Meet Ryan, a young and ambitious footballer who’s already making waves.

At just 16, he scored his first goal for Weston-super-Mare AFC, in their recent pre-season friendly against Tiverton Town.

Ryan's journey is a testament to his passion for football and his commitment to growing as both an athlete and a student.

Ryan’s Football Journey

Ryan's love for football started early—he's been playing "since I could walk," he says. His talent and drive saw him train twice a week and play up to two matches regularly. Before joining the Seagulls, Ryan played for the Bristol Rovers Academy, where he was offered an early scholarship. However, he made a bold decision to turn it down and join us at Weston College, saying, "I had a lot of Premier League interest but I left to develop in a men’s environment and study sports coaching."

Making His Mark

Ryan’s first goal in pre-season for the Seagulls was a moment of pride: "It felt really good to get off the mark for Weston." His early success is just a glimpse of what’s to come as he continues to develop his skills with the team.

Balancing Football and Education

While pursuing his football career, Ryan is also preparing for his future off the field. He's enrolled in a Sports Coaching course, which perfectly complements his athletic ambitions. "Studying sports coaching will keep me around football and within the sport," he says.

World-Class Sports Facilities at Weston College

Weston College offers exceptional sports facilities, giving students like Ryan the resources they need to excel in their studies and training. Ryan speaks highly of the facilities: "The facilities are good at the college and give loads of options for when to use them."

Ryan’s story is an inspiration for young athletes looking to take their skills to the next level while maintaining a strong academic foundation. Weston College provides the perfect environment for balancing education with sporting aspirations, offering a range of courses, support, and top-notch facilities for students keen on a career in sports.

If you're passionate about sport and want to take your game to the next level, you can study one of our sport courses. Click here to find out more. 

Our Sport courses are part of the Sports Careers Excellence Hub; Weston College is committed to preparing learners for success in a rapidly evolving job market which is reflected in our offer via our bespoke Career Excellence Hubs, which form an integral part of all college programmes. In a world where professional networks and industry-specific skills are integral to landing employment, these hubs provide a unique solution to bridge the gap between education and industry demands.

Photo credit Mark Stainer/WsMAFC 

Yesterday, we had the pleasure of attending the Somerset Business Awards 2025 Launch Event at The Mount Somerset in Taunton. It was a fantastic opportunity to connect with fellow sponsors and judges, while gaining valuable insights into what the awards, scheduled for March 2025, will involve.

At University Centre Weston (UCW), we are passionate about the transformative power of apprenticeships and degree apprenticeships, both for individuals and organisations. That’s why we’re proud to sponsor the ‘Apprentice of the Year’ award, in recognition of outstanding apprenticeship achievements across Somerset. 

A degree apprenticeship combines full-time paid work with part-time level 6 university study, with a split of roughly 80% of your time being in the workplace, and 20% in the classroom. At UCW, we offer degree apprenticeships in Engineering, Environmental Health, Digital and Technology Solutions, Project Management and Digital User Experience. 

Entries for the Somerset Business Awards 2025 are now open, and we encourage all our employer partners to enter. It’s a great opportunity to showcase your business’s accomplishments and network with fellow businesses across a plethora of sectors. With free entry and 14 diverse categories, there’s something for businesses, organisations, and charities of all sizes. 

Click here to learn more and start your entry.

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.  

We recently caught up with Ashana, who passed her English GCSE after moving to the UK from Guyana in 2022 at just 18 years old.  

Ashana put in a lot of effort to complete her English GCSE at Weston College. While she’s always been good at English, she mentioned that learning it in the UK was ‘different’ from what she was used to, as the teaching style in Guyana wasn’t the same. Despite these differences, she was able to adapt and learn the new methods and overcome any discrepancies. 

At Weston College, she found that English was easier to grasp because the lessons weren’t rushed or crammed, allowing her to break things down and understand the material more easily. 

Ashana’s English lecturer, Tania, found that she was ‘motivated’ and ‘keen to try her best’ throughout her studies, even though she missed her family and Guyana terribly since moving. However, Ashana had a ‘talented way with words’ and infused her creative writing with her rich cultural background which was reflected in her work from the beginning. 

Ashana was given written and verbal feedback from her lecturers to support her and develop her confidence but also help her feel connected and not alone at Weston College.  

It was also appreciated by Ashana how ‘supportive’ and ‘friendly’ the staff were as they were always ready to help with any questions she had. Not only did she value the Weston College team, but she also found her favourite facility on Knightstone campus to be the library, thanks to its many resources and study spaces.  

As a department, Tania and her colleagues were ‘proud of her achievement in English’.  

Now, Ashana plans to stay at Weston College to complete an Early Years course, with hopes of becoming a teacher in the future. She wants to make learning ‘fun for children’ and inspire them to enjoy school. 

We wish you all the best, Ashana, and can’t wait to see you back in September! 

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.