LATEST NEWS AND UPDATES
There is always so much going on across our various campuses and courses.
Stay up to date on our latest news here or check us out across social media.
Weston College is working with West of England local authorities to develop and deliver a bespoke flagship apprenticeship scheme.
The West of England Civil/Highways Apprenticeship Programme is being created with Bristol City Council, Bath & North East Somerset Council, North Somerset Council and South Gloucestershire Council.
The aim of the collaborative approach is to address the current skills shortage while also focusing on finding future employees and growing talent within the unitary authorities.
Liz Redwood, Head of Weston College’s Training Solutions said: “This is an innovative and collaborative approach by the authorities, helping them to address issues around staff recruitment and retention.
“The authorities recognise that the pipeline of major developments coming forward across the West of England and South West, along with the potential impact of the new Hinkley Point C (HPC) development, could exacerbate these issues.”
The bespoke West of England Civil/Highways Apprenticeship Programme has been designed to meet identified joint requirements of the authorities.
It will comprise up to 13 apprentices, across the four authorities. Each apprentice will be employed directly by one of the authorities and will undertake the majority of the apprenticeship there, but will have opportunities to rotate around the four authorities to gain experience in different areas of specialisms. One day a week the apprentices will attend Weston College’s new Future Technology Centre at the South West Skills Campus for further training.
In addition to providing technical skills and experience, the apprenticeships will also focus upon personal development. Each apprentice will work towards a Level 3 Civil Engineering and Technical Support Apprenticeship, which includes units on construction technology; construction and design; science and maths for construction; construction processes and operations; tendering and estimating and exploring civil engineering.
The first wave of vacancies will be advertised on our website from 1st February, with further vacancies being advertised during National Apprenticeship Week (March 14th-18th).
Dr Paul Phillips, Principal and Chief Executive of Weston College, said: “Weston College is delighted to be working in partnership with the West of England unitary authorities, helping them to deliver a bespoke, pro-active and innovative approach to planning for their future skills requirements.”
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.
Weston College launched its annual Creative Arts Summer Show last week, showcasing work from further and higher education students.
Students and staff from across the Creative Arts faculty came together to put on a spectacular opening night which saw around 1,500 visitors view the students’ work and watch a variety of music performances in the sunshine.
There was also street food and refreshments available on opening night, encouraging people of all ages to visit the show with their families.
Hundreds of students from across the Creative Arts faculty are participating in the event, which showcases work from art and design, media, music, performing arts and many more course areas.
Farhath Siddiqui, who studies FdA Film and Media Arts Production at UCW and has made a vlog about the event, said: “This is my fifth Summer Show and they get better and better every year.
“It is so nice to see everyone come together to showcase their work, and also just have a good time, chill and celebrate our achievements on opening night.”
Sarah Clark, Creative Arts Head of Faculty, added: “I would just like to thank and congratulate all staff and students involved in the Creative Arts Summer Show 2017.
“Opening night was a huge success with no issues and overwhelming positive feedback and words of support from visitors.”
The show is currently still open to the public until Thursday 22nd June, between 10.30am – 4.30pm on weekdays.
Weston College welcomed a top Bristol chef into its Grove Training Restaurant to teach Level 3 students all about what it takes to cook good food.
Istvan Ulmann, Head Chef at Berwick Lodge in Bristol, lead the Professional Cookery students in an advanced session focusing on meat and offal.
Using topside beef, the students were challenged with creating the classic dish of beef olives with a modern twist, keeping up with the rosette standards at Berwick Lodge.
The students learnt about butchering and portioning, rolling, tenderising, mincing and tying, braising, searing, and a huge range of other skills in their morning session.
The results saw the students successfully make the beef olive filled with mushroom stuffing, served with sage gnocchi, glazed carrots and a beef jus.
This opportunity was part of a chefs' forum partnership aimed at introducing Weston College students to high calibre chefs.
Click here to find out more about the College's Hospitality and Event Management courses...
Twenty six Weston College and University Centre Weston Animal Management, Business Management and Travel and Tourism students returned from the trip of a lifetime to San Francisco earlier this month.
The trip saw the students have incredible experiences such as visiting the headquarters of Facebook, Google, and Apple, walking the Golden Gate Bridge and visiting the infamous Alcatraz prison. The fun didn’t stop there, they got to attend the Academy of Science, the Aquarium, the Zoo and The Walt Disney Family Museum.
Lecturer Olivia Hill said: “The trip contained some amazing opportunities for students that they may not have got to experience in the UK.
