Weston College toasted the outstanding success of learners and employer partners at its annual Business Awards on Thursday (June 20).

Winners from a range of categories were presented with awards at the Oscars-style event at the Winter Gardens.

Guests – including students, employers and local dignitaries – enjoyed a three-course dinner and heard an inspirational keynote talk from Nick Elston, one of the country’s most renowned speakers on the subjects of anxiety, mental health and well-being.

Principal and CEO of Weston College Group, Dr Paul Phillips, who hosted the awards, said: “This year we received a record number of nominations and, while this made judging an unenviable task, it highlights the wealth of talent among our learners and the level of dedication and expertise within our employer network.

“It was fantastic to celebrate the many successes of our work-based learners, who show outstanding commitment to their programmes. They are truly a credit to the College and their employers.

“This year’s event is also notable as it fell between the opening of two significant new training facilities – the Construction Training Centre and Health and Active Living Centre. These state-of-the-art resources will provide huge benefits for learners, businesses and the community as a whole.”

It was an evening to remember for Thatchers Cider apprentice Molly O’Flaherty, 17 who was named Overall Learner of the Year and Professional Services Apprentice of the Year. Molly, who is completing a Customer Services Apprenticeship, was singled out for her maturity, work-ethic and passion to learn.

Molly said: “I am delighted to have won this award, as it shows how far I have come over such a short period of time with Thatchers.

“The support I have received from Weston College and Thatchers has been excellent, and I can’t wait to continue my development with such a great employer.”

Thatchers Cider made it a ‘quadruple’ celebration by picking up the Overall Employer and New Apprentice Employer of the Year awards.

Emma Cox, Training and Development Manager at Thatchers Cider, said: “At Thatchers we are committed to supporting young people and providing them with an opportunity to develop their skills.

“Being recognised for this award is testament to the hard work that we have put in, the dedication of the learners and the support we have received from Weston College in creating a bespoke programme to suit our business needs.”

The National Children’s Orchestras of Great Britain (NCO) was recognised as Industry Placement Employer of the year. Sophie Lewis, Managing Director at NCO, commented: “The Industry Placement programme has had a really positive impact on NCO. As a charity we have benefitted from additional capacity and fresh perspectives through our placement who immediately became a fantastic addition to our team.

“We are thrilled to win this award and look forward to engaging with the programme further in the future.”

Business Award winners list:

Employer awards

• Small Employer of the Year – Ridgeway House
• Medium Employer of the Year – YMCA Barley Wood Day Nursery
• Large Employer of the Year – SUEZ Recycling and Recovery UK
• New Apprentice Employer of the Year – Thatchers Cider
• Industry Placement Employer of the Year – National Children's Orchestras of Great Britain
• Work Experience Employer of the Year – Visit Somerset
• Traineeship Employer of the Year – University Hospitals Bristol NHS Foundation Trust
• Pre-employment Employer of the Year – OCS Group
• Disability Confident Employer of the Year – Weston Museum
• Inspiring Future Talent Employer of the Year – OnPoint Barbers
• Commercial Training Employer of the Year – Kings Heavy Haulage of Bristol)
• Overall Employer of the Year – Thatchers Cider

Learners awards

• Construction Apprentice of the Year – Patrick Hollritt, of John Mansfield Electrical
• Digital Apprentice of the Year – Sean Haberfield, of Osborne Clarke
• Early Years and Education Apprentice of the Year – Charlotte Redstone, of King Alfred School
• Engineering and Manufacturing Apprentice of the Year – Matthew Vicarage, of Ipeco Composites
• Hair and Beauty Apprentice of the Year – George Sheppard, of OnPoint Barbers
• Hospitality and Food Industry Apprentice of the Year – Chris Barry, of St Monica Trust
• Industry Placement Learner of the Year – Olivia Farley of Green Pastures Veterinary Centre
• Leadership Apprentice of the Year – Mark Cordy, of Bradbury House
• Professional Services Apprentice of the Year – Molly O'Flaherty, of Thatchers Cider
• SEND Learner into Employment Student of the Year – Jack Tiley, of Lasseter's restaurant
• Sport, Health, Lab Tech and Social Care Apprentice of the Year – Rebecca Twinney of Royal United Hospital, Bath
• Traineeship Learner of the Year – Holly Griffiths, of Ready Steady Go Nursery
• Transport and Logistics Learner of the Year – Harrison King, of Kings Heavy Haulage
• Overall Learner of the Year – Molly O'Flaherty, of Thatchers Cider

It’s an exciting time for Weston College Sport.

As well as developing the new Health and Active Living Skills Centre, the College has joined forces with Coachmakers – a Bristol-based organisation that delivers training for the sport, active leisure, health and well-being sectors.

Coachmakers was formed in 2009 in response to a growing interest in sports coaching education. There was demand for an education-based provision that catered, through the power of sport, for young people who could not otherwise engage with traditional education.

Ten years later, the organisation continues to thrive, winning prestigious awards such as the Bristol Apprenticeship Training Provider of the year (2013). Their aim, to train 1,000 coaches between 2017 and 2022, has also been given a boost after joining with Weston College in November 2018.

Liz Barker, Coachmakers Director, said: “We have worked closely with Weston College over the last few years, sub-contracting in various areas. I had always found the College to be professional, knowledgeable and open to supporting new and exciting ventures.

“Therefore, the move to be part of the College was a welcome one for myself and my team – to not only continue the great work to date, but to explore new avenues and see how the platform of sport can support and complement the existing College provision.

“Coachmakers offers far more than just an apprenticeship or a full-time programme. You can expect the utmost standards from experienced and qualified working coaches. Our ability to create sustainable progression is what sets us apart from our competitors.”

Jess, who studied the Level 2 Coaching NVQ, added: “I decided to join Coachmakers as I have a passion for sport and love working with children.

“This was the perfect course for me – learning to be a sports coach and delivering fun and engaging sports sessions to children. I also loved the mix of theory and practical delivery. The support I received led me to gaining a Level 3 apprenticeship in a school for my second year.”

Coachmakers offers two full-time programmes of study as well as two apprenticeships related to sports coaching and activity leadership. Their programmes are delivered in South Bristol, Portishead/Weston and Truro (Cornwall). Their apprenticeships take place in the workplace.

Click here to read more about the courses on offer and how to contact Liz and the rest of the team.

Weston College has smashed through its target of creating 600 work-related learning opportunities in six months.

The ambitious ‘600 in 6’ campaign aimed to persuade businesses to ‘pledge’ a range of opportunities to help learners gain the knowledge and they skills they need in workplace. These include apprenticeship, traineeship and work experience places.

It expanded on last year’s successful drive to create 200 apprenticeship vacancies in 100 days by including the College’s full range of work-based training services.

The campaign far exceeded expectations, securing 697 pledges in five months from business such as Wookey Hole Caves, Sedgemoor Council, Smurfit Kappa, Wessex Water and Carbase.

Dr Paul Phillips CBE, Principal and Chief Executive of Weston College, said: “It is highly impressive that we have managed to create opportunities for over 600 learners to gain experience with some of the best companies in the region.

“This year we wanted to showcase our full employer offer – to see businesses get behind this has been particularly exciting.

“Many organisations feel that they are suffering from a skills gap, and this campaign shows that we are actively supporting the community and matching enthusiastic learners with forward-thinking employers.

“Throughout this campaign we have built new relationships with employers, and I look forward to these progressing further in the future. Thank you to all of our employers and regional partners for supporting such a valuable initiative.”

If you’d still like to pledge an opportunity to the ‘600 in 6’ campaign, there’s still time. Find out more by speaking to our award-winning Training Solutions team on 01934 411 594.