Local pork belly and crackling, Cheddar mash with Thatcher’s cider sauce; seared Brixham scallops with squid ink risotto and pea shoots – these are just a couple of the dishes invented by David Newman for Lasseter’s at the Winter Gardens Pavilion, which opened in September...

[[{"fid":"6383","view_mode":"default","fields":{"format":"default","field_file_image_alt_text[und][0][value]":"","field_file_image_title_text[und][0][value]":"","field_tags[und]":""},"type":"media","attributes":{"height":"720","width":"720","class":"media-element file-default"},"link_text":null}]]

“Great food is important to me,” he tells us as we sit in The Florentine Bistro, another new addition to the Winter Gardens complex.

“Good food makes people happy, and the key to good food in my opinion is making the dining experience special. A big part of this is the food, but there are other aspects that make a meal great.

“At Lasseter’s, we want the food to be accompanied with natural and memorable service, great views of Weston’s bay, and we want the food to tell a story. Another important factor is ensuring value for money.”

David grew up in the Weston-Super-Mare area and has fond memories of visiting the Winter Gardens as a child. It was at a young age that David developed a keen interest in food, inspired by his dad, a former RAF chef who has cooked for royalty.

At the age of 15, having completed work experience in a professional kitchen, David started working part-time jobs around his school work as a kitchen porter at Cabot and preparing vegetables at a local Hewish farm. As the years went by he completed an apprenticeship at the Summerhouse in Worle, then gained more experience at the Woolpack.

His first major job was sous chef at Mendip Spring Golf Club, and from here he went on to become a head chef at The Exchange in Bridgwater, where he cooked for high profile clients such as the BBC, and gained a mention in The Times.

After this he went from strength to strength, becoming catering manager at Bristol Water’s head office before returning to the kitchen as head chef at the Friends Life Centre in Bristol. Some highlights of his career around this time were cooking at places like Ascot Racecourse and the Olympics at the Olympic Park, London.

Most recently, he has been working as head chef for catering giant Chartwells at Millfield Senior School in Street, Somerset. At this exclusive school, David worked with top chefs Nick Dorber, Dean Parsons and Chartwells’ executive chef Andrew Walker. These chefs shared David’s love of food and inspired him to take on the opportunity at Lasseter’s at the Winter Gardens.

The restaurant itself follows a 1920s-inspired theme with a modern twist. The Winter Gardens’ iconic columns are painted with luxurious hues of navy and gold, and the bar is adorned with vintage mirrors and blue tiles. The split level layout means that diners at Lasseter’s get to admire the stunning views along the seafront, and there are plans to use the sheltered outdoor seating area on the seafront for barbeques and outdoor catering in the summer months.

The restaurant’s name is a nod to Dr Paul Lasseter Phillips CBE, Weston College’s Principal and Chief Executive, whose leadership of the College since 2001 has been the driving force behind its recent success, and has enabled it to purchase and restore this iconic seafront venue. This recognition is continued in some of the restaurant’s dishes, in particular the Dr 57 cocktail, one of Lasseter’s signature drinks.

[[{"fid":"6385","view_mode":"default","fields":{"format":"default","field_file_image_alt_text[und][0][value]":"","field_file_image_title_text[und][0][value]":"","field_tags[und]":""},"type":"media","attributes":{"height":"720","width":"719","class":"media-element file-default"},"link_text":null}]]

At the Honeytree Day Nursery we invest in apprenticeships as we believe that apprentices are practitioners of the future. We like to train apprentices and support them in gaining their qualification. We do this as we recognise that at times it is difficult for young people to gain the experience required to follow their career aspirations. All we ask for in return is hard work and a commitment to follow our ethos and values.

Apprentices allow us the opportunity to ‘home-grow’ our practitioners and as such we employ 98% of apprentices once they have completed their course. There are clear progression routes for our apprentices and this is evident in one of our Deputy Managers who started off as an apprentice within our business. I myself completed my Level 3 full time at college and if I was to turn back time I would have completed my qualification through an apprenticeship as the benefits are clear, both for apprentices but also employers. A very big benefit of completing an apprenticeship is the fact that you are getting paid as you learn, and you get to know what it's like to work in the industry. Employers see it as the ideal way to form their perfect employee, which is why so many apprentices are offered jobs at the end of their course. Apprentices are also entitled to paid holidays and other benefits.

The things that employers look for in an apprentice are quite simple. We look for people willing to work hard and commit to enhancing the lives of children. We work very closely with Weston College and we know at what stage each of our apprentices are at. This allows us to give support in the workplace.

