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>On Saturday 6 November the Fashion, Theatre, Media Hair and Make-up students joined dancers at the Winter Gardens for Strictly Fun Dancing.</p>
<p>The Level 3 Diploma in Fashion, Theatre and Media Hair and Make-Up is an occupational qualification that provides learners with the knowledge, understanding and skills to work as a make-up artist. The students volunteered their skills to do the hair and make-up for the dancers for this annual charity event.</p>
<p>Hair styles included chignons, wigs, bouncy curls and the make-up included skincare preparations, eyeshadow, primer makeup, both liquid and cream products for sheer coverage, plus glitters, contouring and lashes.</p>
<p>Sandra Bull, Dean of Faculty, said: “At Weston College we passionately believe in supporting every person that walks through the door to reach their ultimate goal, by focussing on future employability and developing the skills needed to have a successful career. Today did just that, by providing an element of work experience for our learners who are on their vocational programmes.”</p>
<p>A spokes person for Weston Hospicecare said: "We are delighted to be joined by a group of Weston College students and their tutors at our Strictly Fun Dancing event at the Winter Gardens. The students were incredible and helped the majority of our dancers prepare for their five minutes of fame on the dancefloor. From hair (including a black gents wig!), makeup and stylings all the students were super-professional. We look forward to welcoming them back in 2022!"</p>
<p>Devon one of the students said: "I'm always ready to learn new things and this experience today has been so exciting, it has been amazing to be part of strictly."</p>
<p>Find out more about hair and beauty courses</p>
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.weston.ac.uk/what-can-i-study/courses-16-18-year-olds?">Cou… for 16 to 19-years-olds</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.weston.ac.uk/what-can-i-study/courses-adults">Courses for adults</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.weston.ac.uk/news-and-events/events">Next open event</a></li>
</ul>
<p> </p>
<p>As part of the <a href="https://www.weston.ac.uk/what-can-i-study/courses-16-18-year-olds/hospi… Excellence Hub in hospitality and catering</a>, a Chef Apprentice has access to an exciting masterclass programme, giving them the essential chef skills. Masterclasses are delivered monthly by industry professionals including producers and artisans including expert guest bakers, butchers and fishmongers.</p>
<p>Today's Chef apprentice masterclass is led by Mark Chapman, the Executive Chef from Gambas Tapas Bar, Bristol, who will guide the apprentices through a seafood and shellfish masterclass, where they:</p>
<ul>
<li>Shuck fresh oysters and serve them au natural with lemon and tabasco.</li>
<li>Peeled, de-veined and cleaned prawns, served as a traditional Spanish dish called ‘Gambas pil pil’ (garlic chilli prawns).</li>
<li>Shuck and cleaned fresh scallops. These were cooked on the plancha and served with a roe bechamel, freshly sliced jamon and parsley butter.</li>
</ul>
<p>We also looked at portion size and weight, understanding fish monger skills and the terms and techniques used, plus discussed the the farm to fork journey.</p>
<p>Mark is a classically trained, fine dining chef, with over 16 years experience. He started his training as a chef in Sydney, Australia completing a 4 year apprenticeship whilst working full-time in restaurant’s. He developed his skills in a range of Michelin equivalent ‘hat’ restaurants in Sydney, including Sepia (a French Japanese fusion restaurant), The Light Brigade Hotel, Bistro Ortolan and Wolgan Valley (a 5 Star exclusive Emirates hotel in the Blue Mountains).</p>
<p>Mark moved to Bristol to be with his now wife in 2012. Where he has since worked in a range of restaurants in Bristol and Bath since then including at the Michelin Star hotel The Bath Priory.</p>
<p>Since joining Season + Taste as a Head Chef at Bravas in 2016, Mark became an Executive Chef of the whole group in 2018 and is enjoying putting his fine dining experience into some more creative ventures like Gambas, Cantina and Bakers and co.</p>
<p>He became the Executive Chef of Gambas Tapas bar in 2019 earning the restaurant a Michelin plate and volunteers for a number of Bristol charity unions such as Bristol Food Union, for whom he managed a community of 11 of Bristol best restaurants to provide meals for frontline workers and vulnerable people during the pandemic.</p>
<p>He said “there is a shortage of staff in the hospitality industry but the only way the industry can overcome this is by investing time, training and money into the new generation of chefs who are 21 years or younger, and allowing them the space to work alongside those in the industry who are older with more experienced.</p>
<p>"It’s harder to find staff for both kitchen and front of house, so empowering the younger generation with creativity, stability, flexibility, motivation and interest is the only way to ensure the new generation not just join the industry but stay and grow in it also. This is why I am here today!”</p>
<p>Mark’s final words to future chefs is “Cook with Passion.”</p>
<p>Find out more about being a Chef Apprentice:</p>
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.weston.ac.uk/what-can-i-study/courses-16-18-year-olds/hospi… and Apprenticeships</a> for school leavers</li>
<li>Next <a href="https://www.weston.ac.uk/news-and-events/events">open event</a></li>
</ul>
<p>The Creative Arts industry has always been dynamic and exciting to work in. After the pandemic and in post-Brexit Britain, employers are looking to recruit the best and with the industry growing rapidly at 4x more than the UK economy we want to provide our learners with the platform to maximise their true potential!</p>
<p>Our Creative Arts Career Excellence Hub offers career boosting benefits to our learners by providing them with both hard and soft skills based on their course, enhanced work experience, networking opportunities and unrivalled exposure to our endorsers which include The Brickworks Studio, North Somerset Arts, Weston Museum and Culture Weston to name a few.</p>
<p>With the South West being a hub for Creative Arts, there are endless opportunities for our learners to enter the industry, with the support of the Creative Arts Career Excellence Hub learners will be equipped with ‘real world learning’ and up to date employability skills.</p>
<p>Our Creative Arts learners will get to learn in Weston College’s state-of-the-art facilities with specialist rooms for music practice and performance, recording and editing, art workshops and studio. Our creative students will have access to an extensive range of audio and visual equipment to support their learning.</p>
<p>Matthew Holden, Acting Museum Operations Manager from one of our endorsers Weston Museum has said “Our Weston College students bring a huge amount of imagination and creativity to our business. They bring new ideas and emerging practises that can help us to develop into areas in which we have previously not been able to.”</p>
<p>For more information on how to apply to Weston College and join our amazing Career Excellence Hub for Creative Arts, <a href="https://www.weston.ac.uk/what-can-i-study/courses-16-18-year-olds/creat… here</a>.</p>
