The health and life sector accounts for 15% of employment in the UK, with around 80,000 people employed in various roles in the West of England alone.

Despite this, skills shortages and vacancy rates are higher than ever.

We’re tackling these challenges head on by providing learners with the knowledge and expertise needed to succeed in the industry – as apprentice Rebecca Twinney demonstrates.

Rebecca is a senior healthcare assistant at the Royal United Hospital, Bath, and her incredible work ethic saw her named Sport, Health, Lab Tech and Social Care Apprentice of the Year at the Weston College Business Awards 2019.

Rebecca said: “To be recognised for all of the hard work and commitment which I had put into the qualification was overwhelming. The award will serve as a reminder to me of just what is possible when I put my mind to it and has given me the motivation to continue striving for excellence within my profession.

“I genuinely feel that being given the award is no more my achievement than it is of my College assessor, Bekki Ackerman, as it never would have been possible without her unwavering support for every single minute of my qualification.”

Since this achievement, Rebecca has progressed onto a Trainee Nursing Associate programme with the Royal United Hospital in Bath.

We work in partnership with the Royal United Hospitals Bath NHS Foundation Trust to provide apprenticeship routes into a variety of areas. These are an excellent opportunity to earn, gain work experience and achieve nationally recognised qualifications at the same time.

Rebecca continued: “In terms of my personal career goals, it was essential to obtain this qualification and continue along my planned career progression route. I am just so grateful to all at Weston College for helping me achieve the promotion I was aiming for and get a place on my next training course so that I can continue towards becoming a qualified nurse in the future.

“I am so pleased to be well on my way towards my career ambitions and it is with my sincerest thanks to all of the staff at Weston College for making this possible and helping me to realise my dreams.”

Congratulations to Rebecca on her outstanding achievements!

New state-of-the-art resources on the horizon

From September our learners will benefit from the bespoke resources and facilities available at the new state-of-the-art Health and Active Living Skills Centre.

This centre will be a fantastic hub for health and social care apprentices. They will gain technical experience by using the new facilities, such as the Nursing Anne simulators, to enable them to become competent and confident practitioners.

Learners will also benefit from the centre’s digital infrastructure, allowing them to network with one another and prospective employers from a variety of large NHS trusts.

The centre will also encourage students to lead a balanced lifestyle, as staff will promote students’ physical and mental health, and well-being by encouraging them to use the new sporting facilities that the centre also boasts.

Click here to find out more about our new facility as well as apprenticeships and courses in Health and Social Care.

We recently caught up with Level 3 Uniformed Public Services student Toby, who have us some insight into what it's like to study Public Services here at Weston College...

If someone was thinking of applying for Public Services, what would you say to them?

I am very pleased I chose this course and would have no hesitation in recommending it to other students! I browsed the college prospectus when I was in Year 11 to see what opportunities were available in further education. I then attended an open evening to find out more about the course, which sounded amazing!

What are the top 3 skills you need to study Public Services?

Leadership, team work and determination!

Were you surprised about the facilities at Knightstone?

I was surprised there was an entire floor for our department. On the 7th floor there's a gym and a large gymnasium with a climbing wall including other useful equipment which makes public service life more enjoyable and interesting. We have lots of facilities at hand which can make lessons more fun and gives us something to do with free time as we can have a game of basket ball or other activities. The library is brilliant for socialising with other students and making new friends which has helped me personally as I didn’t know many people. It’s a great place for students from all classes to come together and work alongside each other.

How would you describe the staff?

The staff encourage and aspire us to do well and get the best out of us. They give us direction in thinking about our future careers and advise us based on their own experiences and knowledge. The delivery of lessons by the staff makes the course interesting and easier to understand, also the staff are approachable if you have questions or need help. What I like is that they build a friendship with everyone individually which makes you feel you can talk to them about any problems or queries. 

What makes Weston College Public Services stand out?

The college is modern, clean and is a nice working environment which makes college life really enjoyable. Compared to other colleges I visited, Weston is well equipped and the campus is situated in a great location.
 

What do you want to do after finishing your course?

The course has given me an insight into public service life and after completing this course I will be joining the army. My qualification can give me the ability to join as an officer if I wish to.

Thanks Toby, we wish you the very best of luck!

Click here to learn more and apply now for courses in Public Services

The College is celebrating National Apprenticeship Week (March 3-8) with a series of events and initiatives aimed at encouraging young people to take up a new career.

