Weston College is launching a campaign to create 600 new jobs and training opportunities in six months.

In a recent Somerset Chamber survey, 56% of employers stated that issues around education and skills were a concern for their business. This ambitious initiative will highlight the various ways that employers can engage with Weston College, raising awareness of the College’s comprehensive skills support offer.

There are many ways for employers to get involved, including taking on apprentices and offering work placements to Weston College students. Businesses that ‘pledge’ an opportunity will also reap a range of benefits to help them gain an edge over competitors. This drive follows hot on the heels of the College’s successful bid to create 200 apprenticeship vacancies in 100 days. That campaign exceeded targets, creating 100 apprenticeships in just 71 days, eventually placing 230 apprentices with employers throughout the south west.

Dr Paul Phillips CBE, Principal and Chief Executive of the Weston College Group, said: “One of the greatest challenges faced by the education sector, and society as a whole, is equipping people with the skills they need in an increasingly competitive and ever-changing world.

“The ‘600 in 6’ campaign takes up that challenge by seeking to inspire the future workforce, and supplementing learning programmes with relevant workplace skills and experience.

“This enterprising campaign is also about working with businesses to understand their training and recruitment needs and, ultimately, deliver genuine economic impact.

“Every opportunity ‘pledged’ by an employer will, potentially, change the life of a learner, and also bring a raft of benefits for their business and the region."

As well as providing apprenticeships and work experience, employers can get involved by giving guest lectures, upskilling their staff supporting inclusion in the workplace, accessing the College’s expanding and successful pre-employment programmes to find new recruits, accessing the award winning offender learning programme to employ ex-offenders, and provide students with ‘real-life’ projects to work on during their course.

By accessing skills support from Weston College, employers can utilise tailored training packages to invest in their workforce, reduce recruitment costs, improve staff retention and productivity, boost their profile, and access untapped pools of work-ready talent.

Businesses will also gain publicity through the campaign social media posts, dedicated webpages, media stories, videos and case studies, highlighting employers involved as businesses that invest in future talent.

The campaign runs from February 4 until the deadline on July 5.

If you would like to find out more about the ‘600 in 6’ campaign, or support the campaign, click here.

Tell us a bit about yourself

I’m the real deal – a chef who wears many hats. I’m a husband, a father and a grandfather, as well as the singer in a band called The Leylines, and an ex-student of Weston College.

I love, love, love cooking with learners. Not only cooking for them, but inspiring them – teaching them and igniting their passion for food and new flavours. I have great fun teaching learners how to cook and what it means to eat healthily.

When and what did you study at Weston College?

I was here in 1992 and studied a 706 1 and 2 in Catering (now a City and Guilds Level 1 and 2 Professional Cookery)

I came back in 2012 to do an NVQ Level 2 and 3 in Professional and Advanced Cookery.

Do you have any fun stories or fond memories of your time here?

It involves a dark night, Jack Daniels, bambi and a security guard. If you want to know more, you’ll have to find me and ask! I also remember one of the first dishes we created which was a chicken ballotine in a white wine and mushroom sauce, I have since adapted this recipe and it is still my signature dish.

How did Weston College help you get where you are today?

The College gave me the skills, connections and knowledge I needed to enter the workplace and to run my own businesses. It’s given me a solid base. My tutor, Tony Rawlins, was fun and seemed to be able to relate to us, which meant coming to College was easy.

What other jobs have you done?

Where do I start? I’ve owned my own restaurant, burger van and private catering company for events – including weddings.

I’ve also worked in restaurants, school kitchens, hotels and cafés.

How did you get into the catering industry, and why did you choose it?

When I was 16 I wasn’t sure what to do, as I didn’t excel in anything academic. I had a part-time job delivering Chinese takeaways and I was always intrigued about the smells, the colours and of course the taste of the food. Before that, I’d never considered a career in food.

I later joined a YTS course and one of my first placements was the Italian restaurant at Cadbury House Country Club and Hotel in Congresbury. I then got a part-time job at the Anchor Head Hotel, where I did the breakfast and lunch service, and, at weekends, I worked at the Orange Tree Café. The hours were long and hard work, but it taught me how varied and interesting a career in catering could be.

Tell us about today and your role here

The Lead Association for Catering in Education (LACA) South West School Chef of the Year competition was at Weston College at the end of January 2019.

5 south west finalists including Robert Doble of Sandroyd School, and Tollard Royal and Dave Leeper of The Trafalgar School in Downton, competed in the regional final, demonstrating creative dishes that are suitable for 11-year-olds.

The contestants had up to £5.20 to spend and 90 minutes to prepare, cook and serve four identical two-course menus to judges.

The meals were judged by three people, Mark Rigby, executive head chef at the event main sponsors Premier Foods, Stuart Brereton from event sponsors MKN Catering Equipment and Carol Horwood who is the National organiser for LACA SCOTY.

As a committee member for LACA and a former winner of the regional School Chef of The Year title, I was humble to be asked to be the regional organiser and present the awards.

