Weston College is officially a Further AND Higher Education establishment following a successful bid to the Government.

The move towards offering more degrees at the College ties in with North Somerset Council’s strategy for the regeneration of Weston-super-Mare and will lead to an eventual aim of having a ‘University Centre’ in the town.

Although Weston College already offers degrees, its new status means it will be able to expand its provision significantly, leading to many more new jobs for the town and surrounding area.

Welcoming the news, Dr Paul Phillips, Weston College Principal and Chief Executive, said the College’s new status tied in with the continuing development of its South West Skills Campus (SWSC) on Locking Road, extensions to Loxton Campus on Locking Road, the development of the North Somerset Enterprise and Technology College at Junction 21and improvements at its Knightstone Campus.

He said: “The time was right to go for this bid, particularly when the town of Weston-super-Mare will be seeing major regeneration in the very near future in the form of Junction 21 and the Dolphin Square development. I am jointly working through the Local Enterprise Partnership and North Somerset Council so that the idea of regeneration in Weston-super-Mare leans towards a ‘town centre urbanisation project’ with HE a major feature of this.”

Mike Jackson, Chief Executive of North Somerset Council, said: “This is excellent news for North Somerset, and Weston-super-Mare in particular. We work very closely with the College and I am delighted that their bid to Government has been successful. Weston College already plays an extremely important role in Weston-super-Mare’s economy. As we look to the future, Higher Education should play a significant role in delivering development and investment in the town centre, which is a priority for the council.”

HE provision at Weston College has grown rapidly, with around 800 students now on HE courses with partners Bath Spa University and the University of the West of England. It is hoped that a new centre may easily double this number in the next few years.

Weston College’s aspirations tie in with a speech made recently by Universities Minister David Willetts, who said that HE provision should focus on economic ‘cold spots’.

The minister said that he hoped the removal of controls on student numbers from next year would result in more campuses being set up. He added: “There are no barriers to setting up a higher education campus. If this is your town’s dream we want you to pursue it.”

Two graduates from the BA (Hons) Graphic Design, run in partnership with Bath Spa University, have taken up graduate designer roles with Dyson.

Amelia Hurrell and Laura Hughes both graduated with First Class Honours in 2013 and had been working as freelance designers as well as taking up intern positions - Amelia at Sky Creative, having won the New Designers Sky Award 2013, and Laura at Proctor and Stevenson, a prestigious web design company.

Thanks to the strong reputation of the College’s degree provision in Graphic Design, Victoria Norcross, Programme Co-ordinator for FdA and BA (Hons) Graphic Design, was contacted by Ben Tappenden, Creative Head of Graphics and Packaging at Dyson and asked to recommend some graduates for the role of Junior Designer. Amelia and Laura were both successful at interview.

Ben said: “The candidates from Weston College were strong in interview and had encouraging portfolios. Laura and Amelia are competent and exciting graduate designers with a good sense of fun, enthusiasm, confidence, professionalism and ambition in abundance.”

Victoria said: "The achievements of these students are testament to the excellent work-based opportunities they had whilst studying at Weston College. It's great to see them being so highly regarded and working in high-profile companies so soon after graduating."

Amelia said: “The BA (Hons) in Graphic Design degree at Weston College was the perfect springboard for me. It provided the necessary skills and experience - through work placements and communication with local design agencies - to be successful at interview and secure a graduate job with Dyson. I’ve really enjoyed my time at Dyson so far, having been involved in a wide range of projects that have allowed me to exercise the skills I learnt at the College, and I can’t wait to see what challenges await me in the future.”

Laura said: “Studying at Weston College equipped me with skills and real world experience to give me the best possible start to my career. If I hadn’t been to Weston I doubt I could have gained my position at Dyson. Since starting in my role I have been involved in a wide range of really interesting projects and been through a great graduate induction programme. It’s amazing to work for such a big company that is so well respected and always at the cutting edge of design." 

Four talented Applied Computing degree students have scooped high-flying jobs even before they have graduated.

Two of the BSc (Hons) students have invented life-changing apps, including one that reminds patients about physiotherapy exercises between treatments and another which translates sign language.

Student Daniel Fay, 21 of Weston, had already scooped the Principal’s Scholarship at the College’s Celebration of Success in January, for his hard work.

Daniel worked with Weston College’s Deaf and Hard of Hearing Co-ordinator, Emm Sharpe, on an app designed to improve communications in the workplace for people with disabilities.

Now he’s been invited to team up with Southampton University staff on a research project that will see the computing specialist work towards a PhD.

Daniel said: "It was great to get a job before I graduated. My PhD will be based on modelling command teams in various domains from a sociotechnical aspect, and analysing how improvements could be made, to better facilitate objectives.”

One of only three women on the 37-student Applied Computing course is 22-year-old Emily Thorpe of Westbury-on-Trym, Bristol.

Having worked part-time for Bath-based communications technology company Gradwell during her course, she is now working for them full-time as a software engineer.

Tom Osborne, 21 of Weston, is now working as a developer in London for PEX, an award-winning supplier of consultancy and software solutions for property companies and accommodation providers.

Alex Jones, 21 of Weston, created an innovative and bespoke physiotherapy aid after identifying the need for an app when carrying out work experience at Weston-based Cowan House.

Now at software development company, TouMetis, Alex said: “It’s been a great experience and I have learnt so much. I’m working on an app for central control systems in houses for things such as lighting, heating and cameras.”

Computing Curriculum Co-ordinator Janice Castle, who spent many years working in the IT industry, said: “It’s fantastic to find good jobs before they finish their degrees.

“Our courses are vocational with work-based elements providing a range of technical and team-working skills to improve employability.

 “These exceptional students have got jobs several months before graduating and worked part-time until the course finished; their employers were more than happy to wait for them!”

Weston College recently celebrated becoming a Further AND Higher Education establishment following a successful bid to the Government.

The new status means it will be able to expand its degree provision significantly, leading to many more new jobs for the town and surrounding area.