Civil engineering is an exciting job which leads people into successful careers working on important projects.

With Weston College announcing its new Higher Level Apprenticeship in Civil Engineering, we take a look at how civil engineers are transforming the country...

Hinkley Point C

Hinkley Point’s new nuclear reactor will be the biggest construction site in Europe, and the most expensive structure ever constructed. 5,600 people will be employed at the project’s height, and Civil Engineers are in short supply to meet the project’s demands. When finished, it will account for 7% of the country’s energy. Click here to find out how the College is supporting Hinkley.

Heathrow expansion

Heathrow Airport – one of the busiest airports in the world – is expanding, and creation of a new runway will reshape the landscape forever. Two new passenger terminals and transport hubs will be built, connected by an underground passenger transit and baggage system. An extra runway will enable 740,000 flights a year, and could be constructed over the M25 – which would present a unique proposition for the engineers tasked with designing the build. This project will take a massive amount of planning and construction, and will involve civil engineers from across the UK.

Electrification of the Great Western train line

The electrification of the Great Western train line is the biggest investment in the Great Western railway since Brunel built it more than 150 years ago. The project is hoped to stimulate economic growth in the South West by improving commuter and transport links, and investment in infrastructure is one of the Government’s key focuses in the post-Brexit economy.

Flood defences

15 years ago, Leeds was inches away from devastating floods. Work has now started on an innovative £45m flood alleviation scheme to protect the city in the future, with major construction work in the town centre and surrounding areas. Improving the flood defences in this area will provide 22,000 jobs over the next 10 years, and 150 apprenticeships have been created for the project.​

Queensferry Crossing

Currently under construction in Scotland, the Queensferry Crossing is a road bridge under construction in Scotland which will carry the M90 motorway over the Firth of Forth. The bridge will be a massive 2.7km. The £1.35 billion project is directly employing over 1000 people.

Our new courses

Weston College’s new Higher Level Apprenticeship in Civil Engineering is taught both on site and at the College’s brand new Future Technology Centre. Wessex Water has confirmed that it will be recruiting the first cohort of apprentices to study within the programme in January 2017.

The new programme is a Level 4 apprenticeship which incorporates an NQV Diploma in Construction Site Supervision and an HNC in Construction in the Built Environment.

Click here to find out more.

If you’re starting College next week and feeling a little bit nervous, we have some top tips to help settle the nerves and make sure you’re prepared to have the best experience!

It is very normal to have nerves before starting college, so don't worry about this. We wish you the best of luck with your course and hope you enjoy your time at Weston College.

Not sure what you’ll need to bring to college?

Here is a list of equipment that the think every learner should come to College prepared with. Please see below some more specific items you will need for certain courses

Our chef apprenticeship scheme is helping to inspire the next generation of chefs, but everyone has to start somewhere! Here are our favourite simple kitchen hacks to help you cook up a storm...

Use dental floss to cut cakes

This might sound crazy, but dental floss is ideal for getting perfectly straight cuts in cake. Make sure you use unflavoured floss, pull it taut (make sure you use a piece wider than your cake) and then use it to cut straight down the cake. Voila! 

Pre-make your favourite herb mix

If you have a go-to herb mix you like to use in your cooking a lot, save time by making ahead! Just combine your choice of herbs with oil in ice cube trays, then freeze. When you’re ready to use them, just pop out a cube and defrost it in the pan.

Know how to store your food

Some fruit and veg can make other produce in your fridge ripen – and then rot – much faster. Bananas, avocados, apricots, apples and other foods release gases that cause other foods to rot, so be sure to keep them away from other fresh fruit and veg.

Always make sure your oil is hot enough

A lot of dishes require heating up your oil before you can cook. A simple way of checking is, rather than looking for hidden signals, throw in a small cube of bread. If it fries up, the oil is ready and you can take it out without affecting the other flavours in your dish.

You don’t necessarily need a garlic crusher

Recipe asking for crushed garlic but you don’t have a crusher? Not a problem. If you crush the clove with the flat side of your knife, it’ll make it easier to dice up into smaller pieces. Crushing the clove can also help if you’re finding it difficult to peel.

Find out more!

If you're interested in cooking, why not enrol onto our chef apprenticeship scheme? You can find out more information by visiting our hospitality page.