A touring roadshow, a pop-up shop in Weston-super-Mare’s Sovereign Centre and input into a Skills event at the Winter Gardens are just some of the College’s activities during the week.

The week also marks the launch of ‘100 in 100’, a College-led bid, supported by the National Apprenticeship Service and the Weston Mercury newspaper, to create 100 new Apprenticeships in 100 days. One of the key aims of the campaign is to raise awareness of the Apprenticeship Grant for Employers (AGE), which is available for eligible businesses who take on a young apprentice.

On Monday March 3 a pop-up shop will open in the Sovereign Centre and run until Sat March 8, offering information and advice.

A strong emphasis on Apprenticeships will be seen at the Skills Show, taking place at the Winter Gardens on Tuesday March 4. More than 3,000 people are expected at the European Social Fund and Local Enterprise Partnership-funded event, where they will be able to talk to dozens of local and regional employers and other training providers, and enjoy taster sessions in catering, construction, business, hair and beauty and healthcare. Local schoolchildren will be among the visitors to the event which is open from 10am-2pm for school groups and 3pm-7pm for the general public.

The College is also taking a mini version of the Skills Show out on the road, visiting eight schools including ones in Bridgwater, Clevedon and Nailsea. Children will be given an introduction to Apprenticeships, including a talk from an employer, and again, taster sessions will be on offer.

Weston College is the biggest facilitator of Apprenticeship programmes in the region and its Training Solutions, based at the South West Skills Campus on Locking Road, Weston, was set up to provide businesses with relevant and flexible training programmes.

In recent years a huge growth in the number of Apprenticeships has been witnessed, with leaps of more than 100 per cent year-on-year.

James Wilmot, the College’s Apprenticeship Recruitment Coordinator, said: “National Apprenticeship Week is the highlight of our year and 2014 looks to be our most successful yet with the message being spread far and wide.

“We work with a fantastic range of employers and more are getting involved all the time.

“Apprenticeships are a fantastic alternative to full time college-based study and our activities during National Apprenticeship Week are a great way for everyone to get all the information they need while trying out the different career routes on offer.”

Former Weston College student Bradley Ash has become a professional footballer after signing with SkyBet League One club Barnsley.

The 19-year-old, who studied BTEC Level 3 Sport at Weston College from 2012 to 2014, signed for an undisclosed fee on the opening day of the transfer window.

He had been watched by scouts from a number of Football League clubs after scoring 14 goals from 13 starts for Vanarama National League South side Weston-super-Mare.

Paul Taylor, Sports Development and Performance Manager at Weston College said: “We are very proud of Brad, particularly of his latest achievement of signing professionally for Barnsley Football Club.

“His determination, technical ability and incredible work ethic will I’m sure enable him to realise his dream.”

Barnsley Football Club, managed by former Bristol City midfielder Lee Johnson, snapped up Bradley without first taking him on trial.

During his time at Weston College, Bradley represented Weston College Football Academy throughout and was awarded ‘Sports Performer of the Year’ and ‘Outstanding Male Academy of Sport Athlete’ in 2014.

While in his second year, Bradley was nominated by Weston College to attend trials for the England Colleges National Team.

After three trials he was selected to represent England Colleges, making his debut against Australia, and going on to play a further eight times including matches against Wales, Scotland, Italy and San Marino during the season. In addition, Bradley represented England in an International Tournament in Italy.

SafeGuard Clothing has donated a bulletproof vest to Weston College’s Uniformed and Public Services students.

The international body armour company’s donation fits in with its mission of educating students about the necessity for safety equipment for front line service operatives.

SafeGuard Clothing has partnered with several regional and national education institutions to assist with materials and information that enrich the students’ learning experience.

Thomas Bowman, speaking on behalf of SafeGuard Armour and Clothing, said: “Under our corporate initiative for social responsibility and involvement, we assist local colleges in developing their Public Services courses.

“We offer our support, expertise and guidance to improve student preparedness for the line of work they have chosen.”

Rebecca Ranson, Curriculum Manager for Sport and Public Services at Weston College, expressed gratitude to SafeGuard for the donation, saying: “It offers our students great advantage in acquiring the knowledge and skills they need in their chosen field.

“Such level of corporate and social responsibility creates vital opportunities and enhances the quality of our educational program.

“We are happy that Weston College is among those that have been selected to receive a donation as we believe it creates a unique advantage for our students to understand the type of body armour they will be using later on in their careers.”

