We spoke to Sue Kingman who is the Corporate Fundraising Manager at Weston Hospicecare, about the work that we do together and the impact that this has, not just for learners at Weston College, but also for the patients at Weston Hospicecare.

Weston Hospicecare cares for over 2,000 people a year in the local community with a life limiting illness and their families. We need to raise £4.5 million every year through fundraising to provide all our services and my role is to encourage business support towards this.

I started working with Weston College 2 years ago and our relationship is very important to the hospice.

We initially started working together on the Business Enterprise Project, which is a superb project that allows learners studying Business at Weston College, the opportunity to start and run a business, whilst raising money for Weston Hospicecare.

The learners are put into small teams, and given a business mentor, who supports them throughout the project, and helps them to develop valuable skills for their careers.

It was recently announced that this year the learners managed to raise £5,170 which is a superb effort, and one that we are all so grateful for.

We are now starting to work with the college on other exciting projects too, and we are really looking forward to expanding the relationship and playing an important role in the development of more learners across the college provision.

A big thank you to Sue, and the team at Weston Hospicecare.

Find out more about Business courses at Weston College, by clicking here.

We are always looking to improve our offer to support employers in finding local talent, but also for local adults to train in emerging industry trends.

Starting in April, we are launching a new 14-week course in Advanced Facial Treatments, in response to the growing aesthetics industry, with employers seeking fully qualified and accredited practitioners that have completed the highest quality training.

It will be delivered at the Hair and Beauty centre at the Knightstone Campus by fully trained practitioners with over 5-years of experience in the aesthetics industry. The training will be of the highest quality, using the best quality resources.

This course will give learners the opportunity to achieve formal, regulated qualifications, and the chance to grow their business portfolios. Clients are more likely to choose a practitioner who has trustworthy qualifications regulated by reputable awarding bodies and co-designed by local aesthetic employers.

There is no other local college that offers this course, and it is the perfect opportunity for those who want to enhance their skills and knowledge in the field of aesthetics. Our experienced instructors will provide a supportive learning environment and guide learners every step of the way.

So, if you're considering studying the course, I would say go for it! This is a unique opportunity to upgrade your skills and knowledge and take your career to the next level. Don't miss this chance to explore the world of aesthetics with Weston College.

Find out more about the course, and apply, by clicking here.

Jenna Ratcliffe, Divisional Lead for the Service Sectors (hair, beauty, hospitality, catering and counselling) at Weston College

Recently our A Level Media learners welcomed an industry professional to deliver an exciting guest lecture about experience in the film industry and setting up a media business. 

Like the current A Level Media students, Sheikh Shahnawaz (Nawaz) started in the industry by studying A Level Media at his local college in Birmingham. Since then, he has built a vast portfolio of industry networks and experiences, including directing his first feature film "Bluff" (available on Amazon Prime to stream). Recently he has started his own social media & video agency called "Ozel Creative", aiming to provide film production and marketing services all around the UK. 

Nawaz was able to host sessions to both Year 1 and Year 2 students. He motivated Year 1 students by sharing his past projects/experiences in the creative industries and providing valuable advice on what it takes to complete a successful film production for distribution. For Year 2s, he differentiated by focusing on potential opportunities upon completing A Levels, including employment or further education. Whether freelancing or overseeing his own media business, he emphasised the importance of exploring every opportunity and connection in the industry. The students also worked in pairs/groups to discuss a unique idea for a new media business to pitch Nawaz for funding. The interactive sessions really raised their confidence and ability to adapt to new challenges. 

Nawaz said: "It was my pleasure to talk to the students, I really enjoyed being able to share my experiences and hopefully made an impact on some of them to choose media as a career.". 

Ethan, Sixth Form Media Lecturer, added: "I asked the students to think of the bigger picture, beyond A Levels, on their futures and passions in media. Think of the potential employment roles and opportunities in the creative industries. Don't be afraid to try and experiment by coming up with new ideas and working at them. They can really become the next generation of media producers and content creators!" 

Overall, the students really valued Nawaz's talk on contemporary media practice, and they gained a lot which could benefit their upcoming coursework production and future industry employment. 

To find out more about A Level Media, click here.