Earlier this year, Weston College launched their Aerospace Training Programme with Jingjiang Specialized Training School in China.

The exciting initiative involves the development and implementation, of aerospace manufacturing training, onsite at Jingjiang School. Jingjiang School are looking to provide the highly skilled workforce required to operate in their aerospace manufacturing industry and specifically for a joint venture (JV) in Jingjiang involving AVIC International and the Shanghai Aircraft Manufacturing Co. Ltd.

Last week saw the start of online training, with Weston College’s Engineering faculty supporting the team at Jingjiang School, with the development of a range of specific skills and capabilities in manufacturing and the assembling of metallic and composite aircraft structures, e.g., aircraft fuselage, wings, and empennage.

The training sessions will take place weekly over Microsoft Teams, involving practical workshop demonstrations and theoretical sessions, delivered by different members of the Weston College Engineering faculty sharing their knowledge and skillset. Jingjiang School are currently building a brand-new workshop to support the delivery of the new Weston College Aerospace Training Programme.

Jingjiang School are a large specialized vocational school that caters primarily to students of a similar age range to UK Further Education colleges. Jingjiang School, like Weston College, has an outstanding reputation through delivery of excellent outcomes for learners with employment rates, pass rates and student satisfaction rates in the high nineties year-on-year. The school boasts a national level engineering training centre with 85 practical laboratories and workshops specialising in electrical and electronics, hydraulics and pneumatics, numerical control machining, computer networking technologies, and automobile maintenance.

Aerospace manufacturing will be a new strand of activity for the school, drawing on the expertise and established educational systems currently delivered at Weston College.

Weston College Group Principal and Chief Executive Sir Paul Phillips said: “We are delighted to be working in partnership with Jingjiang School, and to support them with the development of their staff to train the next generation of engineers in the Jiangsu Province.

“This is an exciting moment for us at Weston College, to officially start the training programme. Over the coming months we will be working very closely with Jingjiang School, sharing best practice, and most importantly, creating brighter futures across the world!”

In September, our Year 1 students visited Wimbleball Lake Exmoor, to take part in a range of activities including high ropes and canoeing.  

These types of adventurous activities are a pivotal part to all our courses, as they promote the development of confidence, teamwork and vocational skills e.g. working at heights. 

Students experienced a busy, but exhilarating day followed by a barbecue. This trip was a great opportunity for students to meet other students and staff across the whole provision.