Earlier this month, a wide range of students took a trip to New York City to visit the iconic tourist attractions and experience the sights of one of the most famous cities in the world. This trip was largely funded by the Turing Scheme and allowed students from Performing Arts, Hair and Media Makeup, Sport, Music, and A Levels to explore New York for two weeks for an affordable rate.

The Turing Scheme is the UK’s global programme for studying and working abroad, enabling students, particularly those from disadvantaged backgrounds, to gain the confidence, skills, and international experience that employers value. Weston College has been fortunate enough to secure over £216,000 in Turing Scheme funding to transform student experience and create unforgettable memories.

During the trip, our students visited iconic tourist attractions like the Statue of Liberty, Ellis Island, Top of the Rock, Brooklyn Bridge, Madison Square Garden, Central Park, and Times Square, exploring the areas and enjoying the sights that the city offered.

On top of this, some students took part in workshops such as a Broadway Dance Centre class and a Stage Combat workshop, as well as others using their free time to attend a football match, Broadway shows such as Six the Musical, The Great Gatsby, and Death Becomes Her. They even received backstage tours of Radio City Music Hall and experienced the harrowing 9/11 Memorial Museum which had a last impact on the students.

Outside of the activities and sights, students had lots of free time for shopping and trying new foods, with corndogs being a new favourite. Not only this, they also saw many celebrities entering the Devil Wears Parada 2 Premier, and even met Daniel Radcliffe after his show and took a selfie with him, a definite highlight of the trip!

Students adapted well to New York and quickly became used to the fast-paced atmosphere, navigating their way around, and the general feel of such a huge city. They faced some challenges through the trip, however everyone showed fantastic resilience, communication, and problem-solving skills, as well as developing their independence, confidence, and trust in themselves and others.

This trip created unforgettable memories accessible to everyone, as well as introduced students to their peers across different curriculum areas, building lasting friendships with people they may not have had the opportunity to meet.

Joe Miller, Performing Arts lecturer at Weston College and supervisor of the trip, added, “This trip was a fantastic opportunity for our students to immerse themselves in a vibrant city with many different cultures. The group were such a pleasure to travel with, they were appreciative, mature, and happy to try new things, and they really pushed themselves out of their comfort zones. It was great to see every learner grow across the two weeks and I’d like to say a huge thank you to the staff who accompanied me on this trip, your support was invaluable and made the experience far more seamless and enjoyable!”

As a college, we’d also like to say a huge thank you to the Turing Scheme for making this experience possible and enabling our students to go on fantastic trips like this to enrich their future careers.

Thank you to Joe Miller, Lucy Cruse, Heather Boucher, and Hannah Prior for supervising the students on this trip and ensuring they made lasting memories!

This trip forms part of the Performing Arts, Hair and Media Makeup, Sport, Music, and A Levels Careers Excellence Hubs. 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.