A ‘double first’ for Weston College Apprentices was celebrated on the town’s Grand Pier last week.

Around 70 Apprentices took part in the ‘TrailBlazer’ event, the first of its kind to be held by a UK college and the first graduation ceremony ever to be held entirely on a British pier.

The event was just one of six to be held around the UK and was funded by the National Apprenticeship Service (NAS) and managed by the Association of Colleges (AoC) and the Association of Employment and Learning Providers (AELP).

Despite inclement weather, Apprentices from many different fields gathered to receive certificates marking their achievements and to hear inspirational speeches from fellow Apprentices, employers and BBC’s ‘The Apprentice’ finalist Jim Eastwood.

After a photocall, Apprentices and their families filed into the pier’s main building for the ceremony. Weston College Principal and Chief Executive Dr Paul Phillips, OBE, introduced the event.

Dr Phillips praised the efforts of all the graduates, and thanked all employers, sponsors and organisations involved in creating TrailBlazer.

Talking about the benefits of hiring apprentices, Jill Male, of Wrington-based company Freelance Surgical, said: “Every apprentice should be proud of what they have achieved and learned. It is essential in business that young people are given the opportunity to continue developing.”

Among those graduating was 20-year-old Jodie Pickles, of Weston. She took a Level Three Apprenticeship in Business Administration and is working for Broadway Lodge, a Weston-based charity providing residential treatment in the field of addiction.

She said: “I began in administration and now I work in HR and IT. I really enjoyed my Apprenticeship and Weston College has been very supportive the entire time. I wasn’t expecting a graduation ceremony but it’s a real boost for everyone here today.”

Speaking at the event, 37-year-old Nikki Durkin, who works for GE Oil and Gas in Nailsea, described how an Apprenticeship furthered her career while enabling her to maintain a work-life balance.

She said: “I would encourage anyone to go out and learn new work-based skills. An Apprenticeship is a fantastic way of gaining knowledge and developing your career.”

Keynote speaker Jim Eastwood, now the Vice President of internet voucher firm Groupon, talked about his time on ‘The Apprentice’ and praised Weston College’s efforts to raise awareness of Apprenticeships and increase the numbers of Apprentices on its books.

He said: “Apprenticeships are credible. They’re not just an alternative form of education. You gain experience and, as we’ve heard, 90 per cent of Weston College Apprentices are retained by their employers after the Apprenticeship is finished. They are a fantastic way into industry.”

Also graduating was Wendy Hatfield, a South African national now living in Burnham-on-Sea. She took a Level Three in Hospitality and Supervision and worked at the Holiday Inn, near Bristol Airport.

She said: “My experience was a very good one. The Apprenticeship taught me how to manage people and it really boosted my confidence. The Apprenticeships team at Weston College have been brilliant and very supportive. I struggled with Maths but I received a very high level of support and got through it with their help.”

Dr Phillips said: “This has been a ground-breaking ceremony, and not only because we are the first and only College in the UK to hold it but also because it is the first on a UK pier.

“I’d like to take the opportunity to congratulate all our Apprentices today, and also their employers for investing in such talent and enthusiasm. Apprenticeships are a great way of earning while you learn and I’d urge anyone interested – both employers and potential employees – to get in touch with our Apprenticeships team.”

Weston College student Chloe Edrich, 16, could be heading to Rio de Janeiro this summer after securing a place at the national time trials for the 2016 Olympics.

Chloe, who studies A Levels at the College and is a member of its Academy of Sport, posted a qualifying time in the 200m breast stroke and will attempt to make the required time in the 400m individual medley and 400m breaststroke.

Chloe said: “Studying at Weston College has enabled me to improve my swimming, but has also supported me in achieving my academic targets.”

Her mother, Kelly Edrich, said: “It was amazing to see her smash the time she needed.

“She’s done fantastically well so far and it would be brilliant if she could make it all the way.”

Paul Taylor, Sports Development and Performance Manager at the College, said: “Chloe has worked incredibly hard to get to this point.

“Combining an Elite Athletic and Academic programme is challenging and requires commitment and dedication, we are very proud of her achievements.”

The Weston College Academy of Sport offers aspiring sportsmen and women an opportunity to further develop their potential, providing them with outstanding coaching, training and support both individually and as a team.

It allows College students to combine their academic or vocational studies with participation in sporting activities at local, regional and national levels.

Are you interested in filmmaking but don’t know where to start? To save you searching online through pages and pages of guidance we’ve boiled it all down into five key pieces of advice for filmmaking novices…

Get out and shoot something

This is a fundamental part of our film courses, and crucial for anyone who wants to learn the art of filmmaking. Shooting as much as you can means you’ll learn about your equipment, but it doesn’t matter what you record with - you’ll still be learning what works and does not work when capturing a scene. We encourage our students to go out and film as much as possible, they make an average of 12 films over two years.

Learn to edit... it’s more accessible than ever before

Most computers and laptops these days come with basic video editing software as standard, and even on phones there are apps which can be utilised to edit recordings. At Weston College, our students have access to Adobe Premiere CC, Final Cut Pro and a huge range of supporting software. We have expert in-house tutor support on hand to guide our students through the editing process.

Upload your footage and test audience reaction

This means you’ll get valuable feedback on your work which you could use to improve your filmmaking. Our students regularly present their films to peers and tutors for feedback. You could upload your films to YouTube, Facebook or your own website, and when you’re confident enough submit them to film or art festivals. Our students’ films have screened at local cinemas including the Odeon, Watershed, Arnolfini and the Cube in recent years.

Watch everything you can

We encourage our students to watch a lot of films. The more you watch, the more you will be inspired to create. You can also pick up on other filmmakers’ techniques by watching their films, and recreate them to enhance your creations. At Weston College most of the tutors are working filmmakers themselves, and are able to give our students further insight into the filmmaking process.

Don’t give up. Keep creating, learning and refining

Every filmmaker has things that go wrong or wishes they could reshoot certain films, and even the best directors have flops. The more attempts you make, the more you will learn about filmmaking and the greater your chance at success.

We offer our students every opportunity to hone their skills; working on their own, with their peers and on industry based projects throughout their time with us. This intensive exposure to filmmaking is the best way of preparing you for your footsteps in the industry, in whichever direction they may go.

Want to find out more? Our film and media courses cover the basics of filmmaking and more!