News and events

Earlier this month, our Travel and Tourism learners were visited by members of the Jet2 team from Bristol Airport, delivering an insightful talk that gave students a deeper understanding of the roles and responsibilities within a career in aviation. 

During the guest lecture, the team shared their career journeys, explained what it’s like to work in aviation, and discussed the wide range of opportunities available within the sector. Learners also gained an understanding of Jet2’s flight routes and company operations, as well as hearing personal stories that highlighted the passion behind the profession. 

Following this, the Jet2 team completed mock interviews with the Level 3 Year 2 learners, using real questions from Jet2’s recruitment process. Each learner received scores and detailed feedback to help refine their interview techniques and build their confidence. This was a fantastic opportunity for students to gain experience in a real-world interview scenario, preparing them for future careers in travel and aviation. 

In addition to this, Jet2 returned the following week to complete the remaining interviews and offered some learners a second opportunity, enabling them to act on feedback, demonstrate growth, and strengthen their professional skills. This was fantastic for learners to not only improve their interviewing skills, but also see the impact that professional insight can have on the students’ personal and professional development. 

These sessions provided learners with first-hand experience of real-world recruitment, constructive feedback to support future job and UCAS applications, and increased confidence for progressing into aviation roles or higher education. One of our Level 3 Travel and Tourism Year 2 learners, Emily, said: “I was nervous at first, but once the interview started, I felt relieved. It was a fantastic experience that’s boosted my confidence and prepared me for future interviews.” 

At Weston College, we are committed to creating opportunities that connect learners with industry, providing them with essential networking opportunities, and helping them develop the skills and resilience needed for successful careers. 

A huge thank you to the Jet2 team who took the time to visit our students, outline their career journeys, and engage in interviews to help improve our students’ communication and confidence. 

This interactive session forms part of the Travel and Tourism 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. 

Welcome to the December edition of our CET blog! 

Who Are We?

We’re a friendly team of professionals dedicated to helping you succeed:

• Ben Knocks – Deputy Principal and Careers Leader
• Anna Holton – Head of Careers and Employability
• Careers Coordinators – Based across campuses to offer one-to-one support
• UCAS & HE Advisor – Your go-to for university applications and higher education advice

What We Can Help You With?

Career Advice & Planning Get personalised guidance on your future – whether it’s university, apprenticeships, or jumping straight into work.

• CVs, Interviews & Job Applications We’ll help you craft a standout CV, prepare for interviews, and apply with confidence.
• Work Experience & Industry Placements Gain real-world experience with placements tailored to your course and career goals.
• Brighter Futures Hub Access online modules to boost your life skills, employability, and career knowledge – anytime, anywhere.
• Support for T Level Students We’ll help you secure your 315+ hours of industry placement and make the most of it.
• Adult Learner Support Thinking about a career change or upskilling? We’ve got advice and resources to help you take the next step.

How We Support You

• Help finding placements with local employers
• Preparation for the workplace – from expectations to responsibilities
• Ongoing support during your placement
• Career events like Careers Fest, workshops, and networking opportunities

How to Contact/Find Us

• You can send an email to CET.ac.weston.uk
• You can reach out to your Careers Coordinator on campus or explore resources online via the Brighter Futures Hub.

Weston College's annual Careers Fest returned last month, tranforming the Winter Gardens into a vibrant hub of opportunity and inspiration.

Designed to spark ambition and help learner's explore their next steps and future options, the event brought together an extensive mix of pathways from apprenticeships and university routes to specialised training and employer-led careers.

This year's Careers Fest welcomed over 1,000 Weston College students, alongside more than 26 employers, 12 Higher Education providers, and a range of Weston College support teams.

Watch what our learners thought of the event here!

@westoncollege

At our Careers Fest, students had the chance to chat to big name employers and universities about their future!✨

♬ original sound - WestonCollege

We would also like to say a huge WELL DONE to all learners who have had recent interviews for industry placements!

Keep these dates in mind for the New Year!

07/01/2026 - UCW Higher Education Information Evening

08/01/2026 - GCSE Maths and English Resit Results Day

05/02/2026 - Apprenticeship Open Evening

As the pace of technological, economic, and demographic change accelerates, employers across all sectors are preparing for one of the most transformative periods in the UK workforce landscape.

Looking ahead to 2026, the challenge is no longer simply finding talent, but ensuring organisations can adapt, innovate, retain and grow in a labour market shaped by automation, new technologies, green transformation, and shifting employee expectations.

