Gillian Keegan, Minister for Apprenticeships and Skills, will be ‘virtually’ opening the West of England Institute of Technology (WEIoT) on Thursday (8th October).

The official WEIoT launch will be a virtual event, which brings together all the education institutions and employers that have been involved bringing it to its fruition.

In 2019 the first Institutes of Technology (IoT) were selected through a government-led competition and 12 were awarded – the WEIoT was one of these.

The WEIoT is a consortium of education providers and key employers across the West of England. It has been led by Weston College and includes the University of the West of England, Bath College, Gloucestershire College, and Yeovil College as well as a network of key local employers, including; GKN Aerospace, Airbus, GE Aviation, Renishaw, University Hospitals Bristol and Weston NHS Trust, , St Monica Trust, Jisc, Mayden Academy, National Composites Centre (NCC), North Somerset Council, Leonardo, Rolls Royce and Bamboo Technology.

Speaking ahead of her visit, the Apprenticeships Minister said: “I’m looking forward to launching the West of England Institute of Technology and speaking to some of the employers, including GKN Aerospace Services Limited, Mayden Academy and University Hospitals Bristol NHS Foundation Trust, who have worked so hard to bring it to life.

“Institutes of Technology will be the pinnacle of technical training, offering higher technical STEM education and training in key sectors, such as advanced manufacturing and engineering, construction and infrastructure, and digital which will be even more important as we build back better from the pandemic. By collaborating with businesses, IoTs can deliver the technical knowledge and practical workplace skills employers are demanding – like nowhere else.

“I’m excited to speak to students and staff about the opportunities the IoT will offer them and the wider benefits it will have for the wider community.”

Dr Paul Phillips CBE, Principal and Chief Executive of the Weston College Group, commented: “We are thrilled to be launching the WEIoT, and to welcome the Minister to witness the investment that this initiative is bringing. The WEIoT will significantly influence skills development and innovation on both a regional and national basis and the WEIoT strength is working collaboratively with other institutes and employers.”

In December 2019, the consortium appointed Claire Arbery as the Director of the WEIoT. Claire has been pivotal to the mobilisation of the project, Claire commented on the importance of the investment for the area: “The WEIoT funding has created opportunities for the educational partners to invest in cutting edge technology to provide their learners and employers with facilities to drive forward the developments needed to help build recovery. The focus on technical skills and education offered by the collaborative approach will bring wider benefits and the IoT will be able to support learners who may not have thought that higher level skills training was for them using our digital connectivity to its full potential.”

The West of England Combined Authority has also contributed £500,000 towards the project, and this funding has been used to support the digital capability toolkit for the WEIoT, so that all FE partners can be upskilled to deliver digital lessons.

Tim Bowles, Mayor of the West of England, said: “Technical skills are vital to our region’s recovery from the Covid-19 pandemic. My plan for our Economic Recovery sets out how we will make sure our residents have the opportunities they need to train or retrain in this growing sector.

“Improving job prospects, ensuring that everyone, regardless of their circumstances, can fulfil their potential is one of my key ambitions for the region and the new West of England Institute of Technology will help make that a reality. It will give us the training we need for our residents to get the decent, well paid jobs that our region will rely on in the future.”

Our careers team are here to help with any enquiry you may have related to following the careerpath that's right for you!

We caught up with the team to answer some Frequently Asked Questions.

So you chose to stay at school to complete your further education, but are unsure if you have made the right choice?

We understand different people learn in different ways, and some may choose to stay on at a local sixth form.

However, for the majority of local school leavers, Weston College is a popular option due to the diverse range of courses and wanting to experience a fresh environment with a lively and exciting atmosphere as well. If you're considering changing your mind and joining us, here is how further education at college compares to further education at school, read on!

The way you're taught is different

Here in the college environment the relationship you have with the lecturers is totally different. You won't be expected to call them 'Sir' or 'Miss', and they'll treat you like an adult. They expect you to be able to work more independently, but also trust that you are able to manage your own time and work to deadlines in your own way.

Staff are industry professionals and will make learning more insightful by infusing their real-life industry knowledge into the course to prepare you for the world of work. 

You’ll study a subject area you enjoy

At college, we hope you will choose your course because it’s what you love to do, and something you would eventually like to turn into a career. Whereas in school, you still have to study a ‘core curriculum’, there’s none of that at college.

The only thing you may be asked to take is English or maths GCSE or functional skills if you were unsuccessful at secondary school, but we have plenty of extra support for this.

Your social circle will widen

Prepare to meet new people in a covid secure way! Although you will probably stay close with your secondary school friends, college opens you up to a whole new pool of potential pals. It can be really refreshing to mix with people from different schools and gain a whole new bunch of friends, whether this is from your course or outside of lessons e.g. sports academies.

Your timetable structure is different

Everyone is on different timetables and, depending on your course, you might not be in five days a week. You will have ‘free periods’ or times when you may not have to be in colleges but your friends may be. ‘Free periods’ enable you to catch up on coursework or study for exams. You also don’t need to stay on site for your free periods, the time is your own - but we will encourage you to be productive and proactive in this time, and make use of the excellent LibraryPlus and other facilities to use your time wisely!

Industry placements

All study programmes include work or industry placements, these enable you to gain the first-hand experience you need to stand out from the crowd in the employment market. Many students have gained employment directly from their industry placement!

The new term may have started but there is still time to apply and join us – find out how here >>