Programmes for School Leavers
Courses for 16 to 18-year-olds
COURSES FOR SCHOOL LEAVERS
With hundreds of unique, exciting and inspiring programmes to choose from, everything you need to create your brighter future is waiting for you at Weston College.
From the minute you walk through the door, the experience and the environment that we create is all about maximising your potential. It’s about preparing and motivating you for a fresh and focused career pathway.
Every Weston College student becomes part of one of our exciting new Career Excellence Hubs. This means you will take part in a study programme with lots of career boosting benefits, all with the aim of help you to go further, giving you the opportunity to become career ready with the skills, knowledge and expertise you need to be successful in your next step and reach your ultimate goal - whatever that may be!
Whether you are looking for the next step after school or the next step in your career, we're bound to have a programme for you. Take a look below at the different types of qualifications available for school leavers and young people between 16 and 18 years old.
Did you know we also run English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL)?
Start your brighter future by selecting a subject you're interested in below, and don't forget - you can apply online and it only takes 5 minutes!
Discover our range of courses for school leavers aged 16-18 using the search options below...
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Qualifications Explained
At Weston College we know that everyone learns differently. That’s why we deliver a variety of different qualification types - to give you the chance to learn in the way that suits you the most.
A Levels
A Levels develop the knowledge, skills and study habits to excel at university, as well as the attributes recognised by employers. Your academic studies will be complemented with enrichment opportunities such as trips, mentoring and work experience, providing the perfect springboard for your future career. A Levels are assessed through exams at the end of two years of study. Most learners study three subjects - some choose four.
Apprenticeships
With an apprenticeship you’ll go straight into the workplace and be shown clear routes to progress straight into employment within a specific occupation. You can achieve nationally recognised qualifications, earn a wage, and gain skills that will see you get ahead. On average you will spend 20% of your learning time in the college and 80% within the workplace..
Professional and Technical Qualifications
Professional and technical qualifications are designed to provide you with the knowledge, skills and behaviours needed to gain employment within specific industries or occupations. They provide a balance between theory and practical skills development. They are suited to those who want to get hands-on experience within a particular vocational area. These programmes include work placements. Assessment is more varied and will include exams, coursework and practical work.
Traineeships
Traineeships are a great way for 16 to 24-year-olds who haven’t yet gained the skills and experiences necessary to apply for jobs and apprenticeships. They are taught mostly in the workplace and include a mixture of personal and social development, and employability skills. The aim of a traineeship is to train you within a company so that you are more likely to be offered an apprenticeship or a job.
T Levels give you the chance to learn what a real career is like while you continue your studies. T Levels have been designed with leading businesses and employers to give you the knowledge and skills you need, including a minimum of 45 days on an industry placement – this means you will spend 80% of your learning time in College and 20% within the workplace.
CHOOSING WHAT TO STUDY
We are all about CAREERS NOT COURSES and pride ourselves on being able to offer a huge range of programmes to ensure you develop the skills and knowledge employers and universities are looking for. As the only education provider in North Somerset that enables you to work your way up from an entrylevel programme to a degree, we’re here to help you choose the right programme for you.
We can help you choose your study programme or apprenticeship by accessing the following support:
School Liaison Team
Working with local schools we help you find out about college life and programmes of study, and we provide you with advice and guidance about what programmes will best suit you. We will either visit your school, attend careers fairs and parents’ evenings or coordinate campus and virtual events such as our taster days, holiday workshops and tours.
Events
We put on a number of events over the year, which will be a mixture of face-to-face and virtual events. These provide you and your family with the opportunity to explore our facilities, speak to our lecturers, find out about the support on offer and choose the right programme for you. Our events also give you the opportunity to engage with a number of employers to find out about careers in their industry and why they value the calibre of candidates that come from Weston College.
CAREERS ADVICE
- On our website you can access a wealth of career guidance, such as:
- All the programmes you can study.
- What our alumni have gone on to achieve.
- Labour Market Intelligence (LMI) that will help explain what relevant careers and jobs are available, including salaries.
- NEW – Subject careers roadmaps, so you can map your journey with us and ensure it will get you into your chosen career. Also, check out Career Coach - this provides you with the opportunity to:
- Take an assessment that matches you with careers.
- Explore broad career pathways that match your strengths and interests.
- Compare careers within a pathway - including salaries, required education and more.
- Explore our programmes that will set you on the path to your desired career.
- Take a career assessment - and receive an in-depth report that can help you identify the best programme and career path for you!
We’re here and happy to help – if you would like more advice and guidance, contact our school liaison team by emailing schoolteam@weston.ac.uk. - they you can arrange a one-to-one careers appointment with our specialist staff.
