Protective Services

STUDYING PROTECTIVE SERVICES AT WESTON COLLEGE

If life as a paramedic, police officer or member of the armed services appeals to you, then our protective services courses will suit you perfectly. There are many exciting job opportunities in the protective services that help keep our communities safe and thriving.

You will learn from lecturers that have industry experience and can provide insight into life in protective services and prepare you in a structured and supportive environment. You will develop your employability skills, physical fitness and academic thinking, which gives you the opportunity to enter employment when you finish the course or progress on to university.

Whatever your ultimate career goal, you will need to be dedicated and highly disciplined. Your physical fitness is hugely important for certain front-line roles, whereas strong administration and organisational skills are better suited to more supportive positions.

Our staff have had fantastic careers within the protective and uniformed services. They’ll pass on their hands-on knowledge and experience to you as you train to enter the service of your choice.

We also offer outdoor adventure residential trips and visits including camping, canoeing, orienteering, abseiling and climbing.

Job roles in the West of England currently include:

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We've bundled the best education in the area with career boosted benefits - and are leveraging our contacts as one of the largest Colleges in the country to give you the best possible chance of success.

We are about careers not courses, so you get the opportunity to gain work experience, connection with employers and work-related projects to give you a head start in your chosen career. Guest speakers will visit us and give you real insight into a career in the sector.

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Apprenticeships
T-Levels

Level 2

Uniformed Services (Entry Into), NCFE Diploma

Duration: 1 Year

Start Date: Sep 2025

Location: KNIGHTSTONE CAMPUS

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If you want a dynamic and impactful career in public services, the Entry into Public Services Diploma offers an ideal starting point. This comprehensive programme is designed to equip you with the essential skills, knowledge, and experience needed to excel in a wide range of public service roles. Whether you see yourself as a police officer, f...

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Level 3

Operational Firefighter, Apprenticeship

Duration: 24 Months

Start Date: Aug 2025

Location: KNIGHTSTONE CAMPUS

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Become a firefighter, and earn while you learn, with this apprenticeship which is open to anyone over the age of 18. Firefighters tackle a wide range of emergencies, where problem resolving is vital, carried out in a calm and quick manner. Emergencies can involve tackling fires, searching and rescuing people and animals, and protecting agains...

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Level 3

Protective Services, Extended Diploma

Duration: 18 - 24 Months

Start Date: Sep 2025

Location: KNIGHTSTONE CAMPUS

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If you have a passion for protecting and serving others, the Protective Services Extended Diploma offers a comprehensive and specialised programme to launch your career in the field of public safety and security. Whether you see yourself as a security officer, prison officer, or private investigator, this diploma will provide you with the nece...

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Courses after College

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Uniformed and Public Services
Bachelor's Degree (BA Hons)

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Occupations related to Protective Services

Senior Police Officer

Senior police officers plan, organise, direct and co-ordinate the resources and activities of a specific geographical or functional area of generalised or specialised police work. Senior officers of the British Transport Police direct the specialised police service for the railway network across Britain.

Average annual earnings: £52,696
Employment in region: 269 positions

Senior Officer in Fire, Ambulance, Prison or Related Services

Fire officers plan, organise, direct and co-ordinate the activities and resources of a specific physical or functional area of a statutory or private fire brigade/service and the resources necessary for the protection of property at fires within a salvage corps area. Ambulance officers plan, organise, direct and co-ordinate the resources necessary for the provision of ambulance services. Prison officers (principal officer and above) plan, organise, direct, and co-ordinate the activities and resources necessary for the running of a prison, remand or detention centre. Customs officers plan and direct the work of customs, excise and immigration staff in the monitoring and inspection of goods and persons crossing national borders.

Average annual earnings: £38,926
Employment in region: 234 positions

Probation Officer

Probation officers work to rehabilitate offenders. They supervise, counsel and help them before trial, during any prison or community sentence and on release from prison.

Average annual earnings: £33,991
Employment in region: 141 positions

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WHAT OUR STUDENTS SAY

Lily

The facilities at Weston College, including the library, computer rooms, outdoor sports pitch, and indoor sports hall, were fantastic and relevant to my career goals. Attending Careers Fest and various protective service talks opened my eyes to different career paths.

