Worried about enrolment? There’s no need to be. It’s a great opportunity to meet new people and to ask any questions about college.

Enrolment is the last thing to do before starting your course in September. You will receive your college student lanyard, bus pass (if one is needed) and student planner ready for the first day of term. If you’re starting your second year, you’ll have to re-enrol through the same process as before.

You should have received a letter explaining about enrolment, including a date, time and place for yours. If you can’t make this slot, don’t panic – you may be able to rearrange or enrol during the first few induction days at college.

When you turn up to enrol, a member of college staff will take you around, explain what to do and be on hand to answer any questions. You will need to bring a form of ID and your parental consent slip to enter your details into the college system and to register as a college student.

Enrolment is also an opportunity to purchase an optional bus pass to allow you to make use of the public bus services around Weston and beyond.

For some students, enrolment day will also be an opportunity to apply for a bursary (if eligible) and have specific learning assessments to determine whether additional help will be needed for things such as Dyslexia, Dyspraxia etc.

Lastly, you will have a photo taken for your student lanyard and our online systems – so remember to smile!

Here are a list of things to remember for enrolment:

• A form of ID (e.g. Passport, Driving Licence, Birth Certificate)
• Parental Consent Form
• GCSE Results
• Money for a Bus Pass (optional)

Happy enrolling!

Weston College is set to play a lead role in tackling the construction industry skills shortage by opening a brand new industry focused training centre.

The Weston College Construction Training Centre, based just off Junction 21 of the M5, will open in spring 2019 and represents a £3.8 million investment.

It will offer training in three key construction areas – plant operations, scaffolding, and groundworks.

As part of this initiative Weston College has partnered with scaffolding training and safety experts, Simian.

The new centre will increase the availability of Construction Industry Scaffolders’ Record Scheme (CISRS) scaffolding training in the South West. As with most construction trades, the scaffolding industry is currently experiencing a skills shortage and it is expected that the West Wick centre will assist in bridging that gap.

Established in 2005, Simian has cemented their position as industry leaders for scaffolding training and support services. Headquartered in Warrington, the firm now operates a total of four scaffolding training centres in the Midlands, North Wales (Llangefni and Wrexham) and Cheshire, with an additional Centre in east London opening in March 2019.

The new Weston Centre will deliver a large portfolio of CISRS scaffolding courses, which will include new entrant training (COTS), CISRS Part One and Two scaffolding courses, scaffolding Apprenticeships and scaffold inspection training.

Speaking of the partnership, Simian’s Managing Director, Simon Hughes said: “These are exciting times for Simian and we’re delighted to be playing our part in upskilling workers in the south west, as well as providing the opportunity for industry new entrants to obtain the skills and knowledge they need to build a career in the scaffolding sector.

“The increasing levels of UK housing and infrastructure investment mean that the current construction industry skills shortage needs addressing as a matter of urgency and as such, we’re proud to be making Scaffolding Apprenticeships and other vocational scaffolding training available locally in Weston, as this will provide new career opportunities as well as boosting the local economy.”

Dr Paul Phillips CBE, Principal and Chief Executive at Weston College commented: “Weston College has worked hard to identify a strategic partner for scaffolding training at its new Construction Training Centre. We are delighted to be working with Simon and the team at Simian who are nationally renowned as leaders in the field of CISRS accredited scaffolding training and assessment.

"The financial investment to build the Centre has been provided by the College match-funding a successful bid for funding from the West of England Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) through the Local Growth Fund, administered by the West of England Combined Authority.”

Chair of the West of England LEP, Prof Steve West, said: “We’re really pleased to support the fantastic new Construction Training Centre at Weston College. This will help to equip our current and future construction workforce with the skills they need to drive forward the building of new homes, business premises and infrastructure as our region grows. It will also help them to secure better career prospects and make the most of the opportunities available right here in the West of England.”

The 12 winning bids by colleges and universities, which will share £170m, have been announced by the Department for Education today.

A Weston College-led application to create an ‘Institute of Technology’ (IoT) is one of those winning bids and will now progress to the pre-award stage.

The application, which will potentially receive £14m of government funding, is a consortium of education providers and key employers across the South West. It has been led by Weston College and includes the University of the West of England, Bath College, Gloucestershire College, and Yeovil College as well as a network of key local employers, including; GKN Aerospace, Airbus, GE Aviation, Renishaw, Weston Area Health Trust, St Monica Trust, Jisc, Mayden Academy, National Composites Centre (NCC), North Somerset Council and Tech OP Solutions.

The Government’s aim for IoTs is to offer an alternative to universities by specialising in delivering higher level technical training in STEM subjects. This will boost young people's skills and provide a route for students taking T levels or A Levels to move onto higher level technical education; IoTs will also cater for those people already in work, with higher level technical training at Level 4 and above in STEM subjects. IoTs will set all learners on a path to high-skilled, high-wage careers in health and social care; advanced engineering and high-value manufacturing, and the creative, digital and high-tech industry sectors.

This combined foundation of expertise will extend learning beyond physical boundaries to maximise engagement of under-represented individuals through digital innovation. The next generation will be fully equipped to apply their skills increase productivity and position the region as the ‘creators and makers’ of the future.

Dr Paul Phillips CBE, Principal and Chief Executive of the Weston College Group, commented: “We are thrilled to have received this news. Working collaboratively with other institutes and employers is key, and the Government have recognised that this project will significantly influence skills development and innovation on both a regional and national basis.”

Professor Jane Harrington, Deputy Vice Chancellor & Provost UWE, Bristol said: “This is fantastic news for the region with the potential now to have a genuinely joined up approach to skills development and training.”

Laurel Penrose, Principal and Chief Executive of Bath College said: “This is a brilliant opportunity for current and future students of Bath College as well as a national vote of confidence in the quality and commitment of the College and its staff to be part of this nation-wide initiative.

“It is fantastic to be part of such a rigorous and innovative process working with other FE and HE establishments developing appropriate qualifications in liaison with employers.”

Tim Bowles, Regional Mayor commented: “This is fantastic news for our region. Our region’s new Institute of Future Technologies will attract more learners to higher education from under-represented groups in technical and higher education, addressing the emerging skills gaps in our economy. New learners will benefit from the technical skills and training programmes that will be provided by the institute – helping them into high skilled jobs in the West of England.”

Prime Minister Theresa May said: "These new institutes will help end outdated perceptions that going to university is the only desirable route and build a system which harnesses the talents of our young people."

Find out more about the West of England Institute of Technology