Another benefit is that our apprentices work with a range of different ages ranging from 6 months to 5 years and in some of our nurseries the children are older as we offer holiday club. This means the apprentices receive a wide range of knowledge and understanding for different age children that may be in their care.

Jay Sparkle,

Lead Manager,

The Honeytree Day Nursery

Weston College took home a Bristol Life Award last week for its services to education in the Bristol area.

The Bristol Life Awards are in their second year now, and celebrate the best businesses in Bristol, Bath and the wider region. As an expanding college group, delivering a variety of training from fulltime study and apprenticeships to teaching in prisons, Weston College has become a strong educational force across the West. 

Beating off competition from education providers including ASDAN, Claremont School and Boomsatsuma, Weston College was recognised for its work with leading employers, and for its success rates which consistently surpass national benchmarks.

Judges for the awards included some big names in Bristol business and education, such as Jane Roscoe, Executive Dean at UWE Bristol, and Anna Starkey, Creative Director at We The Curious. 
The judges were impressed by the College’s continued investment into the regional economy, the way it supported young people and adults into gaining employment, and how it provides “positive outcomes for some of the most disadvantaged people in society”.

Calling the College “incredible,” the judges said that Weston College is “having great effect on higher education in the South West.”

Current student, Lorna Davey, met Dr Paul Phillips CBE, Weston College’s Principal and Chief Executive, to accept the award on behalf of the student body. Lorna studied Media Production at Level 3 before progressing to a Foundation Degree in Film and Media Arts Production at the College’s university centre. 

She said: “I can definitely see why the College has won this award – they provide so much for students not just locally but across the area and beyond.

“Throughout my time with Weston College, I’ve progressed more than I thought I ever would. They offer amazing support and progression opportunities, and put a lot of time and effort into helping their students. Having studied here, I’d never go anywhere else.”

Dr Paul Phillips CBE said: “We are thrilled to be recognised for our contribution to the region. We strive to support all of our students, no matter where they are or what they are studying, and this award is a testament to the hard work of our tutors and staff who continue to go above and beyond.

“We are most proud of our students, who continually exceed expectations with our support and help us prove that we really are the best in the West of England!” 

Weston College is currently the only Ofsted ‘outstanding’ college in the region and was recently awarded the Queen’s Anniversary Prize for Higher and Further Education and two Association of Colleges’ Beacon Awards for widening participation in education and inclusive practice.
 

Weston-super-Mare became a sea of mortarboards on Saturday 15 September as more than 500 students graduated from University Centre Weston (UCW), which is part of the Weston College Group.

The graduates were joined by their loved ones and lecturers for graduation ceremonies in St John the Baptist Church and drinks receptions in the Winter Gardens Pavilion.

Hundreds more people took part in the celebrations by watching the proceedings on a big screen in the town’s Italian Gardens, and also by cheering on the processions of graduates and academics between the venues.

Attendees were also treated to live music by Weston Brass Band and The Street Dixie Band, and the whole day was streamed live around the world on the UCWeston Facebook page.

The ceremonies themselves saw the graduates collect their degree certificates and take part in traditional mortarboard tosses.

The graduates and their more than 1,000 guests also enjoyed inspiring keynote speeches by Weston College Group Principal and Chief Executive Dr Paul Phillips CBE and conservationist, adventurer and Britannia Trophy 2018 winner Sacha Dench.

Dr Phillips CBE said: “Our 2018 graduates have achieved the best results in our history and I couldn’t be prouder of their achievements.

“All summer I’ve been hearing about the great careers that many of them have already embarked upon and I’m really looking forward to hearing more UCW success stories in the future.

“I’m so pleased that we were able to host these wonderful celebrations to reward our graduates and their loved ones.

“I’m also grateful to North Somerset Council, the South West Local Enterprise Partnership and our university partners, as higher education in Weston and fantastic events such as these wouldn’t be possible without their support.”

Thirty per cent of Honours students at UCW achieved first class degrees this year, which is significantly above the national average, including 85% of those who graduated with an Honours degree in Games and Animation Production.

UCW funded Farhath Siddiqui’s stunning short film ‘Mannequin’ earlier this year and she repaid the faith by achieving a first class degree in Lens-based Media.

She is now working in the film industry as a production assistant for Speed Communications.

Also from the UCW creative arts courses, Ellie Rialas graduated on Saturday with a first in Professional Music Performance and Production - a year after one of her music videos went viral and she earned a professional endorsement from Tanglewood Guitars.

