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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
It can’t have escaped your attention that further education is undergoing a major shift towards workplace learning.
Locally and nationally, we’re experiencing widening skills gaps in numerous sectors, which requires government, providers and employers to work together to find alternative ways of providing the skills the economy demands.
Among the government’s solutions is the T Level qualification – described as the biggest overhaul in post-school education for 70 years.
And Weston College will be at the forefront of this ‘revolution’ as one of 54 providers selected to pilot the new qualification.
T Levels will be available in 15 industry-related subjects, known as ‘pathways’. We will deliver the Digital (software applications design and development) T Level from September 2020 – two years before the full roll-out.
T Levels provide a genuine alternative, and equivalent, to A Levels. They’re aimed at 16 to 19-year-olds who would rather study work-related courses than traditional academic subjects. As well as preparing learners for employment, T Levels are designed to raise career aspirations and to dispel the myth that vocational courses are the poor relation of A Levels.
An integral component of each T Level programme is a high-quality, structured and outcome-focused industry placements.
T Level learners must undertake an industry placement of 315 hours (45 days) before they can complete the course. However, industry placements will be important in their own right, by helping young people gain the skills needed to move into employment.
Delivering such extensive and authentic workplace learning clearly requires a huge commitment from local employers. We’ve taken great strides over the last decade to forge close relationships with businesses but, with T Levels fast approaching, we’re working even harder, and putting even greater resources, into building new partnerships with industry.
After successfully applying for Capacity and Delivery Funding (CFD), we’ve put in place a Work Placement Team, whose remit is to work with employers from across the region to establish and develop high-quality placements that fulfil genuine commercial need.
The team will also provide support and guidance throughout the placement and monitor learners’ progress.
T Levels represent a tremendous opportunity for employers.
The curriculum is shaped by employers and benefits from the unique insights of business leaders. The industry placements at their core provide businesses with talent pipeline where they can develop their, potential, future workforce according to need. They also allow existing staff members to share their knowledge and develop mentoring skills.
Aside from T Levels, work experience is at the core of virtually all Weston College provision.
All our FE courses are part of a ‘study programme’ that is designed to prepare young people for their future career. Our facilities aim to mimic real-life workplaces and some – including our Hair and Beauty Centre and Grove Restaurant – operate as commercial businesses.
We recently became one of just 22 providers to be awarded Career College status. This significant investment will enable the College to provide an extra 1,000 places for 16 to 19-year-olds, who want to combine academic studies with practical, work-based learning.
These developments and facilities will complement the T Level curriculum as we prepare for the pilot.
It’s an honour and an exciting challenge for the College to be helping to roll out this pioneering new qualification, but it also represents a huge opportunity for regional businesses – one I’d urge them to get involved in.
If you’d like to find out more about T Levels and/or industry placements, please get in touch with our Work Placement Team workplacementteam@weston.ac.uk
With £2.7 billion sitting unused in apprenticeship levy accounts, it’s clear many organisations aren’t taking advantage of the funding they’re entitled to.
Here are three simple ways that you can make the most of your levy:
1) Upskill existing staff
The apprenticeship levy is essentially a training fund, which doesn’t have to be used on new recruits. You can upskill existing members of staff – in areas such as leadership or management – to develop a stronger workforce.
2) Fill a skills gap
The apprenticeship levy can be an effective way of bringing fresh talent into your organisation, particularly if there is a specific skill that you need. Remember, apprenticeships aren’t just for school leavers – you can employ higher and degree-level apprentices, who will be capable of making an immediate impact on your business.
3) Share your levy
You can now share up to 10% of your levy with another company. A popular way of doing this is by sharing it with organisations in your supply chain.
If you would like advice on the apprenticeship levy, get in touch with our Training Solutions team.
You can email apprenticeships@weston.ac.uk or call 01934 411 594.
Alternatively, you can find out more on the team’s webpage.
