market to their target audiences. As the lucky four students embark on their journey with Visit Somerset at Noah’s Ark Zoo Farm, the students will shadow the Visit Somerset team to help them understand aspects of marketing. We’re very much looking forward to seeing the success of the project!”

Weston College and Visit Somerset are also proud to announce an extension of their already strong relationship, in a three-year partnership scheme to allow more students to gain access to these wonderful opportunities, and allow them to develop their employability skills for the future. Keep your eyes out for further news on this exciting venture!