To kick off the new academic year, Animal Management hosted an Employment and Conservation Day where all new students got the chance to meet employers, explore the Puxton Park campus, take part in activities and investigate different prospective career paths.

The day began with a tractor ride around Puxton Park to familiarise the students with campus, where they also explored one of the dairy farms outside of Puxton that they will be involved with later in the year to see how it is run differently to the one onsite.

After the learners were more familiar with their surroundings, they headed to Puxton’s theatre where they received talks from both lecturers and employers, and students got the chance to hear different pathways open to them, both after they complete their course and for their work experience hours.

The lecturers outlined their previous experiences including working at Bristol Zoo with a range of different animals, training sea lions, and even saving species of birds that were on the brink of extinction. By sharing their career history, the students got a wider understanding of the possibilities available to them and the different animals they could work with.

Following this, the learners heard from employers from Harmonious Dogs, Noah’s Ark, and Reptile Zone, where they introduced themselves and what they do. Harmonious Dogs brought in two dogs to show the students how they train them and provided a meet and greet for the students to interact with the dogs. Reptile Zone also made their talk interactive by bringing in an African dwarf crocodile and a panther chameleon which the students could hold at the end.

Reptile Zone also brought in one of Weston College’s Year 2 Level 3 students who volunteers with them to show that these careers are achievable and realistic to all the learners in attendance.

By providing the students with real-life experiences from both lecturers and employers, it allows them to consider different pathways depending on the kinds of animals they want to work. They also got to see the types of employers that Weston College works with so they can make connections themselves and start thinking about their futures.

After lunch, the Conservation Day commenced and was made possible by organisations called RoAM (Records of the Avalon Marshes), where volunteers who specialise in recording wildlife of the Somerset Wetlands came in to outline what RoAM is, discuss the importance of it, and how students can help, as well as setting up activities to help the students understand and get them involved.

The students were split into 5 groups and set up near the pond on different stations. These stations included plants; media; aquatic life; dragonflies and damselflies; butterflies, moths, and crickets, and all had different members of RoAM who specialise in the different species.

At these stations, learners had 15 minutes to learn about their station specie that they may not have been previously exposed to with activities like plant identification, moth trapping, and pond dipping – where they got the chance to use a microscope and look closely at animals, algae and microbes and view all the intricate details of the small little beasties.

This type of wildlife and species would not always be considered by the learners when contemplating working with animals but is a rewarding professional that, thanks to the volunteers at RoAM, has now been brought to the attention of the students.

Joseph, the Technical Demonstrator for Animal Management, said “overall this day was a success and hopefully opened up a new interest for students that haven’t had the experience with people who work with our native wildlife”.

Thank you to the employers and organisation members who took the time to visit our students and share their knowledge and experiences. This has broadened the learners’ mindsets and career opportunities.

If you're interested in joining one of our Animal Management Courses in September, click here.

Our T Level learners work incredibly hard balancing their industry placements and classroom studies, but a few select students were nominated by their lecturers on Results Day for going above and beyond and exceeding expectations throughout their first year of their T Level. 

We caught up with one student, Katherine, regarding how she found her first year of Design, Surveying and Planning in Construction T Level, how she balanced her placement and studies, and what she enjoyed and found challenging. 

During her first year, Katherine learnt many important and transferrable skills in both her placement and in the classroom, including knowledge of legislations and regulations, science building technology and construction maths, design, how to use Revit, and the commercial side to construction. This broadens her knowledge and skillset and means she’s not limited to what she works on during her placement. 

Her industry placement for both first and second year is a company called VolkerLaser, where she works on the refurbishment of the Newport Transporter Bridge. Over the 2 years, Katherine will complete a total of 315 hours at her industry placement, with the remaining hours of the T Level spent in the classroom. 

Out of all the skills and knowledge she acquired during the classroom section of her first year, Katherine found the Science and Building Technology part the most interesting as she “liked being challenged by the calculations in science”. Overall, however, she found that getting hands-on experience from her industry placement was the most fulfilling and engaging part to the T Level. 

