Construction company, Hydrock, visited South West Skills Campus last week to engage with learners studying on the T Level in Design, Surveying and Planning in Construction.

The day was packed with activities, which gave learners the opportunity to test their skills with activities like planning a new sustainable town, as well as gain top tips for their future endeavours with CV reviews and mock interviews.

Learners also heard from former T Level learner, and current Hydrock employee, Ben, who inspired the learners with his story – having been sat in that very room just 12 months ago.

Ben spoke about his T Level placement with Hydrock, working 315 hours and managing to gain employment on the back of his course, with a Degree Apprenticeship through University Centre Weston.

Engaging with employers forms part of the Construction Careers Excellence Hub. Weston College's Career Excellence Hubs are designed to be the launching pad for our learners' careers. In a world where connections and relevant skills matter more than ever, these hubs offer a holistic approach that prepares learners to thrive in their chosen industries. With the support of these hubs, our learners are well-equipped to make a significant impact in their professional journeys.

Daniel Comerford, Construction Professions Lecturer at Weston College said: “We were delighted to welcome Hydrock last week, and it was great to see Ben as well.

“Our learners found the whole day really beneficial, and left feeling inspired – which is what the Career Excellence Hub in Construction is all about!”

You can find out about our construction courses, by clicking here.

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.

Level 3 Uniformed Public Services students were given a powerful guest lecture from fire officer Rich Welch. Rich was previously an officer in London, who has now transferred to Avon Fire and Rescue.  

While working for London Fire Brigade, Rich attended the Grenfell Tower incident. A part of the lecture was him discussing his experience at this tragedy and how he had worked as part of a large team to combat the fire.  

The level 3 Uniformed Public Services learners are currently covering teamwork and leadership in their classes, making this a perfect session for this area of the course. The guest lecture also tied into the students learning about responding to emergency incidents and the right behaviours to show at an emergency site.  

Lecturer Darren French said: “This was a good session, with plenty of learner engagement and an inspirational story from Rich. A very well received session!”  

This guest speaker forms part of the Public Services Careers Excellence Hub. The College has fourteen sector-specific Career Excellence Hubs, which evidence our dedication to supporting both employers and learners in achieving their future goals. By creating a seamless connection between industry and education, we enable learners to acquire not only the essential skills and knowledge but also the professional networks necessary to excel in their chosen fields. 

A big thanks to Rich for coming in and sharing his inspirational story with us. 

To find out more about our Public Services courses click here.

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.

The highly anticipated Weston College Business Awards is back, with the Oscars-style event taking place at the Winter Gardens on 13th June 2024.

The event is the annual celebration of the exceptional accomplishments of our learners in work based situations, including apprentices, trainees, and those completing enriching industry placements, alongside the invaluable support of employers.

In a nod to the partnerships forged, this year, we have revamped our award categories to shine a spotlight on the seamless synergy between learners and employers within the same organisation.

This means that for each award, the winning learner and their employer, pick up an award – recognising both parties for their outstanding contributions.

Our new award categories are:

1. Business, Finance & Professional Services Partnership Award
2. Construction Partnership Award
3. Digital Partnership Award
4. The Luke Wheaton Engineering and Automotive Partnership Award
5. Education Partnership Award
6. Health, Sport & Community Partnership Award
7. Service Sectors Partnership Award

We are also celebrating our partnerships with organisations that are supporting us with learners on the sustainability agenda, with our Sustainability Partner of the Year Award.

Nominations are only open for a couple of weeks, closing on February 9th.

You can nominate if you are:

• A Weston College learner (apprentice, trainee, industry placement learner, etc)
• The manager/employer of the apprentice
• A Weston College member of staff
• A business that goes the extra mile in providing opportunities for our learners.

All entries will then be looked at by our judges and shortlisted on their merits. Judges will be looking for learners who display professional and personal progression, so remember to include evidence of this in the application.

Shortlisted learners will be invited to the ceremony and will receive two complimentary tickets to bring family or friends. Apprentices will also be accompanied by their assessor and an invite will be sent to their manager/employer.

Click here to vote.

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.