Studied:

Uniformed Protective Services

LATEST NEWS

19 Dec 2024

protective services students at bristol estuary

Level 3 Uniformed Protective Service students braved the wintery conditions of the Bristol Estuary this December for an unforgettable day of coasteering. This adrenaline-fueled activity saw students swimming to cliffs, scaling rugged rock faces, and leaping into the icy waters below—all in the name of teamwork, resilience, and personal growth. The activity, which challenges participants both physically and mentally, is a key part of the Protective Service curriculum. It calls for determination and collaboration—qualities essential for success in uniformed service careers. Despite the cold, the students demonstrated exceptional courage and camaraderie, making the most of this thrilling experience. <drupal-entity alt=""protective services students in Bristol Channel"" data-align="center" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="926aff45-ec7f-4d08-b2d9-0f688f23b305" data-embed-button="file_browser" data-entity-embed-display="image:image" data-entity-embed-display-settings="{"image_style":"max_650x650","image_link":"","image_loading":{"attribute":"lazy"}}"> </drupal-entity>David Usher, Protective Service Lecturer, reflected on the day: “It was a fantastic day, topped off with a McDonald’s stop on the way back!” Weston College’s Protective Service provision equips students with the skills, confidence, and experiences they need to thrive in careers such as the police, fire service, armed forces, and more. Through dynamic activities like coasteering, students learn to overcome challenges and push their limits. This trip forms part of the Protective Services Careers Excellence Hub. The College has fourteen sector-specific Career Excellence Hubs, which evidence our dedication to supporting both employers and learners in achieving their future goals. By creating a seamless connection between industry and education, we enable learners to acquire not only the essential skills and knowledge but also the professional networks necessary to excel in their chosen fields.  Want to join the adventure? <a class="ProsemirrorEditor-link" href="https://www.weston.ac.uk/what-can-i-study/courses-16-18-year-olds/prote… Weston College’s Protective Service courses</a> and take the first step towards an exciting future. If you are passionate about education and are looking for an opportunity to join the staff team at a leading college, then look at the latest job vacancies available at Weston College <a class="ProsemirrorEditor-link" href="https://www.weston.ac.uk/jobs?utm_source=main-menu&utm_medium=main-…;. You can find all the latest job opportunities that Weston College has to offer, with a commitment to providing quality education for learners and a focus on continuous professional development for staff, Weston College is an excellent place to work and grow in your career.

Protective Service Students Conquer the Bristol Estuary with Coasteering Adventure

