COURSES FOR SCHOOL LEAVERS
Your Future Starts Here
With hundreds of exciting courses, this is where your journey begins. From day one, you'll be supported, inspired, and on track to a rewarding career.
See SubjectsJoin a Career Excellence Hub and gain real-world skills, experience, and confidence to reach your goals.
Whether you're finishing school, changing direction, or learning English with our ESOL courses – we’ve got you covered.
Get started today – pick a subject and apply online in just 5 minutes!
Find Your Future Path
QUALIFICATIONS EXPLAINED
A Levels develop the knowledge, skills and study habits to excel at university, as well as the attributes recognised by employers.
Your academic studies will be complemented with enrichment opportunities such as trips, mentoring and work experience, providing the perfect springboard for your future career.
A Levels are assessed through exams at the end of two years of study. Most learners study three subjects - some choose four.
With an apprenticeship you’ll go straight into the workplace and be shown clear routes to progress straight into employment within a specific occupation. You can achieve nationally recognised qualifications, earn a wage, and gain skills that will see you get ahead. On average you will spend 20% of your learning time in the college and 80% within the workplace
Professional and technical qualifications are designed to provide you with the knowledge, skills and behaviours needed to gain employment within specific industries or occupations. They provide a balance between theory and practical skills development. They are suited to those who want to get hands-on experience within a particular vocational area. These programmes include work placements. Assessment is more varied and will include exams, coursework and practical work.
T Levels give you the chance to learn what a real career is like while you continue your studies. T Levels have been designed with leading businesses and employers to give you the knowledge and skills you need, including a minimum of 45 days on an industry placement – this means you will spend 80% of your learning time in College and 20% within the workplace.
LATEST NEWS
Last month our amazing Sixth Form learners took part in a Winter Market in Bristol as part of Young Enterprise.
Young Enterprise is a leading UK charity centred around empowering young people to discover, develop and celebrate their skills and potential. Their mission is to motivate young people to succeed in the changing world of work by equipping them with the work skills, knowledge and confidence they need to succeed.
As part of the Young Enterprise programme, our learners have had incredible talks from industry professionals at companies like Abatec and Brent Engineering to inspire and motivate them.
The Winter Market, held on 26th November near St. Nicholas Markets in Bristol, was an opportunity for learners to demonstrate everything they have learnt. Within teams, they selected and produced their own goods, which they then had to expertly pitch and sell to the public.
We caught up with Jack, whose team received a judge’s honourable mention at the Market. They did exceptionally well, successfully profiting on their unique, hand-crafted, metal Christmas ornaments.
Jack, who is a first year Economics, Politics and Business learner, told us:
“Young enterprise is an opportunity for young people to start a business that they run by themselves or with assistance from lecturers, creating and selling a product to the public. I got involved because my economics lecturer, who also teaches business, said it would be a great way to use my economic and business skills together.”
How did you find the experience?
“It was our first time doing this, so we didn’t know what to expect but thankfully it was a success and the judges liked us and we even got an honourable mention as a result. It turned out well and we were pleased with our results. We achieved what we wanted to do which was sell all the products through our use of an appealing stand and our high-quality marketing skills.
Next time we aim to improve our products and innovate. We’d like to go to more markets and become more successful than last time.”
Jack, who tells us he would like to go on to work in the banking industry after college, finished off by saying “I really recommend doing the Young Enterprise as it gives you an insight into making business decisions and the responsibilities of businesses.”
Amazing work from everyone who took part!
To find out more about A Levels at Weston College and the opportunities available, click here.
The wonderful Level 1 Hairdressing learners were welcomed by Emma, the salon owner of Unique Hair, for work experience in an industry standard salon. Unique Hair is an independently run hair salon, local to the college, currently underway to becoming a Career Excellence Hub ambassador. This results in the college and the salon working very closely together to ensure the content in the course is of upmost importance to the learners, and even results in work experience opportunities which otherwise would not be offered to L1 learners!
Emma had six Level 1 learners in total spread over three Mondays, where she opened the salon especially for work experience days. Emma sourced her own clients for the learners to work on, undergoing treatments such as meeting and greeting clients, shampooing, conditioning and applying treatments, as well as blow-drying, curling and setting clients’ hair. This gave the students the chance to use industry-standard equipment, and experience first-hand, what a day working in the salon would be like.
While Level 1 learners would not usually gain the opportunity to have work experience, Emma was so keen to help out and allow the students to develop employability skills to increase success in their futures in the industry. The students commented, “It was such a great opportunity, and really helpful experience for what working day to day in a salon would be like. Emma was great at explaining everything, and really kind when explaining everything, including the new techniques. We’d absolutely love to go back!”
The learners’ tutor, Kelly, told us, “It has been amazing to see the development of their skills since this experience!”
Rachel Harrison, the Workplace Coordinator for Hair, Beauty and Hospitality commented: “The learners absolutely loved their time at the salon, and having the chance to try out new products; the opportunity was invaluable for the learners. Here at Weston College, we focus on finding the learner’s career aspirations first, then assist in how they can reach this. Having a whole day in an industry-standard salon is one of the most beneficial ways to help in reaching their dream jobs; I am so grateful to Emma for her kindness and hospitality towards the learners, and being their mentor for the whole day! I hope we are able to provide this work experience to Level 1 learners in the future!”
The West of England Institute of Technology (WEIoT) has launched a new “soft skills certificate” to enable people to gain the soft skills and certified credentials requested and recognised by local employers.
Enhancing soft skills such as Teamwork, Adaptability and Critical thinking can enable individuals to work more effectively and collaboratively with colleagues to enhance and progress careers.
This free, time limited, flexible and modular training is being delivered by education and industry specialist partners delivering 7 modules which can be mixed and matched and tailored to meet individual and business needs:
- Digital Skills For Inclusive Cloud Collaboration
- Effective Communication
- Insights Discovery
- New World Working
- Soft Skills For Project Managers
- Team Working
- Workplace Skills And Behaviours
Face to face, online and twilight delivery options are available through one of the WEIoT education partners: Weston College, Bath College, Yeovil College, City of Bristol College and Provek. All training must be completed by 31 March 2023.
Businesses can utilise this new certificate to develop the skills and careers of their workforce in line with current and emerging skills needs and new world working practices. This will ultimately improve workforce productivity, satisfaction, and retention.
Individuals can enhance and accredit their soft skills credentials, enabling them to work more effectively and collaboratively with colleagues and to enhance and progress their careers.
This is also supported through the inclusion of Credly Digital Credentials, which are included with the certificate, to acknowledge and share achievements.
Click here to read more about each module in order to sign up and complete this certificate for free before 31st March.
The WEIoT is part of the government’s flagship programme designed to spearhead the delivery of higher technical education; to support the economy with a skilled workforce that can drive productivity and take advantage of key growth opportunities.
The WEIoT+ Soft Skills Certificate is funded through the Department for Education’s Skills Development Fund, aimed at helping employers and individuals access the skills needed to enhance careers, support local innovation and economic
WHICH LEVEL IS RIGHT FOR ME?