"Visiting headquarters of leading tech firms was a real plus for business students, while the animal students had a fantastic learning experience at the Academy of sciences.
"For Travel and tourism students, Alcatraz provided them with a great example of how a top tourist attraction can run.”
Josie Skuse, Travel and Tourism student, said: “The trip was fantastic, we were able to see and do so many things.
"It was so interesting to experience the culture of San Francisco and learn about the importance of historical events that happened in the area. Alcatraz was an experience I will never forget.
"Seeing iconic locations and visiting the headquarters of internet giants such as Google and Facebook was great to see. We visited Japanese Tea Gardens, Pier 39 and the academy of science, which was fascinating.
"The whole trip was very enjoyable and well run with a great community of student and teachers to travel with.”
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!
Dr Paul Phillips CBE, Weston College has won the FE leader of the year at the annual TES FE Awards 2019.
In his 18 years at the helm of Weston College, Dr Paul Phillips has directed a dramatic turnaround in its fortunes. The judges commended Phillips for the proven impact of his leadership which has been sustained over time.
Turnover at the College has increased from £9 million when he joined in 2001 to more than £63 million in 2016-17 – making it one of the 10 biggest colleges in England.
He has personally championed social mobility for all, including raising standards across prison education in the South West.
Weston College will launch their new adult course guide at the Festival of Learning on Saturday (15th June). The course guide is packed full of courses to help you add to your CV, change career or gain the qualifications you need to apply for university.
The courses are flexible (class-based, distance or online), allowing you to study around other commitments and get ahead of the competition. If you’re looking for advice, College staff will be on hand to tell you what’s on offer, help you enrol, offer career advice and help with your CV.
You could even learn an exciting new hobby. The 2019/20 adult course guide includes courses on 3D printing, blacksmithing, milling and turning, VR and game creation, computer coding, tackling garden projects, carpentry, car maintenance, 3D drawing, cake decorating and forestry skills … the opportunities are endless!
Pick up your copy at the Festival of Learning on Saturday 15th June at the Winter and Italian Gardens between 11am and 3pm. Find out more about the Festival of Leaning.
Can’t make it to the Festival of Learning?
On Saturday 15th June our website will be updated with all the latest part-time courses. Here, you can find the course that is right for you by searching for keywords or browsing the new categories:
- Change career
- Advance career
- Employers
- Get a degree
- Get into work
- Health & wellbeing
- Online Learning
- New hobby.
Amongst everything that’s on offer, we’ve chosen our five favourite things that will be at the ‘We Are Weston’ Freshers’ Fayre 2019. So, in no particular order, here they are…
Marketing and Communications
The marketing department is responsible for promoting Weston College to the public, by promoting the Colleges courses, achievements and events.
Our aims are to attract learners to study within the Weston College Group, build and grow the College’s brand and highlight its reputation, and promote the College Group’s success, student progression and outstanding support for our learners.
The marketing department manages the College’s websites and official social media accounts, runs advertising campaigns, creates press releases, and manages many of the College Group’s events, such as Graduation, the Celebration of Success and the Business Awards.
We produce a wide range of publications including our full-time, Higher Education and part-time prospectuses, course leaflets and posters, and other documents such as the College’s annual report, magazines and newsletters, course brochures and the student handbook.
Weston College is committed to providing accurate and timely information for local, regional and national media, and the general public.
The marketing team is available between 8.30am and 5pm, Monday to Thursday and 8.30am to 4.30pm on Fridays. You can get in touch with us by emailing marketing@weston.ac.uk.
All of our press releases are uploaded to the news section of our websites. News from the academies we sponsor, including the North Somerset Enterprise and Technology College, can be found on the news section of the Inspirational Futures Trust’s website. News pertaining to our Higher Education Provision can be found on www.ucw.ac.uk.
The marketing department produces most imagery and film in house, and keeps an extensive archive of the photographs it takes. If you would like a copy of an image featuring you or a member of your family, please contact us at photography@weston.ac.uk.
Our photos of graduation and many other events can be found on the College’s Facebook page. High quality images can be found on the College’s Flickr account.
Weston College is able to accommodate many requests to provide locations for film and photography. The College has a range of attractive, modern and adaptable facilities which can be viewed on our youtube channel.
We also are able to provide heritage facilities such as the Victorian Hans Price designed Conference Centre and, from September 2017, the 1927 Winter Gardens Pavilion.
For booking details, contact marketing@weston.ac.uk.
For enquiries about sponsoring key events such as Celebration of Success, Business Breakfast, Business Awards and Graduation, please contact the marketing team by email at marketing@weston.ac.uk.