UCW Student of the Year Bradley Cousins achieved the highest marks in the history of Applied Computing at UCW and is now working in a technology role for Western Power Distribution.

Course mate Matthew Fielder also achieved a first and has now secured a job as a software developer in Tokyo, Japan.

Josh Shapland, who started on an apprenticeship at Weston College in 2013 and is now working for educational organisation IntoUniversity, graduated on Saturday with a first in Early Years Education.

Jess Darby missed out on a first on the same course by just one per cent, which is a remarkable result as she had to take time off from UCW to care for her father who was seriously injured in a car crash earlier in the year.

Happily, Jess was able to graduate as planned and was joined on Graduation Day by her fiancé, mother and father, who is recovering from the injuries to his hand, knee and wrist.

Saturday was also a memorable day for Lauren Pendleton and her mother Joanne as they were able to watch each other graduate with degrees in Uniformed and Public Services and Early Years Education respectively.

UCW delivers its more than 45 degree-level courses in partnership with Bath Spa University and the University of the West of England, Bristol.

To find out more about UCW, please go to www.ucw.ac.uk.

Weston College is set to play a lead role in tackling the construction industry skills shortage by opening a brand new industry focused training centre.

The Weston College Construction Training Centre, based just off Junction 21 of the M5, will open in spring 2019 and represents a £3.8 million investment.

It will offer training in three key construction areas – plant operations, scaffolding, and groundworks.

As part of this initiative Weston College has partnered with scaffolding training and safety experts, Simian.

The new centre will increase the availability of Construction Industry Scaffolders’ Record Scheme (CISRS) scaffolding training in the South West. As with most construction trades, the scaffolding industry is currently experiencing a skills shortage and it is expected that the West Wick centre will assist in bridging that gap.

Established in 2005, Simian has cemented their position as industry leaders for scaffolding training and support services. Headquartered in Warrington, the firm now operates a total of four scaffolding training centres in the Midlands, North Wales (Llangefni and Wrexham) and Cheshire, with an additional Centre in east London opening in March 2019.

The new Weston Centre will deliver a large portfolio of CISRS scaffolding courses, which will include new entrant training (COTS), CISRS Part One and Two scaffolding courses, scaffolding Apprenticeships and scaffold inspection training.

Speaking of the partnership, Simian’s Managing Director, Simon Hughes said: “These are exciting times for Simian and we’re delighted to be playing our part in upskilling workers in the south west, as well as providing the opportunity for industry new entrants to obtain the skills and knowledge they need to build a career in the scaffolding sector.

“The increasing levels of UK housing and infrastructure investment mean that the current construction industry skills shortage needs addressing as a matter of urgency and as such, we’re proud to be making Scaffolding Apprenticeships and other vocational scaffolding training available locally in Weston, as this will provide new career opportunities as well as boosting the local economy.”

Dr Paul Phillips CBE, Principal and Chief Executive at Weston College commented: “Weston College has worked hard to identify a strategic partner for scaffolding training at its new Construction Training Centre. We are delighted to be working with Simon and the team at Simian who are nationally renowned as leaders in the field of CISRS accredited scaffolding training and assessment.

"The financial investment to build the Centre has been provided by the College match-funding a successful bid for funding from the West of England Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) through the Local Growth Fund, administered by the West of England Combined Authority.”

Chair of the West of England LEP, Prof Steve West, said: “We’re really pleased to support the fantastic new Construction Training Centre at Weston College. This will help to equip our current and future construction workforce with the skills they need to drive forward the building of new homes, business premises and infrastructure as our region grows. It will also help them to secure better career prospects and make the most of the opportunities available right here in the West of England.”

Weston College’s drive to create 600 work-related learning opportunities in six months has smashed through the halfway point well ahead of schedule.

The ‘600 in 6’ campaign has persuaded businesses from a range of industries to pledge more than 300 opportunities in just eight weeks. These include apprenticeships, traineeships, work placements and project briefs.

Dr Paul Phillips CBE, Principal and Chief Executive of Weston College, said: “One of the greatest challenges faced by the education sector, and society as a whole, is equipping people with the skills they need in an increasingly competitive and ever-changing world.

“The ‘600 in 6’ campaign takes up that challenge by seeking to inspire the future workforce, and supplementing learning programmes with relevant workplace skills and experience.”

Among the businesses to have pledged are: University Hospitals of Bristol, Weston-super-Mare AFC, Wookey Hole Caves and Little Angels Nursery.

YMCA Dulverton Group, which has pledged to train existing staff through Flexible Learning, are also offering four apprenticeship places to Weston College learners.