SafeGuard Armour and Clothing is a worldwide manufacturer and distributer of body armour and is involved in research and development for new materials to enhance the wearability of protective body armour for front line services.

The way GCSEs are graded is changing. The alphabetised G to A* system is being phased out and replaced with a numerical grade that ranges from one to nine, with nine being higher than an A*.

This system means that there is greater differentiation between the highest achieving students. You can find the full table below…

Creative Arts and Design (CAD) is an area that has given us some of the most successful alumni over the years. With its vast range of subjects, our CAD department offers the perfect balance of the practical hands on learning combined with theory, to ensure you leave us a master of your craft.

Here are some of our best CAD success stories to date… 

Keith Kilpin - Digital Designer

Keith's journey began on a BTEC National Diploma in Graphic Design. He then undertook the Graphic Design Foundation Degree before completing the BA (Hons) top up. Keith is now part of the creative team in the digital department, designing games, apps and websites. 

He said: “Working at Aardman Animations is a dream come true! It’s simple; without Weston College I would not be where I am today.”

“Weston College has helped me transform myself enabling me to achieve a First Class Honours Degree! The patience and support that I received from my tutors really helped me get the best out of myself.

Holly Quinn - Graphic Designer

This former Weston College student has been named as one of the ‘brightest young stars’ in the UK computer games industry. Holly Quinn, who studied a  Diploma in Graphic Design, went on to become the creative director of PQube, where she handled the firm’s Japanese releases. 

Holly now works as a Product Designer at Tomato Sauce Limited.

She said: “Weston College has a really great teaching environment and brilliant staff, which helped me to flourish and develop my skills. “I had a really good time at Weston and would highly recommend it to anyone who is looking for an inspirational college.”

Lydia Richards - Fashion Designer

After completing her Art and Design UAL Diploma at Weston College, Lydia went on to study at London College of Fashion and gained an internship with Alexander Wang. She moved to Paris to begin a six-month paid placement at international fashion brand Louis Vuitton.

Following this, she earned a Leather Seller's Emerging Talent award. She now is a Senior Accessories Designer at Cushnie et Ochs, based in New York.

“I loved my time at Weston College,” she said. “The tutors at the College were amazing. It was about so much more than your final grade – they were really interested in progressing your creativity and discovering what you really wanted to do.”
 

Each year we welcome our new students to the College with a university-style Freshers’ Festival, which is packed full of fun activities.

Here you can find out more about pursuing your interests and talk to businesses about careers. There will be employers, agencies, charities and community groups at the fair, and you will be able to sign up for volunteering, fundraising, sports, clubs and societies.

In previous years we've put on a variety of activities to help you meet the other people on your course and across the College, including assault courses, climbing walls and and bucking broncos.

Scaffolding safety experts, Simian Risk, has recently partnered with Weston College to open their latest training centre.

Based at the South West Skills campus, the new centre will drastically increase the accessibility of expert scaffolding safety training to those living in and around the South West, where as previously they would have had to travel significant distances to access a training centre.

Established in 2005, Simian Risk has cemented their position within the scaffolding industry as experts in safety and best practice, helping scaffolding professionals to improve safety standards through training and consultancy services, thus reducing the risk of accidents when working at height.

The new centre will deliver CISRS ‘core’ courses which will include CISRS part one and two, as well as scaffolding apprenticeships.

Business Development Manager at Simian, Simon O’Donnell, stated, “We are very pleased to be offering high quality training over an increased geographical area in the excellent facilities that Weston College has. Our ability to hold training courses in this region means that more and more scaffolding professionals can access the appropriate training they need to work safely at height.”

Speaking of the partnership, Simian Risk Managing Director, Simon Hughes said: “These are exciting times for Simian and we’re delighted to be playing our part in upskilling the workers that operate in this area of the UK. Particularly as the need for skilled apprenticeships will be rising over the next few years as the government carries out a number of construction initiatives, we look forward to working with Weston College to ensure the next generation of scaffolding professionals is fully qualified to advance their careers in the industry.”

Steve Caldwell, Head of Faculty for Building, Automotive and Civil Engineering at Weston College, added: “Weston College has worked hard to identify a strategic partner for its new Construction Skills Centre which is due to open in Spring 2019. 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.

“With such a buoyant construction and civil engineering industry across the South West, Weston College will be ideally positioned to train future generations of construction specialist in the high demand areas such as scaffolding and plant operations.”