Five learners who recently completed their apprenticeships with independent UK law firm Burges Salmon, have received their final grades, achieving a distinction – the highest grade possible.

The five learners, who were all studying a Business Administration Level 3 apprenticeship with the Bristol based firm, are:

• Jack 
• Sophie 
• Lauren 
• Isobel 
• Gemma 

Now that they have completed their apprenticeship, they have each gained employment with Burges Salmon, which was recently named ‘Community Engagement Law Firm of the Year’ at the Bristol Law Society Awards 2021 and also this month won CSR Initiative of the Year at The Legal Week British Legal Awards 2021.

Dr Paul Phillips CBE, Principal and Chief Executive of the Weston College Group, says: “This is a fantastic achievement for each of the five apprentices, who have shown their talent and displayed their tremendous attitude by attaining these grades.

“We are so proud that they have all progressed into employment as well, something which isn’t easy in the current climate, and is further proof how impressive they have been, not just in their studies but in their work as well.”

Robert Halton, Chief People Officer at Burges Salmon, adds: “We are really pleased with the performance of our apprentices and the development of apprenticeships on a wider basis is great for the overarching aim of social mobility and educational attainment within the context of the working environment.”

If you’d like to find out more about how we can support your business, you can do so, here: https://www.weston.ac.uk/employers

From dealing with A-list celebrities to live national broadcasts, our media learners recently had the fantastic opportunity to learn all about the dynamic world of daytime TV from the Head of Film at ITV, Nick Rylance – a Weston College alumni! 

With a long history of working in the media industry, including acting, radio, film and live TV, Nick kindly hosted a 1 hour zoom call with our Media Production classes.  

The learners were in for a treat, hearing all about Nick’s journey to get to where he is today, starting in Weston-super-Mare. The learners, who’s modules include live TV production, were able to hear first-hand what it’s really like to work within mainstream broadcasting and dealing with world famous celebrities such as Tom Cruise, George Clooney and Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson to name a few.  

Having researched Nick’s background in acting and regular work with Lorraine Kelly, Philip Schofield  
Ben Shephard, Kate Garraway, Alison Hammond and more household names, the learners then had the chance to ask questions. Nick was able to give incredibly inciteful answers and advice around making contacts, the importance of work experience and how to operate professionally in stressful situations. 

Learners form the class added: 

“I’ve learnt that believing in myself is so important to success. The talk made me want to get out there and get even more work experience so that I can meet more people and make the most of every opportunity.” 

“It was very inspirational. It was amazing to hear about all of the different roles and changes in Nick’s career as I’m not sure which path to follow at the moment. I feel more confident about getting a job and that being nice and just being myself is important” 

High-profile guest speakers and lecturers are just one of the career-boosting benefits that stem from the college’s newly formed Creative Arts Career Excellence Hub. These innovative subject specific hubs allow for students at Weston College to have access to exclusive career-boosting benefits. Endorsed by employers from within the industry, this enables for better integration with the sector to make sure class content is relative and opens doors for learners so they leave college with more than just a qualification. 

Lecturer in Media, Richard Simms commented: “Having guest speakers from the media industry is an essential part of the course. It allows learners to meet professionals and see their career journeys. 

“Nick gave a fascinating and fabulous talk about his career, which reinforced the skills and development we champion on the Level 3 media production course. His journey from Weston College to ITV is not only inspiring, but it also makes it real for our learners.  His advice, enthusiasm and knowledge engaged the learners and will only benefit them as they progress through the course and beyond.” 

We’d like to say a huge thank-you to Nick for taking the time to inspire our Media learners through his years of industry knowledge and experience! 

Click here to read more about our Career Excellence Hubs

Click here to discover our courses in Media Production, Film and TV.

University Centre Weston (UCW) computing learner, Jack Kimmins, will be representing the UK after recently being announced as the gold medal winner at the national WorldSkills Web Design finals.  

WorldSkills UK is an independent charity that works with employers, education and governments, supporting young people across the world via competitions-based training, testing their ability to achieve world-class standards in the biennial ‘skills Olympics’.  

Over 3,000 learners registered to take part in the UK-wide competitions in March 2021 and Jack was just one of four hundred who made it into the finals, which was split into 64 disciplines. 

The Web Design category finals, hosted by the Weston College Group at The Winter Gardens in Weston-super-Mare, was between nine competitors from across the country and took place over two days. The finalists were tasked with building a website, employing their skills of html, JavaScript and front/back-end coding to bring the detailed brief to fruition. The final products were then anonymously judged by a panel of digital experts from renown organisation Jisc, Airbus and the UK Hydrographic Office. 

After the challenging finals were completed, the winners were announced at a virtual ceremony hosted by TV presenter Steph McGovern from her Channel 4 “Packed Lunch” studio on Friday 26 November. It was here that Jack was announced as the national gold medallist. Also Level 3 Apprentice Luke Merchant a Weston College student was named as the Silver medallist in the Automotive Technology finals. 

Congratulations also goes to Weston College students Mircea Ionescu and Amelia Lee who also competed in the Web Design and Beauty Practitioner finals respectively. 

Currently in his third year, Jack is studying Applied Computing BSc (Hons) at UCW. This degree level course is part of the West of England Institute of Technology, a collaborative partnership between education providers and businesses from across the West of England, collaborating to design and deliver flexible, higher-level technical learning.

Jack commented: “I feel very proud, I was really shocked when my name was read out! My web development knowledge has grown throughout doing this project as well as my time management skills.  

“The finals were a really memorable occasion and I’m looking forward to training for the next stage.” 

Learners that achieve the gold medals at the national finals then get invited to join the UK WorldSkills Squad. Not dissimilar to Team GB for the Olympics, the gold medallists will be then go on to compete in the international finals which will take place in France in 2022.

Jack continues: “I will be now representing the country in the field of Web Design. I feel very proud doing so and I’m going to try my absolute hardest.  

“The staff at UCW have helped me immeasurably. I’d like to thank my tutor Jason Hill for all his hard work and help. I’d recommend everyone gives it a go and tries to push themselves with this opportunity.” 

Weston College’s involvement with WorldSkills is just one of the exclusive opportunities available to learners through their newly launched Career Excellence Hubs.  

At the College each subject area forms its own specific Career Excellence Hub, endorsed by relevant sector employers which help to create a study programme with lots of career boosting benefits, including WorldSkills competing opportunities. 

Weston College Group Principal and Chief Executive, Dr Paul Phillips CBE added: “Many congratulations to all of our WorldSkills winners. I am so proud of all of you, representing our college and confirming your amazing talents. We wish Jack the very best of luck with the international stages, it truly is a fantastic achievement.” 

Deputy CEO of WorldSkills UK, Ben Blackledge, says that success in UK-wide finals is a litmus test for the future of the economy. 

“These young people are a real inspiration. They are an example to us all and are to be congratulated. To have excelled after such a difficult year shows their dedication and drive is second to none. 

“Skills are the lifeblood of every economy, creating high quality jobs, rewarding careers, inward investment and growth.” 

A huge congratulations to all of our WorldSkills finalists and medal winners. We are so excited to follow Jack’s journey to represent the UK in France for the WorldSkills finals!