Welcome to the August 2025 edition of our Careers and Employability blog!

This month, we’re focusing on sharing useful resources to support our learners as they plan their next steps. Whether you’re preparing for further study, looking to gain work experience, or exploring future career opportunities, our team has put together a range of helpful tools and guidance to get you started.

We’ll be highlighting:

· Career planning resources – to help you map out your goals and explore your options.

· Employability support – from CV and interview tips to building essential workplace skills.

If you have any questions or queries, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with us at cet@weston.ac.uk. A member of the team will be more than happy to help.

Welcome Natasha!

We’re excited to welcome the newest member of our team, Natasha!

Natasha has joined us as our new Careers and Employability Administration Officer, and she’ll be playing a key role in supporting both the team and our learners. With her excellent organisational skills and friendly approach, Natasha will be helping to make sure everything runs smoothly behind the scenes – from coordinating resources to ensuring learners get the right information at the right time.

We’re thrilled to have Natasha on board and excited to integrate her into our team!

UCW Careers and Employability update

University Centre Weston's careers service is continuing to prepare for the year ahead - bespoke course-specific resources and taught careers sessions are being developed with student's needs front of mind. The UCW Careers Coaching webpage has been updated to include information about the support available to students and apprentices - visit Careers Coaching - University Centre Weston to find out what's on offer for its students studying at Higher Education level.

Careers and Employability resources to support you!

As you plan your next steps, this month’s edition we wanted to share our most popular resources to guide, inspire, and support you along the way. If you would like to ask the team a question please contact us at cet@weston.ac.uk and a member of the team will get back to you.

General Careers Support:

The Careerpilot website is a one-stop, impartial careers platform designed to help 11–19 year olds explore and plan their future education and career pathways.

The Somerset Careers Hub is here to help you explore your options and feel confident about your next steps after school or college. 

AllAboutSchoolLeavers.co.uk is a UK-based platform designed to help students explore their options after school. Whether you're interested in apprenticeships, school leaver programmes, sponsored degrees, or going straight into work, this site has everything you need to make informed decisions.

CV Creation: 

Canva has hundreds of free CV templates for you to choose and edit to produce professional looking CV’s.

Careers and Employability Team - Access CV guidance, careers support and get in contact with us.

Apprenticeships:

The Amazing Apprenticeships website is a UK-based platform dedicated to promoting apprenticeships and technical education. It serves as a comprehensive resource hub for students, parents, teachers, and employers. There are free webinars to watch and gain more insight into apprenticeships with some of the biggest companies globally. 

The UCAS Apprenticeship page is an official service for searching and applying for apprenticeships in England. All vacancies on this webpage is pulled directly from Find an apprenticeship - GOV.UK

Podcasts: 

Squiggly Careers is a podcast that explores many different avenues, challenges and questions when it comes to your career journey.

Employment/ Self-Employment: 

The King's Trust webpage offers information for different industries, guidance on how to set up a business and information on how to apply for financial support to help make your business successful.

Congratulations on receiving your GCSE and FE results!

We're really looking forward to welcoming our new students to Weston College this year. For those already studying with us, we're equally excited to see you back on campus and continuing your journey with us.

• UCAS applications are open and learners can submit - Tuesday 2nd September 2025 (For learners who will be starting University in September 2026).

   

• 'Whats Next?' - Career Showcase for school leavers - 24th September 2025.

Get in touch with the Careers and Employability Team, by clicking here. 

Weston College is delighted to celebrate the achievements of the pilot cohort of University Hospitals Bristol and Weston (UHBW) staff who have successfully completed the Higher Development Award. This milestone highlights the dedication, growth, and professional development of the Trust’s administrative and clerical colleagues.

The Higher Development Award is designed to empower a vital staff group, equipping participants with the skills, confidence, and knowledge to thrive in their careers.

Feedback from the cohort has been overwhelmingly positive:

“The programme gave me the confidence to speak up in meetings and recognise that my voice matters – I’m not ‘just’ an administrator.”

“I now feel empowered to volunteer for new initiatives, like A3 Thinking, and contribute beyond my usual role.”

“I’ve gained a deeper understanding of the difference between equality and equity – and why both matter in the workplace.”

“This experience helped me realise that I play a vital and relevant role in the NHS – I’m more than just an administrator.”

This inspiring programme was brought to life by a range of guest speakers from across UHBW who showcased the breadth of their professions.

Recognising and uplifting the voices of those who work behind the scenes is a core focus of the programme. Weston College and UHBW are proud to celebrate the achievements of this pilot cohort and are already looking forward to welcoming Cohort 2 soon.

Level 1 courses are a great way to build a foundation of knowledge around a subject, introducing you at a more flexible and slower pace whilst building your skills and preparing you to progress onto Level 2.   

There are many benefits to a Level 1 course. They create a foundation of knowledge for learners, building a solid base of information and skills which make them ideal for beginners. Not only this, they also build confidence in unfamiliar areas and act as a stepping stone to more advanced qualifications. They are also more accessible and flexible to a wider range of students. 

Our Level 1 courses vary in entry requirements, with most courses requiring 5 GCSEs grade 3-1 with at least two grade 3 results. On some courses, it is also required to gain at least a grade 2 in GCSE Maths and English. This makes our Level 1 courses accessible to give you the knowledge and skills to succeed and progress to the Level 2 courses.  

With this level of qualification, you could move onto a Level 2 study programme or an apprenticeship at Level 2, this includes technical qualifications such as diplomas, certificates and NVQs at level 2, transitioning to T Level Programme, or intermediate apprenticeships.

At Weston College, we have many Level 1 courses available, including Animal Management, Art and Design, Computing, Construction, Early Years, Hairdressing, Health and Social Care, Hospitality and Catering, Music and Production, Protective Services, and Sport. 

If you are unsure of what course level is best for you, check out our Levels Explained page to gain a more in-depth understanding. 

If you are still unsure, email enquiries@weston.ac.uk or visit one of our campuses and speak to the team for help.