A group of Year 1 T-Level Design, Surveying, and Planning for Construction learners recently welcomed two guest speakers, Sam Lillywhite and Katie Corbett, from the Bristol-based construction company, Bray & Slaughter. 

Sam Lillywhite, a Construction Management Apprentice, delivered an engaging and insightful presentation about his journey in the construction industry. He spoke about his path from leaving school to securing his current role at Bray & Slaughter.  

Along the way, Sam faced setbacks, including losing his job after his previous employer went into administration at the end of last year. However, through perseverance, professional connections, and determination, he was able to secure a new position with Bray & Slaughter within just four weeks. 

Sam also shared details about his current role on a regeneration project for North Somerset Council, located on the High Street in Weston-super-Mare. He described what a typical day looks like on site, offering students a clear picture of a career in construction management. 

Following Sam’s presentation, Katie Corbett introduced herself and her role as the Social Value, Equality, Diversity; Inclusion (ED&I) Manager at Bray & Slaughter. She explained how her position was created in response to recent updates in the Government Procurement Act, which now requires public sector construction projects to incorporate more social value. This includes collaborating with local colleges and promoting apprenticeships. 

The session concluded with a Q&A, giving learners the opportunity to ask thoughtful and relevant questions, not only about the construction industry, but also about starting a professional career and adapting to unfamiliar roles. The students demonstrated maturity and curiosity, particularly in asking how to navigate uncertainty in new professional environments. 

Daniel Comerford, one of our Construction Professions lecturers, reflected on the event, adding, “this presentation gave learners an amazing, first-hand insight into construction management from a young professional still early in his career. Sam and Katie offered honest, personal experiences and highlighted the importance of resilience when facing setbacks, something that can be difficult for young adults to fully grasp. Hearing it from peers closer to their age made it much more impactful.” 

Thank you to both Sam and Katie for taking the time to come and talk to our T-Level learners and share their experiences. We look forward to collaborating with Bray & Slaughter again in the future. 

This Guest Lecture forms part of the Construction Careers Excellence Hub. Weston College's Career Excellence Hubs are designed to be the launching pad for our learners' careers. In a world where connections and relevant skills matter more than ever, these hubs offer a holistic approach that prepares learners to thrive in their chosen industries. With the support of these hubs, our learners are well-equipped to make a significant impact in their professional journeys.  

If you are passionate about education and are looking for an opportunity to join the staff team at a leading college, then look at the latest job vacancies available at Weston College here. You can find all the latest job opportunities that Weston College has to offer, with a commitment to providing quality education for learners and a focus on continuous professional development for staff, Weston College is an excellent place to work and grow in your career. 

Romina, one of our ESOL learners, is a finalist for the Learning Hero Award at the Bristol Young Heroes Awards! The Learning Hero Award is sponsored by Sir Steve West CBE - who Romina will be speaking with during the awards this June.

Romina was nominated for the Learning Hero Award for her unwavering commitment to learning and her inspiring support of fellow students - especially within the Weston ESOL community - encouraging them to continue their educational journeys. Romina has played a vital role in helping numerous individuals begin their college journeys, with a particular focus on empowering women to pursue education. 

She has supported her parents in helping to her siblings to learn English and works at Love’s Café, where she continues to assist other ESOL learners. Her dedication extends beyond helping others, as she has rapidly progressed to Entry Level 3 herself and is passionately working toward her goal of becoming a nurse.

In addition to all these achievements, Romina recently completed a Hospitality course at Love’s Café, where she gained valuable customer service skills, learned essential customer-facing language, mastered card payment procedures, and became familiar with the menu options. She also earned a food hygiene certificate, equipping her with the knowledge and confidence to work in the hospitality industry.

Well done for all of your hard work Romina – we can’t wait to see you continue to achieve great things!

We recently welcomed students from Electrical, Plastering, Carpentry, and Creative Arts to our Creative Construction Skills Summit at the Winter Gardens - each subject area bringing energy, creativity, and a real sense of purpose. 

The student’s challenge was to design a piece of public art that also generates sustainable energy, which encouraged conversation about the links between the Creative and Construction industries – which many students may not have previously considered! From floating solar designs to kinetic sculptures, their ideas were not only imaginative but genuinely inspiring.

A huge thank you to SLX Events and the brilliant Casey Howells, who shared an impactful message about the value of core skills, kindness, and seeing the world through different lenses - an approach that opens doors across all industries.

Special thanks to the incredible Adz Khan, whose talk on responsibility, action, networking, and self-belief lit up the room. His message was clear: work experience isn’t just a tick-box, it’s a powerful opportunity to grow and shape your future.

We’re also grateful to our amazing staff, especially the Weston College support teams, School Liaison, and Personal Development teams - your dedication made this event a success.

Richard Hanney, Head of Construction, said: "We look forward to continuing our work with Adz and others who help inspire our students. If we can share even a bit of that insight and energy, we’re moving in the right direction. Here’s to more spaces where creativity meets community, skills meet opportunity, and kindness drives innovation!"

To find out more about our construction courses, click here. 

To find out more about our creative courses, click here.