Weston College is playing a pivotal role in supporting employers to make this transition. Through strategic partnerships, future focused skills development and personalised workforce solutions, the College is helping organisations across the West of England build resilient pipelines of people and capability.

This thought leadership piece explores what lies ahead and how employers can position themselves to thrive.

What are the biggest skills and workforce challenges you believe employers will face in 2026, and why?

Times are changing, therefore employers will face a combination of structural shortages and fast evolving skill demands. The most immediate challenge will be access to technical talent in sectors undergoing major transformation, such as engineering, manufacturing, digital, construction, logistics and health. Technologies including automation, electrification, AI, hydrogen and advanced manufacturing will outpace traditional training pipelines, making certain roles increasingly hard to fill.

Another major issue will be the need for employees who combine technical capability with critical thinking, communication, adaptability and digital confidence. As roles become more interdisciplinary, organisations will value behaviours and mindset just as much as qualifications. Employers that do not build clear pathways and succession plans may struggle.

Finally, the green and digital transitions will reshape entire sectors at speed. Businesses that cannot reskill or upskill staff quickly will risk being left behind.

What role can Weston College play when it comes to supporting employers to power up in the next 12 months and beyond?

Weston College is well positioned to help employers meet these challenges head on. Our role is to provide future ready talent pipelines, agile workforce development solutions and employer led training that reflects real demand.

Over the next 12 months, we will continue expanding our technical and higher technical programmes, strengthening our offer in engineering, digital transformation, healthcare innovation and green skills. We design curriculums in partnership with employers from T Levels and apprenticeships to Skills Bootcamps, HTQs and degree level pathways, whilst wrapping around ‘softer’ skills, therefore ensuring relevance, quality and long term impact.

We can also help employers adapt quickly through rapid upskilling interventions, short courses and bespoke solutions tailored to immediate workforce needs. Our aim is to be a strategic partner supporting organisations to build resilience, capability and growth.

What misconceptions do employers still have about apprenticeships, industry placements, supported internships, etc., that you feel need to be challenged?

There are several misconceptions that can hold organisations back:

Apprenticeships are mainly for school leavers: In reality, apprenticeships are a powerful tool for retraining existing staff at all ages and stages of their career.

Industry placements are high administration or low-value: When structured well, placements deliver genuine productivity benefits and allow employers to shape future talent early.

Supported internships are difficult to manage: Weston College provides extensive support to employers and learners, enabling supported interns to become highly dedicated and long-term members of staff.

Training disrupts operations: Most programmes can be flexibly designed around business needs and the return on investment is often rapid.

Challenging these misconceptions is essential to opening up broader, more diverse talent pipelines.

Can Weston College offer bespoke programmes to meet individual company needs?

Absolutely! Bespoke training solutions are one of Weston College’s strengths and the staff at the college are amazing at working with employers to design custom programmes aligned to the organisation’s needs and strategic priorities. These include:

• Tailored Skills Bootcamps
• Custom apprenticeship pathways
• Employer specific technical, digital, wellbeing or leadership development programmes
• On site delivery at employer premises
• Specialist training for new or emerging technologies

This flexibility ensures companies receive training that is specific, relevant and immediately applicable.

For employers who haven’t engaged with talent programmes before, what first steps would you recommend to start building a workforce strategy for 2026?

Employers would benefit from understanding their current strengths, future needs and emerging gaps. From there, they can explore appropriate pathways including apprenticeships for long term capability building, Bootcamps for rapid upskilling, and industry placements for early talent identification. The earlier employers begin planning, the more control they have over future workforce readiness.

With the changing demand from employers, how are Weston College responding to this?

The College is continuously evolving. We work in partnership with Business West, Somerset Chamber of Commerce and WECA to review current and future labour market insights to ensure we are providing the right curriculum to support the current and future skills demands. An example being where Weston College is expanding its technical facilities, such as the Skills Academy in Filton to provide more opportunities in the engineering and aerospace sector. We also run regular sector employer forums and Employer Advisory Boards to ensure that changing needs directly influence our curriculum and strategic direction.

If you could give one piece of advice to employers looking to “power up” for 2026, what would it be and why?

Start now.

The organisations that act early by building skills, pathways and innovative capabilities will be the ones that thrive in 2026 and beyond. Talent is no longer something to wait for, but it’s something to build. The sooner employers begin, the stronger their competitive advantage will be.