The College is celebrating the end of its first year teaching plumbing and gearing up for a 300 per cent increase in demand for places this September.

So far 12 men and one woman have gained plumbing qualifications at the Construction and Engineering Centre of Excellence (CECE) in Locking Road.

Plumbing lecturer Scott Austin said: “There’s been an enormous growth in demand for the course. Now we are set to put on a Level One course, two Level Twos and a Level Three.

“We’ve also set up school links for older secondary students who want to do more hands-on study. We are delighted with the response regionally.”

Plumber of the year was awarded to 17-year-old Jake Payne of Jubilee Street,  Burnham-on-Sea.

Runner up was awarded to Daniel Rihan, 35, Weston-super-Mare and third was Kieran Rigney, 17 of Weston-super-Mare.

Green technologies are at the forefront of a new £10 million building project at Weston College which is a leading National Skills Environmental Academy Hub.

They include a rainwater harvesting system, wood biomass boiler, solar thermal array, ground source heat pump and solar photovoltaic system.

Part of the programme will also see a £300,000 sustainable detached eco- house built for students and visitors to show how environmental and renewable technology can transform the construction industry.

In 2010, the CECE won a ‘National Training Award’ for the South West of England.

It delivers training in a wide range of construction occupations including, plumbing, electrical installation, carpentry, trowel trades, painting, decorating, plastering, property maintenance, renewable energy courses and apprenticeships.

The CECE holds specialist electrical workshops, bespoke brickwork and carpentry workshops and has a resource-based learning centre for online learning.

It is also a test centre for the Construction Skills Certification Scheme (CSCS) and health and safety card.

There is a 100 per cent success rate for Level 2 qualifications with around 70 per cent of CECE students finding work in industry while others enhance their DIY skills.

A multi-million pound plan to create a brighter future for Weston-super-Mare's Winter Gardens has been approved by North Somerset Council.

Weston College will create a new Law and Professional Services Academy at the seafront site, while restoring the iconic ballroom to its former glory.

It is hoped this project will be the catalyst for bringing significantly more students to the town, and will play a key role in the council's bold plans for a prosperous, modern and vibrant town centre, in which learning plays a pivotal part.

In 2015, councillors agreed to transfer the landmark building to Weston College as part of the council's continued support and match funding for the delivery of the new Academy.

The West of England Local Enterprise Partnership has earmarked nearly £15 million for the project.

Redevelopment and modernisation of the building will include replacing part of it with a new two-storey extension containing lecture theatres, seminar rooms, meeting and conference spaces, offices and associated facilities.

The historic 1920s pavilion, ballroom and other parts of the Winter Gardens will be repaired and refurbished, and will remain available for wider community use.

Dr Paul Phillips OBE, Principal and Chief Executive of Weston College, said: "I am delighted that North Somerset councillors have granted planning permission for this exciting development.

"We were approached by legal companies who wanted to establish a law and professional services academy in the area.

"This facility will meet the needs of employers and continue to raise Weston-super-Mare's reputation nationally as a centre of excellence for education and training.

"I also hope it will make a significant contribution towards the regeneration of the town centre, and also secures a brighter future for this prominent building which will once again become a jewel in Weston's crown."

North Somerset Council Leader, Cllr Nigel Ashton, said: "The expansion of further and higher education is central to our ambitious vision for the future of the town as a centre for the best of urban living, learning and lifestyle.

"This flagship project is a unique opportunity to inject vitality into the town centre through attracting new talent and a greater diversity of people to live in Weston, while addressing local skills gaps and creating new jobs at the same time.

"We really welcome the College's proposals to give a new lease of life to one of Weston's landmark buildings which will continue to be an important facility for the local community."

The Winter Gardens is due to be formally transferred to Weston College in spring 2016.

Once the funding from the West of England LEP is confirmed, work will begin in the hope of opening the new academy later in 2016.

A Weston College student has been selected for Wessex Water’s Young People’s panel, an enterprise which gives 16-18 year olds the opportunity to experience running a business.

Chris Hutchings, 17, who studies A Level Business Studies, Photography and English at Weston College’s Sixth Form Centre, has been attending meetings at Wessex Water as part of an initiative which enables young people to have a say in how the company is run.

Chris said: “This is a fantastic opportunity for me to benefit from hands on work which will supplement the theory I’ve learnt in class.

“So far it has been an excellent insight into businesses’ decision making processes, and will be good experience when I apply to university.”

At their first meeting last month, the panel met managers at the company and were taken on a tour of the company’s headquarters in Bath.

At the end of the day, the panel was set the task of creating a presentation about ideas to promote the company’s installation of water metres and improve its customer services.

Chris said: “My presentation will be about the creation of a mobile app that would allow people to monitor their water metre readings and automatically budget their water usage for them, to make sure they are saving money and aren’t wasting water.”

Claire Timmins, Business Studies Tutor at the College, said: “Weston College is all about providing students with the skills and experience they need to progress to work or university.

“This opportunity at Wessex Water is another example of or students benefitting from our strong links with employers across the South West.

“I am confident Chris will prove a credit to himself and the College during this placement.”