However, Katherine did find some areas more challenging than others, such as the core exams and the employer set projects as these were stressful and required a lot of revision. Not only this, she also found presenting difficult, however this task benefitted her as it allowed her to create a “slightly calmer looking exterior when presenting” and develop her confidence and public speaking skills. 

Any problems that Katherine faced, she felt comfortable enough to ask for help. “The staff last year were really encouraging and supportive, if I had a problem, they did their best to help”. She also found that they were very understanding of her commute from South Wales. 

Katherine’s lecturers also spoke very highly of her and her performance throughout her first year of her T Level, saying “Katherine has had an extremely brilliant first year at Weston College. 

She has always produced a high standard of work and has good attendance and time keeping, despite having to take two trains to get to college from South Wales.  

Her attention to detail is of a very high standard and she is not afraid to ask questions if she doesn't understand something.” 

Many students wonder how to juggle the industry placement and their classroom studies, but Katherine found it a good balance, saying “it's been interesting to see how the classroom work begins to line up with some things I've learned on site”. You get the perfect blend of practical, hands-on experience that will prepare you for work after college but also the additional knowledge and information in the classroom that you may not get taught on the job. 

The facilities available at Weston College are also excellent for Katherine’s Construction T Level, “it's one of the factors that made my family and I decide that Weston College would be the best place for me to study construction”. 

When asked what she would say to someone considering a T Level, she said “I'd advise someone considering a T-Level to look into it carefully, make sure the course covers what you're interested in doing in the future.” Katherine also advised learners to make sure they consider their next steps before applying for a T Level because the curriculum is still fairly new to Further Education. 

Once Katherine completes her T Level, she hopes to go onto studying civil engineering either at university or in an apprenticeship. 

Good luck in your final year Katherine! 

If you would like to study a T Level at Weston College in September, click here. 

The College is proud to announce that Jason Selormey, our Lead Practitioner for ADHD, has been again selected to represent Great Britain in the upcoming American Football European Championship qualifiers. Jason’s journey in international football began when he was just 17, and being chosen to compete on this stage once again is an honour he values deeply.

When asked how he felt about being selected to represent Great Britain, Jason said, "I felt really proud. I’ve been fortunate enough to compete at the international level since I was 17, and it is always very special for me." His passion for the sport and pride in representing his country remains as strong as ever, even after years of playing at the highest level.

The upcoming qualifiers will see Jason and his teammates start against some of the toughest competition in Europe. They will play against Sweden in Carlstadt, followed by a home game against Germany in Coventry. Reflecting on the challenge, Jason commented, "Both are really top teams with professional leagues, so we have our work cut out for us, but we’ve prepared well. We’re excited to show what we can do on the international stage."

For Jason, playing for the national team carries personal significance. "Before I was first selected to the Under 19 programme, I had just lost my mother, so she never got to see me play internationally. Every time I get to play for GB, it feels that much more special. It’s my way of showing her that her youngest son is doing what he loves," he shared. Professionally, this experience also contributes valuable lessons. "It gives me amazing insights into collaboration, personality management, and handling nerves. Whenever I have to deliver a big presentation at work, I always say it feels just like preparing for a big game."

Jason's role as a Lead Practitioner for ADHD also complements his involvement in sports. "The two are closer than people think," he explained. "Both roles require the ability to adapt to challenges and rely on a high level of emotional intelligence. My job is almost practice for what I do on game day, and vice versa!"

The College community has rallied behind Jason, offering support in various ways. "I've told my faculty and a few colleagues about it, and they’ve been incredibly supportive. We had a team Kickstarter, and it was heart warming to see people from the College donate. Everyone’s been wishing me luck, and it’s really nice to feel that support."

As Jason approaches the final two games of his career, he reflects on the incredible journey it’s been. "These will be the last two games of my career. I’ve been playing the sport for half my life, and I’ve been fortunate enough to play it at the professional and international levels. I’m incredibly grateful."

For those who want to support Jason in his final games, here is a link to his GoFundMe page: Support Jason’s Journey.

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.