The winner Dave Leeper was named LACA South West School Chef of the Year 2019 and will go through to the national final in March.

You can see photos, video clips and more at https://twitter.com/LACA_UK

It’s been widely publicised that that there is a shortage of skills in the catering and hospitality industry. Why do you think more people should join the industry?

Because everyone loves someone who can cook. If you want to treat someone you take them out for dinner, but if you can do this yourself, it opens up so many possibilities.

If you’re at uni – the best way to make friends in the first week is to be able to help others cook.

If you’re in a band and on the road – the band needs someone who can cook for them (always me).

If you get home late and there are only three ingredients are in the fridge, and a potential girlfriend or boyfriend is coming over, you want to be able to throw something together.

There’s no better feeling than cooking something on the course and taking it home to friends and family – or cooking it at home. You get such a buzz and satisfaction from it.

There are so many potential avenues to follow after catering courses at Weston College, as there are so many opportunities to work locally in one of the many great local restaurants or hotels.

If you have the drive, passion and determination, and want to make money, you can set up your own business. Or, you can move to London and work in a Michelin stared restaurant, work on a cruise ship, take charge of the catering for an F1 team or on a private yacht of VIPs. The opportunities are out there, and Weston College helps set you on your journey with the best skills.

Do you have any advice to future students?

Catering doesn’t have to just be a job, it can be vocation, a lifestyle – don’t be mundane be ‘mazing!

Tell us about your book.

I think there are two key stages in life when it comes to cooking. First, from the age of 3 to 13, when kids enjoy spending time with significant others, whether that’s baking a cake for the family or helping to make dinner. Then, at 16, when you realise you can do exciting things in the kitchen – like flipping pancakes or flambéing (when alcohol is added to a hot pan to create a burst of flame).

‘Family Cooking with The School Chef’ is aimed at the first age group. You don’t have to be a top chef to cook lovely, healthy – and sometimes naughty – nutritious, flavoursome and colourful food. It’s about creating fun, sharing but most of all spending time as a family cooking food.

Most of my recipes are simple, delicious and classic recipes that will bring families together in the kitchen to have fun preparing a meal. The book is also a reference to my family and how we cook together but also has buying guides and top tips.

Visit www.theschoolchef.co.uk for some free videos and easy-to-follow recipe downloads to get you started.

Anything else you would like to add?

I hope by reading this I have inspired you to find out what courses are available.

You can find out more by visiting www.weston.ac.uk today.

Date for your diary - Hospitality Event Taster Day at the Winter Gardens on the 20th March, 11.00 am until 13.00pm. Contact your school to see if they are attending or email Sandra.bull@weston.ac.uk to find out more!

I have been part of St John Ambulance and air cadets for many years and I have achieved so much as an air cadet developing skills in many areas and gaining these qualifications along on the way

• Level's 1 & 2 & 3 First Aid (Including AED - Automated External Defibrillator)
• Leadership Level's 1 & 2
• Communication with the Deaf and Blind
• Prior Award (24 Different Qualifications in St John Ambulance - Bronze, Silver, Gold)
• Peer Education which has enabled me to teach my peers and other young people Basic Life Support.

As an air cadet I reached the rank of NCO (Non-Commissions Officer - Corporal) in my Worle Cadet Unit. I am now a St John Ambulance Adult in the Clevedon St John Ambulance Unit.

My volunteering work also involved fundraising for multiple different charities including The Great Western Air Ambulance Charity (GWAAC), Lighthouse Charity and now The Grand Appeal (Bristol Children's Hospital).

I am currently the Development Worker for the Eagles Non-Profit Trust and the Team Leader for the brand new Eagles South West Project.

We run a project known as the Eagles South West Project which is part of the Eagles Non-Profit Trust. We have various Mini Projects including Charitable Fundraising which cover's the work of various charities including; The Grand Appeal - Bristol Children's Hospital - which I am very keen to support because I had Cardiac and Orthopaedic Surgery there. I work with an Orthopaedic Surgeon in the hospital studying Health and Social Care, Level 3 to go onto do Paramedic Science at University.

Within the project we work with various charitable organisations that support people that are homeless and in need within our local area of WSM and surrounding areas. This is known as The Eagles Homeless Outreach - we work with Winter Warmth, Feed the Homeless WSM and Bristol and Somewhere To Go, for which we are planning an Easter Homeless Donation to support them.

We then have a third and final Mini Project Category known as 'Company and Project Partnerships'. We are currently supporting the 'Plastic Pollution Action and Awareness Project'. We are working closely with the Project Manager to plan on how we can support them with events to help the environment including Litter Picks and Fundraising Events for their Project and running Awareness Campaigns.

Another mini project we are planning on running is a brand new idea that we are just setting up at the moment known as 'Donate For Defib (W-s-M) Project' and this will be fundraising for local Difibulators in the local area, so we are looking forward to starting that very soon.