With the gender pay gap hitting headlines on a constant basis we take a look at why it’s not just men who make good engineers…

Across the UK there is a skills shortage of engineers, which is why we’re investing millions of pounds into creating courses to provide trained engineers that meet the country’s future needs.

This shortage means that engineers are paid well and there are a variety of engineering specialisms that you could pursue. On the flip side, the lack of women in the engineering industry not only contributes to the gender pay gap but also deprives us of a considerable amount of talented individuals that could make a huge difference.

In the UK, only 20% of people enrolled on degree-level engineering programmes such as our new Higher Level Apprenticeship are women, which is a shame because girls possess the same ability to be successful in this field as boys!

On the whole, girls tend to do better at GCSE and A Level, and in the crucial STEM fields, girls do just as well as boys. Year after year, we see young women matching or even outclassing their male peers in maths and science exams – both fundamental technical skills for an engineer.

More and more, the engineering industry is crying out for engineers who not only have proficient technical capability, but are also good communicators who work effectively in teams and can explain their work to key stakeholders. Other crucial skills include a strong, analytical mind and attention to detail. All of these are things that women excel in.

Liz Griffiths, Weston College’s Lecturer in Mechanical Engineering, told us about the route that took her into a successful career in engineering. She said: “When I left school I was unsure about the career path that I wanted to pursue.

“I knew that my favourite subjects were maths and physics, so I wanted to find an occupation that related to those subjects.

“I was lucky enough to attend a seminar on women in engineering and was immediately interested in the exciting and varied career options that are available in the engineering industry, so I started to investigate the different kinds of apprenticeships that were available.

“The most important piece of advice I would give to girls that are considering getting into engineering is that it’s a very diverse and well-paid career and there is bound to be a pathway that interests you.

“If you’re unsure, it’s worth going to college open days to see what different types of engineering courses and apprenticeships are available.”

Weston College is widely known as an outstanding provider of education, but it also has been successfully changing the face of Weston-super-Mare for decades by transforming underused and unloved buildings into award-winning facilities.

Take a look at the below images to see how the College has changed over the years, and find out about the many successful building projects it has completed…

Knightstone Campus

Opened in 1970, the College’s Knightstone Campus was the first College building to be constructed. Built in a typically brutalist style, the College has invested significantly over the years to modernise the building, creating a new entrance atrium in 1998.

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After

Loxton Campus

The College’s second campus, which includes its Sixth Form Centre, was built on the site of the former Broadoak Sixth Form College. The site was renovated and reopened in 2008.

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After

South West Skills Campus

The South West Skills Campus started life as Bushacre Business park. The College moved into the former Clarks shoe factory initially, and as provision grew the site expanded into the roadside industrial units and Renault garage. This renovation earned the College a nomination for two building excellence awards.

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After

Weston College Conference Centre

Built in 1892, the Hans Price-designed Conference Centre was refurbished from a derelict state in 2012, winning the Somerset Trust ‘Building of the Year’ award and earning a nomination for an English Heritage Angel Award in the process.

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After

Law and Professional Services Academy

Weston College bought the former Arosfa Hotel in January 2016 and spent millions of pounds on much-needed renovation work to the row of Victorian terraced houses. The building opened for teaching and student accommodation in September the same year.

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Winter Gardens Pavilion

The College reopened the Winter Gardens Pavilion to the public in September 2018. The public now benefits from updated facilities, a new modern British restaurant and a new cafe.

Click here for more before and after pictures of the Winter Gardens Pavilion.

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After

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Hidden messages, secret rooms and long-forgotten décor - as Weston College progresses in its refurbishment work, the mysteries of the Winter Gardens are gradually being revealed…

Hidden spaces

1 - Not many people know that the Winter Gardens has a basement, and far fewer people have had the chance to go inside it. When we began the structural repairs, we came across the dark and damp space which runs under the ballroom balcony.

2 - In a hidden corner of the ballroom a small, cast iron spiral staircase leads into a hidden room above...

3 - Accessible by a tight window in the Winter Garden’s roof is a small void inside the dome, which runs around the top of the ballroom.

Messages from the past

1 - Inside the basement, past employees voiced their thoughts and feelings about the venue, politics, and even wrote epitaphs for former colleagues who had passed away.

2 - More humorous notes include directions to the visiting dancers at the venue…

The original floor

When Midas Group stripped back the carpet on the balcony that runs around the ballroom, they found the remains of the original rubber flooring. The art-deco patterned floor was installed to reduce the echo in this part of the building. This was covered by carpet later in the 20th century.

Raising a glass to the future

While stripping out the remaining furniture, we found the original Champagne bowls from the building’s 1927 opening. The glasses are currently being held at the Town Hall before they are moved back to their permanent home in the Winter Gardens Pavilion when the refurbishment is complete.

What’s next?

The Winter Gardens will reopen to the public in September 2017, after extensive renovation and enhancement which will secure its status as a community asset for generations to come. The public will benefit from access to around half of the total site, including a restaurant and bar, a café, and – most importantly – the ballroom, which gives the building its iconic status.