LATEST NEWS
<p><em>Who let the dogs in?! Photography did...</em></p>
<p>Loxton Campus was recently visited by an incredible crew of canine companions as our Photography department hosted free dog photoshoots for the public.</p>
<p>The student-led sessions, that sold out in less than 1 hour, allowed learners from Level 2 and Level 3 Photography courses to take on a number of different job roles including: Photographer, Photographer's assistant, Studio Manager and Meeter and Greeter. As well as practicing practical and technical skills using challenging subjects, the learners gained invaluable experience working with the public.</p>
<p>Jo Halladey, Lecturer in Photography added: <em>"We had a fantastic response to our Dog Photoshoot sessions resulting in our Level 3 Photography students having 3 full days of studio work. </em></p>
<p><em>"The experience they gained from working with members of the public and in particular working with all kinds of different dogs from Labradoodles to Pomchis, old and very young has added to their skillset and made them even more ready for the industry. We are hoping to do a cat version next year... Watch this space!"</em></p>
<p>Experiences such as this are one of the many career-boosting benefits that come to students by being part of the <a href="https://www.weston.ac.uk/sites/default/files/2021-10/84501_Weston%20Col… Arts Career Excellence Hub</a>. </p>
<p>These employer endorsed <a href="https://www.weston.ac.uk/career-excellence-hubs">Hubs</a> unlock many exciting opportunities for learners. From guest speakers to industry placements, connecting with the industry helps to make our courses as fresh and relevant as possible so that you leave college with more than just a qualification.</p>
<p>Following the free photoshoots, the department are asking for donations to <a href="https://www.gofundme.com/f/dog-photoshoot-donations?utm_campaign=p_cf+s… Tears Rescue</a>: A dog rescue charity whose buildings were severely damaged by recent storms.</p>
<p> </p>
<p><strong>Click here to:</strong></p>
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.weston.ac.uk/what-can-i-study/courses-16-18-year-olds/photo… our Photography courses</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.weston.ac.uk/career-excellence-hubs">Learn more about Career Excellence Hubs</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.gofundme.com/f/dog-photoshoot-donations?utm_campaign=p_cf+s… to Many Tears Rescue</a></li>
</ul>
<p><img alt="Hospitality team" data-align="right" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="a613e6e2-675e-4c95-8052-08814d84fcc3" src="/sites/default/files/inline-images/MicrosoftTeams-image%20%286%29.jpeg" />Last week hospitality learners had the opportunity to chat with TV Personality and Luxury Hotelier, Alex Polizzi. Alex was joined by Head of Food and Beverage at the Polizzi Collection, Sergio Paolo, as both answered questions about the industry, to inspire the next generation of hospitality workers.</p>
<p>Alex, a renowned English hotelier, and star of The Hotel Inspector is a hugely successful businesswoman in the world of hospitality. Recently, Alex opened the doors to a camera crew as she documented the journey of renovating then opening a Grade II listed inn through Lockdown.</p>
<p>Her latest venture, The Star; a 30-bedroom boutique hotel in Sussex opened successfully in Easter 2020 despite numerous challenges including renovation delays, staffing, and working around lockdown.</p>
<p>Sandra Bull, Dean of Faculty for Hospitality and Catering at Weston College, said: “It was fantastic to welcome Alex and Sergio to the college, as they shared about the highs and lows of working in a constantly evolving hospitality sector.</p>
<p>“Our learners enjoyed hearing from two people that have such a wealth of experience, and they were all inspired by the talk.</p>
<p>“The partnership won’t stop there either, we will be working collaboratively with Alex to ensure that we are delivering training needed by employers and preparing our learners for life in the industry.”</p>
<p>Dr Paul Phillips CBE, Principal and Chief Executive of Weston College Group, added: “The hospitality industry has had a really difficult time over the last 18 months, and both locally and nationally, there has been a shortage of staff.</p>
<p>“Through our Career Excellence Hub at Weston College, we feel it is important to connect learners with the industry, working closely with employers to co-design our programmes, and also deliver sessions to our learners. We believe that this will prepare our learners with the skills needed, not just to enter the workplace, but to have long and successful careers.</p>
<p>“It was great to meet Alex and Sergio, who offered such wonderful advice to people getting ready to enter the industry – proving that you can create a career from your passion. I’m looking forward to continuing this partnership and seeing the exciting progress of our hospitality learners.”</p>
<p>Discover more about our hospitality courses, below:</p>
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.weston.ac.uk/what-can-i-study/courses-16-18-year-olds/hospi…;
<li><a href="https://www.weston.ac.uk/what-can-i-study/apprenticeships?utm_source=ma…;
<li><a href="https://www.weston.ac.uk/what-can-i-study/courses-adults?utm_source=mai… courses</a></li>
</ul>
<p>The Education sector is one of the UK’s biggest industries. The demand for trained childcare workers is increasing and the need for teachers is growing. With over 32,000 schools in the UK and over 634,000 teaching roles, there are lots of exciting opportunities available for our learners. In a post pandemic world, employers want to recruit the best and with the industry demand increasing, we want to provide our learners with the platform to maximise their true potential!</p>
<p>With the launch of our new Education and Early Years Career Excellence Hubs, our learners will now be equipped with 21st Century employability skills and develop the skills they need to prepare them for the world of work. The Education and Early years Career Excellence Hub gives our learners the chance to build their hard skills like safeguarding and health and safety skills and soft skills like problem solving and communication.</p>
<p>Education and Early Years is an exciting and varied industry, with lots of different career paths to take. Some of which include, early years teacher, primary school teacher, secondary school teacher and education consultant. Our newly opened state of the art Education and Early Years hub at our Knightstone Campus have been developed in conjunction with the Career Excellence Hub endorsers: Busy Buddies, Little Bears, DaisyChain, Mendip Green, YMCA and Storal Learning, who ensure that not only that the course content includes insights from industry leaders, but also that the new facilities will be industry standard to give them real-life work experience. Having the Career Excellence Hub equips our learners with ‘real world learning’ to prepare them for their chosen career destination.</p>
<p>For more information on how to apply to Weston College and join our amazing Education Career Excellence Hub, <a href="https://www.weston.ac.uk/what-can-i-study/courses-16-18-year-olds/educa… ">click here</a>.</p>