18 Dec 2024

protective services students in simulation

Last Thursday, our Protective Services lecturers, Nicola Stent and David Usher, hosted a highly impactful and collaborative event involving students from Protective Services, Performing Arts, and UCW Hair, Makeup, and Prosthetics. With expert guidance from Tara O'Hare, a lecturer in Hair, Makeup, and Prosthetics, this exciting simulation provided learners with real-world, practical experience in emergency response scenarios.The event tested students' skills in handling crises, working under pressure, and collaborating across disciplines, making it a truly enriching learning opportunity.The event featured two simultaneous intense and immersive simulations. The first involved a gas explosion in the Production Arts classroom, while the second took place in the Sports Hall, where students responded to mystery attack and attack/bike collision scenarios.  The mystery attack scenario was designed to test the crisis management and communication skills of the students. It involved four Performing Arts students, with one portraying a woman who had just broken up with her partner. Along with her three friends, she was stabbed by the ex-partner, who had followed them. A passing biker stopped to help and was also injured in the attack. The woman, knowing the attacker as her former partner, called Nicola, who was acting as 999 emergency services, via Teams to report the incident. The Protective Services students (who were unbeknownst to this planned simulation) sprang into action, immediately taking charge of the scene when the distress call was received. They engaged in a rapid and detailed assessment of the situation, asking critical questions about the number of casualties and the identity of the attacker. <blockquote class="tiktok-embed" style="max-width:605px;min-width:325px;" cite="https://www.tiktok.com/@westoncollege/video/7449726207526063393" data-video-id="7449726207526063393"><section><a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@westoncollege?refer=embed" target="_blank" title="@westoncollege">@westoncollege</a>Our Protective Services, Performing Arts, and UCW Hair, Makeup and Prosthetics learners collaborated to create a close-to-real-life simulation of a critical incident to test how our Protective Services learners would react. 💥💥 Here's how it went...<a href="https://www.tiktok.com/music/original-sound-WestonCollege-7449726285607…; target="_blank" title="♬ original sound - WestonCollege">♬ original sound - WestonCollege</a></section></blockquote><script async="" src="https://www.tiktok.com/embed.js"></script> The Protective Services students secured the scene, performed first aid, and ensured proper protocol was followed, simulating the role of police officers and emergency responders. The second simulation focused on a gas explosion scenario in the Production Arts classroom. The Protective Services students had been waiting outside for their lesson, only to find the room had been hit by an explosion. Inside, Drama students acted as victims, injured and in pain, with their wounds carefully painted on by the Hair, Makeup, and Prosthetics students. The Protective Services team had to act swiftly, treating the victims’ injuries and preparing for the unexpected. They also had to manage the threat of a fake bomb, ensuring a swift evacuation of the casualties to a safe triage area, securing the crime scene, and following emergency procedures. The event allowed students to explore the more practical side of their courses, helping them understand the importance of teamwork, communication, and quick decision-making in emergency scenarios. They also gained invaluable insights into the process of responding to 999 calls, securing crime scenes, and providing immediate care in high-stress situations. Without the support of the other student departments within the College, the event wouldn’t have been such a success. Our Performing Arts students excellently stayed in character throughout the simulation, acting as victims in distress, and convincingly portraying their injuries; the Hair, Makeup, and Prosthetics students, expertly crafted lifelike injuries, from stab wounds to burns and abrasions, bringing the scenarios to life; and the Protective Services students, who demonstrated professionalism and composure under pressure, responding to the emergencies with precision and care.  And a huge thank you to Nicola Stent for making what the students thought would be a normal lesson into a fast-paced simulation that we’re sure they’ll never forget! This partnership forms part of the Protective Services, Performance and Production arts and Creative Arts Careers Excellence Hub. The College has fourteen sector-specific Career Excellence Hubs, which evidence our dedication to supporting both employers and learners in achieving their future goals. By creating a seamless connection between industry and education, we enable learners to acquire not only the essential skills and knowledge but also the professional networks necessary to excel in their chosen fields.     To learn more about our Protective Services courses, <a class="ProsemirrorEditor-link" href="https://www.weston.ac.uk/what-can-i-study/courses-16-18-year-olds/prote… here.</a> To find out about what courses we have to offer for Performance and Production Arts, please <a class="ProsemirrorEditor-link" href="https://www.weston.ac.uk/what-can-i-study/courses-16-18-year-olds/perfo… here.</a> To see more about our Hair, Makeup and Prosthetics courses, <a class="ProsemirrorEditor-link" href="https://www.ucw.ac.uk/courses/hair-make-up-and-prosthetics-for-producti… here.</a>  If you are passionate about education and are looking for an opportunity to join the staff team at a leading college, then look at the latest job vacancies available at Weston College here. You can find all the latest job opportunities that Weston College has to offer, with a commitment to providing quality education for learners and a focus on continuous professional development for staff, Weston College is an excellent place to work and grow in your career.

Students Participate in Immersive Emergency Response Simulation Event!

