Weston College has been crowned as the Bristol and Bath Apprenticeship Provider of the Year 2022 – this is the fourth time the College has been presented with this accolade.

The winners of the 2022 Bristol and Bath Apprenticeship Awards were announced at a special event at Ashton Gate Stadium in Bristol.

The ceremony, held at the home of Bristol City FC and the Bristol Bears rugby side on Tuesday, May 17, celebrated the best and brightest learners in the region and the companies helping them succeed.

The event was hosted by radio presenter Paris Troy. Winners included individuals and organisations from a wide variety of sectors - from construction to hospitality - who have managed to succeed despite the challenges posed by the coronavirus pandemic.

Weston College learners also picked up prestigious awards, with Vijay Rajacholan a Wessex Water apprentice winning the Outstanding Apprentice of the Year - Young Recruit; Vijay is on the Water Process Technician Apprenticeship, delivered jointly by Weston College and Wessex Water.

Another deserving winner was Keely Marsland who is an apprentice at University Hospitals Bristol and Weston NHS Foundation Trust. Keely was presented with Outstanding Apprentice of the Year - Health, Wellbeing and Care.

This year also saw a Weston College employer partner win - Avon and Wiltshire Mental Health Partnership NHS Trust won the Large Employer of the Year (250 +) category in recognition of their apprenticeship pathways which they have in place for their Health Apprentices, enabling them to progress within the health care sector, they were also recognised for being great apprenticeship ambassadors, through the support and recognition they give their learners and the importance they show apprenticeships within the Trust.

Dr Paul Phillips CBE, Principal and Chief Executive of Weston College Group, said:

“I am delighted that the College has won this award, and that Vijay and Keely’s apprenticeship were recognised individually for their great determination, achievements and the impact they are providing for their employers. I was also thrilled that the terrific work that’s going on at Avon and Wiltshire Mental Health Partnership NHS Trust was recognised, they are an absolute pleasure to partner with and share our ethos of creating brighter futures for learners.

“These accolades really do showcase the amazing work that goes on in this College on a daily basis. Weston College delivers a range of apprenticeships from Level 2 to degree-level and works with many high-profile employers and SMEs across the region and our team are once again bucking the national trend, creating new opportunities for our learners.”

Today (Thursday 12th May) Weston-super-Mare hosted the third leg of the Somerset Jubilee Jaunt; the Jaunt sees the Lord Lieutenant (the Queen’s representative in Somerset Mrs Annie Maw) take part in a 70-mile trek from Clevedon to Exmoor split into seven, ten-mile sections to celebrate the region as part of the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee, in partnership with Duke of Edinburgh leaders and students.

Whilst the other sections of the Jaunt are more rural in their approach, the Weston-super-Mare section, hosted by Weston College, saw their Duke of Edinburgh students and wider college students escort the Lord Lieutenant across a vibrant and diverse urban leg – which was designed to ensure it weaved its way through the heart of the town’s community.

The College’s Musical Theatre students sang their way around the town, with songs from the decades, the musicals and Abba on the 10-mile stretch, all with the aim of giving residents of the town a much-needed pick me up just in time for the Jubilee. 

The route was also crafted to ensure the Lord Lieutenant could stop enroute to meet key organisations and their staff such as Weston Hospital, Weston Hospice Care, For All Active Living Centre, Avon Fire and Rescue Service and the Community Policing Teams, so she could pay a personal thank you in recognition of going above and beyond during the pandemic.

The Lord Lieutenant also visited teaching staff at several primary schools including Uphill, Westhaven, Windwhistle, Bournville and Ashcombe Schools as the jaunt passed by, giving children a chance to learn more about the Platinum Jubilee, ahead of the main celebrations.

Dr Paul Phillips CBE, the College Principal said, ‘We were delighted to host this walk for the Lord Lieutenant, who was really keen for this part of the Jaunt to be a chance to celebrate Weston and engage with its community’.

Lord Lieutenant, Mrs Annie Maw commented: “My ambition is to celebrate the Queen’s 70 glorious years as our monarch and to dedicate this as a Somerset tribute to her on her Platinum Jubilee.

“It was so exciting to do the third leg of this jaunt in Weston-super-Mare’s the young people who joined me, were full of enthusiasm and a delight to have accompany me. It was also great to see some of whom are participating in the Duke of Edinburgh award scheme which was so close to the heart of Her Majesty’ dear late husband.”