Weston College has been named as the Bristol and Bath Apprenticeship Provider of the Year for the second year in a row.

The award ceremony, held at Ashton Gate Stadium, celebrated learners from across the region, as well as recognising the hard work of employers and training providers.

Weston College learner Josh King, an apprentice at GKN Aerospace, was also recognised on the evening – winning Outstanding Apprentice of the Year.

The College delivers a range of apprenticeships from Level 2 to degree-level and works with many high-profile employers in the Bristol and Bath area, including the Ministry of Defence and GKN Aerospace and Royal United Hospitals Bath.

Dr Paul Phillips CBE, Principal and Chief Executive of Weston College Group, said: “We are delighted to retain our award, which highlights our commitment to developing skills across the region.

“Our staff are always there to provide a smooth process for employers, and learners, so this award is recognition of those efforts.

“I’m also delighted for Josh. Our learners show such a fantastic attitude to their studies and he is clearly doing a brilliant job at one of the biggest companies in the area – GKN.”

This is the latest in a string of recent awards for the College, which include a Beacon Award for dedication to mental health, the BKSB National Provider of Year award and also the AAC SEND Apprenticeship Champion award.

Weston College works with hundreds of employers across a range of sectors to create training opportunities for students.

Among these is Weston Museum, which provides work experience opportunities for learners who face barriers to employment.

As well as matching roles to individual abilities and providing each learner with a mentor, the Museum offers their staff autism training to develop their understanding of the condition.

In recognition of its efforts, the Museum was named Disability Confident Employer of the Year at the College’s annual Business Awards.

Matthew Hardy, Weston Museum’s Visitor Services Manager, said it was an honour for the Museum to win the award.

“Being nominated and receiving the Disability Employer of the Year was a huge achievement for us,” he said. “We take pride in our inclusivity, so to be recognised in that way was amazing.

“We offer volunteering opportunities and work experience in customer service, the café and administration. Staff and volunteers are also encouraged to undertake autism awareness training, which is facilitated by Nina from Weston Bay (the College’s residential training centre for students on the autism spectrum).

“As well as staff support, our learners shadow existing volunteers who have been doing the role for a while. This not only helps with learning but also boosts confidence.”

Matthew believes that these steps enable learners to make a noticeable impact on the business.

He said: “The learners, like all of our volunteers, enrich Weston Museum and enable us to offer the diverse range of services that we do. Their support is invaluable.

“The learners vary so much in terms of ability, confidence and skills when we first meet them, but they all develop during their time with us – especially their confidence and social skills.

“Many are completely unrecognisable as the person they were when they started, which is fantastic.”

And Matthew insists that the relationship with the College is central to the work it does for learners who need additional support when it comes to learning and employment.

He said: “Weston Museum values its relationship with Weston College hugely. Whilst we are limited in what we can offer, what we do offer is very important to our culture and is at the heart of our inclusive ethos. We genuinely couldn’t do what we do without them.”

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Top Bristol-based law firm TLT solicitors has been working with Training Solutions for just eight months and has already experienced some significant benefits.

The national firm has seen 15 employee achievements in NVQ Level 2 Business Administration and NVQ Level 2 Customer Service.

Jamie Birkinshaw, Assistant Manager at TLT, said: The Training Solutions team has helped us to develop our employees' confidence, motivation and self-esteem and our ability to offer clients the best possible service.”

Shona Williams, a Case Handler at TLT, said: “The course has helped me develop my skills and build my self-confidence. Throughout my learning I was able to identify areas which could be strengthened to help me to progress in my career. I would definitely study with Weston College again – in fact I have already enrolled on another course!”

Daniel May, a Junior Case Handler at TLT, said: “There was plenty of support and guidance available throughout the course and I would recommend it to others as I really enjoyed it. By completing the course I have not only gained a qualification but I have also demonstrated my commitment and competence at what I do.”

TLT started working with Training Solutions after they won a tendering process, alongside another local educational institute and an international training organisation, all offering NVQs.

Jamie said: “We initially selected Weston College because of their broad range of training courses and because of their pro-active and flexible approach. Staff at the Centre have gone out of their way to invest time in understanding our business and to meet our specific training and development needs.”

He added: “We would recommend Training Solutions to anyone enquiring about external vocational training services. We would advise them that the Training Solutions team is very flexible in their approach to the delivery of training, ensuring wherever possible, the impact upon the business whilst employees are undertaking studies is minimised.”

TLT will continue to work with Training Solutions in rolling out the NVQ Level 2 Business Administration and Customer Service to Office Assistants and Case Handlers. This year they are also planning to roll out the NVQ Level 3 in Team Leading to Team Supervisors within the Banking and Lender Services group.

Jamie explained the benefits of working with Training Solutions and said: “For us the people and support provided by Training Solutions is the key benefit. The team have worked with us to ensure we develop a bespoke NVQ programme that best suits our needs and caters for our people. They offer flexibility, expertise and it’s a trouble-free process.”

He added: “The consultation and communication provided by the Training Solutions team has been very good and they fit in well with the culture of the firm. They are keen to continually evaluate what is working well, whilst highlighting any areas for improvement. To date, we have built up a very good relationship with Training Solutions.”