Jonica Walkinshaw, Director of Training and Education at YMCA Dulverton Group, said: “We are delighted to back the 600 in 6 campaign, and to develop local talent.

“We have decided to upskill 32 existing employees through 600 in 6, and also hire four new apprentices. We cannot wait to help them on their journey, and watch them develop within our organisation.

“Weston College has been very supportive. It has allowed us to build a bespoke package, which suits the needs of the YMCA Dulverton Group.”

You can keep an eye on the campaign’s progress across social media, and through the #600in6 hashtag on Twitter.

For more information and to pledge, click here. 

You can also email the Training Solutions team at apprenticeships@weston.ac.uk or call on 01934 411 594.

Our motto ‘Creating Brighter Futures’ is clearly evident within our sporting provision.

As well as boasting fantastic facilities – including the brand-new Health and Active Living Centre (HALC) – our outstanding courses form a range of progression pathways, which have resulted in four former students being employed in our sport faculty.

We sat down with Matt, Dan, Liam and Sarah (pictured left to right) and asked them about their experiences and how the College has developed over the years.

We cannot wait to continue to build on our existing success and create brighter futures for more young people. Click here for more information on Sport courses. 

It’s fitting that Weston College has the honour of sponsoring the Diversity, Inclusion and Wellbeing category at this year’s Bristol Law Society Awards.

As well as supporting a vital organisation in the local legal sector, this also gives us the opportunity highlight a range of subjects that resonate closely with the College’s values and priorities.

In recent years we’ve worked extremely hard to take our law-related provision to the next level and, in doing so, support local employers that operate in the legal industry.

We created the Law and Professional Services Academy following a multi-million-pound redevelopment to of the Winter Gardens Pavilion on Weston seafront.

It features a library, new computer equipment, technology-enhanced ‘pods’ for group study, a café, classrooms and social spaces, and we’ve also been able to maintain the traditional elements of design, which make the Winter Gardens so iconic.

This bright and spacious facility offers training across law and other professional services, and provides students with a large and diverse range of training.

We’ve worked closely with hundreds of employers across the region to create specialised and professional courses that offer clear progression routes.

As well as giving students clearly defined routes into the industry, the academy enables business to access cost-effective training courses and apprenticeships that will help them develop their workforce.

Employers have the opportunity to train their staff from Level 1 to university-level and can also work with us to create bespoke courses that meet their specific business needs.

Our courses range from the Law A Level and Level 3 Paralegal Apprenticeship through to the CILEx Law and Practice Diploma at Level 3 and Level 6.

The sponsorship of this award also enables us to highlight another area in which we’re leading the way – that of wellbeing and mental health.

We recently devised an organisation-wide initiative to enhance the mental health, wellbeing and welfare of our learners, staff and the sider community, and ensure they have the emotional resilience to meet the increasing demands of 21st century life.

The programme consists of a framework of ‘body and mind’ initiatives, including free mindfulness, meditation, dance and yoga sessions.

It also involves forging strong partnerships with the local authority, charities and clubs; hosting a series of sports, healthy eating and wellbeing sessions; and tackling issues such as low self-esteem, low confidence and smoking cessation.

This pioneering initiative received national recognition this year, by winning an Association of Colleges Beacon Award, with judges highlighting our commitment to creating an ethos that puts mental health, wellbeing and welfare at the forefront of its investment.

Aside from this programme, we’re proud to hold both the ‘Gold’ and ‘Champion’ Investors in People accreditation, which also recognise the College’s proactive approach to the mental health, wellbeing and welfare services of its staff. The College also offers staff free Mental Health First Aid training and provide a counselling service.

This issue of health and wellbeing was also central to the development of our Health and Active Skills Centre, which opened in September. As well as tackling the current skills shortage in the sector, this impressive facility also addresses longer-term issues that affect our health service and the health of the local population.

Like the finalists in this category of the Law Society’s Awards, we recognise that the most successful and robust organisations are diverse and inclusive. It’s in the fabric of the College that everyone has the right to be treated fairly and without discrimination, regardless of age, disability, gender, gender identity, race, religion or belief, sexual orientation, circumstances or background.

The finalists in this category – Barcan+Kirby, DAC Beachcroft and RPC – have all embraced these values wholeheartedly and any one of them will be a worthy winner on the night of October 24th.

I’m very much looking forward to the event and wish all three companies the very best of luck. To find out more about Weston College’s range of law courses and facilities, visit the Law and Professional Services Academy page of our website.