As 2026 begins, Weston College and Bristol Airport remain committed to expanding their work together by creating opportunities that help individuals thrive, businesses grow and the region prosper.

For several years, the two organisations have worked side by side to build a strong, inclusive and future-focused careers and talent pipeline, connecting local people with real opportunities across one of the region’s most dynamic employment hubs. From inspiring young people to consider aviation careers to supporting adults to retrain or progress, the partnership is helping the next generation prepare for lift-off.

With a wide range of roles at the airport spanning aviation operations, engineering, digital, customer service, security, sustainability, retail and more; Weston College has played a pivotal role in helping translate these opportunities into clear, accessible career pathways for learners of all ages and backgrounds. The aim? To create a sustainable talent pipeline.

Through close collaboration, the partnership has delivered:

• Careers inspiration and engagement (including employer talks from the airport and its partners), careers events, site visits and insight sessions that bring the airport to life for students.
• Clear progression routes by mapping education and training pathways from entry-level roles through to higher-level and specialist careers.
• Skills development aligned to industry need ensuring learners are equipped with technical, professional and employability skills employers value most.
• Inclusive opportunities – supporting social mobility and widening participation for all.

By working together, Weston College and Bristol Airport are not only responding to current skills needs but also anticipating the future as aviation continues to evolve. Learners are encouraged to see aviation not as a single career, but as a sector full of diverse and futureproof opportunities supporting growth, innovation and sustainability across the aviation sector.

This approach ensures that employers can access a pipeline of work ready talent, learners gain real world insight and confidence in their career choices and the regional economy benefits from homegrown skills and retained talent.

“This partnership shows what’s possible when education and industry work together with a shared vision,” said Lynsey McKinstry, Strategic Business Partnerships Manager at Weston College. “By aligning learning with real careers at Bristol Airport, we’re helping drive ambition, confidence and a clear route into rewarding employment.”

Sophie Adams, Skills and Employment Business Partner at Bristol Airport added: “Weston College has been instrumental in helping us engage with future talent. Together, we’re building a workforce that reflects our communities and is ready to support the airport’s future growth.”

Last month, we had four Weston College students competing in the national WorldSkills competition. Maddie and Ellie competed in the Beauty Therapy Practitioner Skill category, Oscar competed in the Foundation Skills Digital category, and Jodi competed in the Foundation Skills Horticulture competition. 

WorldSkills is a fantastic competition that aims to improve the skills and development of young people across the world. It encourages our students to step outside their comfort zone and go against a range of different people to improve their confidence and ability and be a part of something they may have not previously considered.  

Our students competed in a range of tasks and did a fantastic job, with Maddie placing 3rd nationally in the Beauty Therapy Practitioner Skill category and Oscar getting a Highly Commended award in the Foundation Skills Digital category. This is a fantastic achievement that they should be extremely proud of. It will also improve their skills and their confidence for future careers and personal development.  

Ellie and Jodie also did exceptionally well, becoming finalists in the regional competitions before progressing to the national competition. This is a huge achievement and is an excellent way to improve the students’ resilience, adaptability, and confidence. It also improves their transferrable skills such as their time-management and their problem-solving skills. They also got to meet like-minded individuals and network with professionals in the industry. 

We recently received an email from Ellie’s parents, thanking the Hair and Beauty team for supporting Ellie throughout the competition and her studies, saying:  

“Ellie’s dad and I would like to thank you all so much for all the training, coaching, and time you have given Ellie in preparation for the WorldSkills 2025 finals.” 

“Your dedication and belief in her abilities have made an incredible impact on her journey. We are truly proud of her achievement, and her dedication to the competition was second to none. She did it for herself, but she also worked extremely hard for you.” 

“Thank you for being such inspiring mentors and we wish you every success in your candidates going forward.” 

As a college, we would like to say a massive well done to the students who competed, but also a huge well done and thank you to the lecturers behind-the-scenes who worked tirelessly with the students, training and supporting them to ensure they went in feeling confident and prepared. 

If you are passionate about education and are looking for an opportunity to join the staff team at a leading college, then look at the latest job vacancies available at Weston College here. You can find all the latest job opportunities that Weston College has to offer, with a commitment to providing quality education for learners and a focus on continuous professional development for staff, Weston College is an excellent place to work and grow in your career. 

Weston College is celebrating an exceptional set of GCSE resit results after students collected their November examination outcomes today (8 January) at the College’s Knightstone Campus. 

A total of 176 students took their English and/or Maths GCSE resits in November, achieving a 100% pass rate across both subjects. Notably, 36.7% of English students and 37.1% of Maths students achieved high grades (grade 4 or above/previously graded as a C or above), significantly exceeding national benchmarks. 

When compared with summer 2025 national averages for students achieving a standard pass (grade 4 or above), Weston College students’ outcomes show a remarkable improvement: 

• English Language: National summer average 20.9% with Weston College November resit 36.7% (+15.8%)
• Mathematics: National summer average 17.1% with Weston College November resit 37.1% (+20%) 

These figures reflect the dedication, resilience, and hard work of both our learners and staff, far exceeding typical national outcomes and underlining the College’s commitment to student achievement. 

The November GCSE resit series provides post-16 students who did not achieve a grade 4 or above in English or Maths during the summer with an early opportunity to improve their results, supporting progression into further study, apprenticeships, or employment. 

Students collected their results online or in person from Weston College’s Knightstone Campus, where the English and Maths teams were on hand to offer advice, guidance, and support for next steps. 

Weston College is proud of its students’ achievements and of the dedication of staff who helped learners exceed national benchmarks in both subjects.