13 Nov 2024

Protective Services learners group photo with the poppies they made

Remembrance Day is a day we should never forget. It is a day to remember the members of the Armed Forces who fought hard for us but sadly lost their lives during the war. The 11th November marked the end of the First World War and has been honoured ever since. Here at Weston College, our <a href="https://www.weston.ac.uk/what-can-i-study/courses-16-18-year-olds/prote…; rel="noreferrer noopener" title="https://www.weston.ac.uk/what-can-i-study/courses-16-18-year-olds/prote…; target="_blank">Uniformed Protective Services</a> (UPS) students went above and beyond the normal traditions by creating their own poppy display on the 7th floor of Knightstone campus. The students made their poppies out of paper, or if they were feeling really adventurous, some even sewed them. Whilst the learners carefully crafted their poppies, they discussed the family members who fought and sadly lost their lives. They then arranged their poppies into a lovely display that other members of the college could go and pay their respects to.  <drupal-entity alt=""Protective Services Poppy Display"" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="e2a0f560-ff0b-45b3-9aeb-e2f07e468e64" data-embed-button="file_browser" data-entity-embed-display="image:image" data-entity-embed-display-settings="{"image_style":"max_500x500","image_link":"","image_loading":{"attribute":"lazy"}}"> </drupal-entity> The poppy is a symbol of both remembrance and hope and has been worn as such since the poem ‘In Flanders Fields’ was written by Lieutenant Colonel John McCrae in 1915. The fields that were fought on in the war were turned to nothing but mud and destruction, but through it all, a field of poppies flourished.  Lily, one of our UPS learners, said, “poppies are a huge part of Remembrance Day to show our respects for those who fought for our freedom, and due to our public service course, this is a special occasion as we would all like to be a part of the serving forces.” <drupal-entity alt=""Some of the poppies that the Protective Services students made"" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="be7c9b7c-0b55-4807-a65a-07b191750324" data-embed-button="file_browser" data-entity-embed-display="image:image" data-entity-embed-display-settings="{"image_style":"max_500x500","image_link":"","image_loading":{"attribute":"lazy"}}"> </drupal-entity> Our <a href="https://www.weston.ac.uk/what-can-i-study/courses-16-18-year-olds/prote…; rel="noreferrer noopener" title="https://www.weston.ac.uk/what-can-i-study/courses-16-18-year-olds/prote…; target="_blank">Uniformed Protective Services</a> course provides our learners with a solid foundation and a pathway to success in a career in protective services. Through a combination of practical training, theoretical study, and real-world experiences, our students are developing the expertise and confidence necessary to make a meaningful difference in the community. Nicky Stent, a Protective Services lecturer, said, “I was so proud of the attitudes and respect demonstrated by the UPS learners for the Remembrance reflection lesson. We discussed family members, great-grandparents who had lost their lives, and we reflected on how we would feel being in their position.  Many learners found sewing quite challenging and yet continued to make an effort in order to pay their respects and ensure that we could create an installation worthy of 11th November. The whole cohort collaborated, and I could not be prouder of the mature discussions that took place.” <drupal-entity alt=""Protective Services learners making the poppies"" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="37b548cc-afd4-4c8c-be2f-2604386e6d1c" data-embed-button="file_browser" data-entity-embed-display="image:image" data-entity-embed-display-settings="{"image_style":"max_500x500","image_link":"","image_loading":{"attribute":"lazy"}}"> </drupal-entity> The UPS students also attended the Memorial ceremony in Grove Park on Remembrance Day. David Beresford, Head of Protective Services, said “the students provided an excellent presence at the Memorial Day ceremony.  Their behaviour epitomised the brevity and importance of the occasion, displaying respect, reflection and pride in their Nation's historic endeavours.” We are so proud of our <a href="https://www.weston.ac.uk/what-can-i-study/courses-16-18-year-olds/prote…; rel="noreferrer noopener" title="https://www.weston.ac.uk/what-can-i-study/courses-16-18-year-olds/prote…; target="_blank">Uniformed Protective Services</a> students for how they presented themselves and honoured Remembrance Day at Weston College. <a href="https://www.weston.ac.uk/what-can-i-study/courses-16-18-year-olds/prote…; rel="noreferrer noopener" title="https://www.weston.ac.uk/what-can-i-study/courses-16-18-year-olds/prote…; target="_blank">If you’re interested in applying to one of our Protective Services courses, click here.</a>

Poppies for Remembrance: Students Commemorate Remembrance Day

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Protective Services

Protective Services

STUDYING PROTECTIVE SERVICES AT WESTON COLLEGE