20 students from Weston College’s Health and Social Care and Early Years departments got the opportunity to visit Disneyland Paris last week to attend seminars on food hygiene, health and safety and supporting people with a disability.

The four day visit included free time in the amusement park as a treat for the students, some of which had never left England before.

Emily Parsons, who studies Health and Social Care at Level 3, said: “Disneyland was fantastic, we got the chance to meet students from all across the UK and Europe who are studying the same course.

“The lectures we attended were very informative and we can’t wait to go again next year!”

Sarah-Jane Lewis, Health and Social Care Coordinator at Weston College, said: “The experience was amazing for the students, and they got to learn about what other Colleges in England and France teach about the subjects they themselves are learning.

“It was also helpful for our Health and Social Care students to mix with our Early Years students as these subjects go hand-in-hand and interaction enables them to share ideas and best practices.

“The students were all professional and represented the College and Weston-super-Mare very well and they were a credit to themselves and our faculty. The students felt exhilarated and excited to be part of this experience.”

1. Do apprentices get paid?

All apprentices get paid! Currently, the National Minimum Wage is £4.15 per hour, but this is being increased to £4.30 in April 2021.

If you are 19 or over and have completed the first year of your apprenticeship, you will be entitled to the minimum wage for your age.

Most businesses will pay more than minimum wage as they want to attract the best candidates, some apprentices earn over £10,000 per year!

2. Where does the qualification lead?

Becoming an apprentice unlocks many opportunities. Once you’ve completed your apprenticeship you can:

• Continue on to the next level apprenticeship e.g. if you complete a Level 2 you can progress to Level 3
• Apply to university
• Work full-time, either for the business you studied your apprenticeship with or you could apply for a new job
• Apply for a promotion

3. What’s expected of apprentices?

You will be entering the world of work and with this comes expectations. Don’t panic, you will be told what’s expected of you when you start and we can help you prepare. Each apprenticeship and business is different, but the main things to consider are; arriving on time, adhering to the dress code and following sickness/holiday procedures.

Apprentices aren’t just there to make cups of tea! – You will find yourself being immersed a variety of different tasks and the more enthusiastic and eager to learn you are, the more responsibility you may be given.

4. Do apprentices get holiday pay?

Apprentices receive at least 20 days paid holiday each year, plus bank holidays, although some businesses may offer more.

5. Do apprentices get taxed?

Yes, apprentices earning over £11,000 per year will be taxed as per the standard government regulations.

6. When do apprenticeships start?

Most apprenticeships can start at any time throughout the year but some may need to start at certain times in the academic year to fit in with class timetables. 

7. Do I have to pay?

No, your employer will pay for your qualification and pay your wage. 

8. Will I have to go to college?

Some apprenticeships can be completed entirely at your workplace and an assessor will come out to visit you and set you new tasks. Apprenticeships with a technical element such as; plastering, hairdressing and engineering will involve regular days at college to perfect your practical skills.

9. Can I get help with my application?

Weston College has a specialist support network for apprentices. We can meet with you to discuss your ambitions and help match you to the perfect role. We can even help you write your CV and provide support in preparation for your interview.

10. How do I start?

You can view all of our apprenticeship vacancies here. If you want to speak to our team for further support please contact us using the details below.

Art, fashion and textiles, and photography students at Weston College held a successful art show at the College's Sixth Form Centre on Loxton Road.

The show displayed work from second year A Level students, all of which contributes to their final projects, and gave visitors from outside the college a chance to see what they have been working on and discuss this with the students.

Several awards were also given out on the evening, including Head of Faculty’s award, won by Caitlin Hartman, and awards for art, photography and textiles won by Caitlin Dawkes, Matt Szymankiewicz and Neve Lynch respectively.

Ryan Aves, Team Leader for Creative and Maths, said: “We are extremely proud of the work presented by our students in the 2017 Sixth Form Art, Fashion and Photography show. They have all been very imaginative with their ideas and the results of this professional approach will yield excellent A level outcomes in the summer.

“The opening night was attended by many family and friends of the students, and since then local artists as well as teachers and pupils from local schools have been to look at the varied nature of the work.

“The excellent work will surely ensure visitors consider Weston Sixth Form as a great place to study art, photography and textiles.”

A selection of first year art work was also included in the show, which stretched across the entirety of the first floor of the Sixth Form.