Weston College celebrated the successes and accomplishments of its students at a glamorous awards ceremony at the Winter Gardens Pavilion.
The annual ‘Celebration of Success’ recognises the students who have gone above and beyond in their studies, and have achieved results greater than their own expectations. Over 40 awards were presented during the ceremony.
Many of the students celebrated at the event previously had challenging experiences of education or personal struggles that they had to overcome to facilitate their success.
College staff nominated students who had gone beyond what was expected. A panel of the College’s governing body and leadership team, including its Principal and Chief Executive, Dr Paul Phillips CBE, then judged the nominations.
The award winners and their families were treated to a three-course meal, entertainment from University Centre Weston’s FDA and BA Musical Theatre and Professional and Commercial Dance students, followed by a presentation ceremony which saw winners take home certificates and prizes.
Dr Paul Phillips CBE, Principal and Chief Executive said: “These awards seek to highlight the fantastic achievements of College students and learners from our link schools.
“Many of our students have inspiring stories and personal accomplishments, our Celebration of Success recognises the students who have gone the extra mile and far surpassed their expectations, and the expectations of their significant others.”
Following these awards there is then a winner of winners’ award, which this year went to the Adult Learner of the Year - Zoe Chamberlain.
Dr Phillips said: “Zoe is proof that it’s never too late to learn new skills and we are delighted that she has taken this journey with our support.
“Zoe was 30 year old single mum, with no GCSEs, and no work experience or knowledge of the care industry when she joined the College’s Alliance Care Academy. Her confidence grew massively during the course and she passed all the elements with flying colours and secured a job with Alliance Care. She now visits the Care Academy to tell new learners about her journey and is a big inspiration to others.”
The Weston College Celebration of Success 2019 was sponsored by Midas Group, Derek Quinn - Executive Director, presented the certificates and prizes on the night. Midas Group worked with the College to renovate and enhance the Winter Gardens Pavilion and also developed the new Construction Training Centre and Health and Active Living Skills Centre for Spring 2019. Other sponsors for the evening included, Skylight Properties (drinks reception sponsor); Pace (publication sponsor); Hayes Parsons, Honeyfield Property Services, Sedgemoor Publicity, T.O.C.S.LTD, The Royal Hotel and Zest Media.
Please find below some of our winners from this year’s Celebration of Success:
School Link Students of the Year: James Goodyear-Evans, Nathan Northey, James Young and Jayden Pilgrim
Charlotte Cooke - Foundation Learning Student of the Year
Jack Mayhew - Weston Bay Student of the Year
Charlotte Saunders - Access to Higher Education Student of the Year
Leah Richards - Animal and Equine Studies Student of the Year
William Smith - Business and Tourism Student of the Year
Gabriel Bell - Hospitality Student of the Year
Gemma Logan - Hairdressing and Beauty Student of the Year
Nicole Powers - Law Student of the Year
Luke Grice - Media and Music Student of the Year
Laura Sparrow - Performing Arts Student of the Year
Chloe Collier - Production Arts Student of the Year
Beth Norton - Early Years and Education Student of the Year
Caitlin Gardner - Health and Social Care Student of the Year
Georgia Ferdinando - Sport and Public Services Student of the Year
Cameron Bailey - Advance Engineering Student of the Year
Thomas Griffin - IT and Computing Student of the Year
Aryan Foroughi - Civil Engineering Student of the Year
Ryan Pullen - Construction Student of the Year
Oliver Bessant - Electrical and Plumbing Student of the Year
Alessandro Tessitore - Motor Vehicle Student of the Year
Zoe Chamberlain - Pre-employment Student of the Year
Michael Brooks - Work Experience Student of the Year
Zoe Chamberlain - Gold Award: Adult Learner of the Year
Sandra Bull - Tony Suner Memorial Award for Outstanding Contribution (staff award)
Gopal Gomathinayagam - Significant Achievement in Teaching and Learning (staff award)
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