As part of your learning experience at Weston College you'll have access to the full Microsoft Office 365 online dashboard.

Simply use your College login (given to you during enrolment) to access a range of features...

Help and advice for using Microsoft Office 365 apps and software is available through the LibraryPlus service at each of our main campuses.

You can book a one-to-one session with a LibraryPlus learning technologist to help you get the most from Office 365.

This year Weston College hospitality students will get the opportunity to learn from renowned chef, Mikey Bain.

Mikey enjoys a growing reputation in the industry, having learnt under some of the UK’s best chefs such as Ramon Farthing and Martin Burge who have successfully run Michelin Star restaurants. Having served a great tutelage under these chefs, it wasn’t long before Mikey was running his own kitchen. He had great success here too, having achieved 2 AA rosettes whilst running the kitchen at Beechfield House Hotel. Mikey is now Senior Sous chef at Calcot Manor.

Sandra Bull, Divisional Lead for Hair, Beauty, Hospitality and Catering at Weston College said: “We are delighted to welcome Mikey to the team through the chef’s forum. He has had a great career so far and has a lot of experience to share with our students."

Mikey added: “I am thrilled to be presented with this opportunity, and cannot wait to get started. Learning from industry professionals has really helped me grow into the chef I am today, and I would love to share my expertise to help future chefs.”

For more information on our hospitality offering, click here.

Weston College has been named among the first 21 colleges to establish a maths centre of excellence.

The new centres were announced last year in response to Sir Adrian Smith’s review of post-16 maths education, which recommended improving basic maths for people over 16.

The chosen colleges, which will share £40 million of funding over five years, are spread across the country. Weston College is one of only two centres in the South West.

As well as improving the quality of basic maths provision for low-attaining young people over 16, the new centres will design new teaching approaches, develop high-quality resources, build teachers’ skills and spread best practice.

Weston College Principal and CEO, Dr Paul Phillips, said: "This is fantastic news – not just for Weston College and our learners, but also the wider community in North Somerset and beyond.

“Becoming a maths centre of excellence will allow us to revitalize our maths provision, and develop new resources for our learners.

“Being one of only 21 providers awarded the funding is a great honour and reinforces our national reputation for high-quality education.”

A college-wide organisational transformation programme to enhance the mental health, wellbeing and welfare of its learners, its staff and its community has received national recognition by winning an Association of Colleges Beacon Award.

Weston College picked up the award for developing sustainable community partnerships/peer networks to maximise engagement and minimise isolation, where staff and students have improved morale and wellbeing.

The judges were impressed by the colleges’ commitment to creating an ethos which puts mental health, wellbeing and welfare at the forefront of college investment -as an inclusive driver to achieve its mission of creating brighter futures for all its staff and students regardless of their starting point in life.

Now in its 24th year, the AoC Beacon Awards showcase best practice and innovation in colleges. It is designed to promote the interdependence of colleges, businesses and professional and voluntary organisations. The awards also highlight excellence and helps share best practice across the sector.

Dr Paul Phillips CBE, Principal and Chief Executive of Weston College, said; “This is a fantastic achievement for the College in such an important policy area, where we are delivering real impact for our students and staff. “

Judges also commented on the fantastic cross college holistic approach to mental health and well-being that was demonstrated by the College, which really set them apart from everyone else.

David Hughes, Chief Executive of the Association of Colleges, said: “Each year the standard of entries is extremely high and this year is no exception. This makes choosing the winner so difficult, especially with so many worthy entrants.

“Colleges are inspirational places to learn because education and training is delivered by expert teaching staff in industry-standard facilities. Weston College should be proud of their award.”

For the first time, The AoC Beacon Awards and the TesFE Awards were presented alongside each other at the annual TES FE Awards ceremony in London on Friday 22 March 2019.

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.

Visit www.weston.ac.uk/what-can-i-study/courses-adults

The Construction Training Centre has been open for just over four months, and is already proving a popular destination for construction firms.

The centre was developed in response to the growing demand for a trained and skilled construction workforce, and is the first of its kind in the region.

It isn’t focussed on providing training for one industry, but is instead a ‘one-stop shop’ that offers training courses in:

• Plant
• Health and safety
• Scaffolding
• Highways and groundworks
• Driver training
• Warehousing

The courses are developed around employers and their needs, to ensure that the centre provides relevant and effective training.

The facility is impressive, and boasts all the equipment you would expect to find on a construction site.

You can see images from the centre below.

Please contact us for information about the current Apprenticeship Funding and Grants for Employers...

01934 411 594
apprenticeships@weston.ac.uk

Weston College’s student progression team, now rebranded as ASPECT, is extending their offer of careers information, advice and guidance to prospective learners across North Somerset and beyond as the new term gets underway.

The team is now in place to boost the Weston College brand and provide local schoolchildren with information about College courses and facilities.

In addition, ASPECT will work with current College students aged 14-18 to support them through their time at Weston and to assist with their aspirations for post-College employment or higher education.

Ben Cocks, Progression and IAG coordinator, said: “Over the summer we decided to rebrand for a variety of reasons, not least because we are now more visible around the College and more accessible as a service.”

“We will be building on our outreach work as well as organising careers fairs, helping students with their UCAS applications and supporting the tutorials that form part of the learner’s study programmes.”

Balfour Beatty, the international infrastructure group and the largest UK contractor, has entered into a partnership with Weston College to provide work experience to its construction students.

As part of the application process, each student had to write an introductory letter and CV, before being interviewed by a panel consisting of two managers from Balfour Beatty (Scott Morris, Site Manager, and Kate Powell, Sustainable Design Manager) and Shaun Canniford, Weston College’s Curriculum Manager for its construction provision.

The students performed well, resulting in all five of them being offered a placement with the company.

Shaun Canniford said: “When Balfour Beatty approached the College asking if they could offer work experience to our students we were keen to take them up on their offer.

“The opportunity for students to work for such a recognised company was an offer we couldn’t turn down. On the interview day, the students were a great credit to themselves and the College.

“I would like to thank Kate Powell and Scott Morris from Balfour Beatty for their enthusiasm and commitment to the project.”

Mark Stephens, Project Manager for Balfour Beatty, who is currently managing the Bristol Airport West terminal extension said: “We are really looking forward to having the students on site and we will do all we can to make their experience as enjoyable and educational as possible, helping them to gain valuable on-site experience.”