Weston College toasted the outstanding success of learners and employer partners at its annual Business Awards on Thursday (June 20).

Winners from a range of categories were presented with awards at the Oscars-style event at the Winter Gardens.

Guests – including students, employers and local dignitaries – enjoyed a three-course dinner and heard an inspirational keynote talk from Nick Elston, one of the country’s most renowned speakers on the subjects of anxiety, mental health and well-being.

Principal and CEO of Weston College Group, Dr Paul Phillips, who hosted the awards, said: “This year we received a record number of nominations and, while this made judging an unenviable task, it highlights the wealth of talent among our learners and the level of dedication and expertise within our employer network.

“It was fantastic to celebrate the many successes of our work-based learners, who show outstanding commitment to their programmes. They are truly a credit to the College and their employers.

“This year’s event is also notable as it fell between the opening of two significant new training facilities – the Construction Training Centre and Health and Active Living Centre. These state-of-the-art resources will provide huge benefits for learners, businesses and the community as a whole.”

It was an evening to remember for Thatchers Cider apprentice Molly O’Flaherty, 17 who was named Overall Learner of the Year and Professional Services Apprentice of the Year. Molly, who is completing a Customer Services Apprenticeship, was singled out for her maturity, work-ethic and passion to learn.

Molly said: “I am delighted to have won this award, as it shows how far I have come over such a short period of time with Thatchers.

“The support I have received from Weston College and Thatchers has been excellent, and I can’t wait to continue my development with such a great employer.”

Thatchers Cider made it a ‘quadruple’ celebration by picking up the Overall Employer and New Apprentice Employer of the Year awards.

Emma Cox, Training and Development Manager at Thatchers Cider, said: “At Thatchers we are committed to supporting young people and providing them with an opportunity to develop their skills.

“Being recognised for this award is testament to the hard work that we have put in, the dedication of the learners and the support we have received from Weston College in creating a bespoke programme to suit our business needs.”

The National Children’s Orchestras of Great Britain (NCO) was recognised as Industry Placement Employer of the year. Sophie Lewis, Managing Director at NCO, commented: “The Industry Placement programme has had a really positive impact on NCO. As a charity we have benefitted from additional capacity and fresh perspectives through our placement who immediately became a fantastic addition to our team.

“We are thrilled to win this award and look forward to engaging with the programme further in the future.”

Business Award winners list:

Employer awards

• Small Employer of the Year – Ridgeway House
• Medium Employer of the Year – YMCA Barley Wood Day Nursery
• Large Employer of the Year – SUEZ Recycling and Recovery UK
• New Apprentice Employer of the Year – Thatchers Cider
• Industry Placement Employer of the Year – National Children's Orchestras of Great Britain
• Work Experience Employer of the Year – Visit Somerset
• Traineeship Employer of the Year – University Hospitals Bristol NHS Foundation Trust
• Pre-employment Employer of the Year – OCS Group
• Disability Confident Employer of the Year – Weston Museum
• Inspiring Future Talent Employer of the Year – OnPoint Barbers
• Commercial Training Employer of the Year – Kings Heavy Haulage of Bristol)
• Overall Employer of the Year – Thatchers Cider

Learners awards

• Construction Apprentice of the Year – Patrick Hollritt, of John Mansfield Electrical
• Digital Apprentice of the Year – Sean Haberfield, of Osborne Clarke
• Early Years and Education Apprentice of the Year – Charlotte Redstone, of King Alfred School
• Engineering and Manufacturing Apprentice of the Year – Matthew Vicarage, of Ipeco Composites
• Hair and Beauty Apprentice of the Year – George Sheppard, of OnPoint Barbers
• Hospitality and Food Industry Apprentice of the Year – Chris Barry, of St Monica Trust
• Industry Placement Learner of the Year – Olivia Farley of Green Pastures Veterinary Centre
• Leadership Apprentice of the Year – Mark Cordy, of Bradbury House
• Professional Services Apprentice of the Year – Molly O'Flaherty, of Thatchers Cider
• SEND Learner into Employment Student of the Year – Jack Tiley, of Lasseter's restaurant
• Sport, Health, Lab Tech and Social Care Apprentice of the Year – Rebecca Twinney of Royal United Hospital, Bath
• Traineeship Learner of the Year – Holly Griffiths, of Ready Steady Go Nursery
• Transport and Logistics Learner of the Year – Harrison King, of Kings Heavy Haulage
• Overall Learner of the Year – Molly O'Flaherty, of Thatchers Cider

Did you know that we offer pre-employment training to people that don’t have qualifications, and may not have any experience?

We asked our Referral Advisor for the Pre-employment team, Emma Crandon, some questions to give a better understanding on what they offer.

Where are you based?

I am based at Weston College’s South West Skills Campus, but I also visit the Weston-super-Mare Job Centre every Tuesday, Clevedon Job Centre every other Thursday, and hold sessions at the local food bank as well.

What support do you offer?

We offer a wide range of courses, and they are free to people that are unemployed, receiving benefits, or in a job earning less than £16,009.50 per year. These courses are beneficial in many ways; you can upskill, build confidence, open up employment opportunities and most importantly – become more employable.

How can people access this support?

The support we offer, is very easy to access. Job coaches are aware of our courses, and they can always refer you to a course that will benefit you. I also visit the Job Centres, so feel free to come and say hello or book an appointment and we can chat about ways to support you.

If you would like to get in touch, you can call me on 07580857699 or email me, emma.crandon@weston.ac.uk.

Why should people get in touch and ask for support?

If you are unemployed and looking for work, we can help you to gain qualifications and the confidence needed to find a job. We try and run our sessions during school time, and we also offer one to one support.

What has been your highlight of the job?

When you see people that have been out of work for years, their confidence is usually really low and they feel like they are unemployable. Helping these people gain skills, confidence and progress into jobs, is a specific highlight of my job.

Is there anything that you would like to add?

If you are interested in any of our courses please get in touch with me, and I will be happy to help.

You can find out more about our pre-employment courses, by clicking here. 

Adults from across Bristol are invited to a free workshop being organised by Training Solutions this month (January) to help them find Apprenticeships with employers.

People aged 16 and above can attend the workshop, which will take place on Thursday, January 29 at Connexions in Bristol city centre, to find out about the Apprenticeship programme run by Training Solutions, prepare for interviews, be more confident and gain overall job search skills.

Anita Al-Zamily, Employer Liaison Officer at Training Solutions, explained: "We are hosting the Apprenticeship workshop on January 29 from 1.30pm until 4pm at the Connexions on Colston Avenue to give people an overview of the Apprenticeship course as well as helping them learn how to find a job and working on their interview skills, which will stand them in good stead for getting an Apprenticeship.

"We are hoping it will help those who are keen to do an Apprenticeship to secure employment with businesses in the area. Those wishing to attend the workshop need to book a place by either calling me on 01934 411573."

Apprenticeships are work-based training programmes, which means the majority of an Apprentice's training takes place in a practical way, directly in the workplace.

All Apprenticeship training will lead to nationally recognised qualifications designed to meet industry standards. Tuition fees for eligible adults are paid for by Government funding.

In Bristol and Somerset organisations and companies who want to develop their staff and their businesses are signing up for Apprenticeship programmes in partnership with Training Solutions. Cadbury House Hotel, Health Club and Spa in Congresbury near Bristol is one of the businesses benefiting from the relationship.

Laura Pengelly from Cheddar, James Day from Clevedon and Andrew Woodley from Worle are all undertaking Apprenticeship programmes and have all recently received job promotions at the Hotel.

Mark Veale, Head Chef at Cadbury House, said: "Laura, James and Andrew are doing exceptionally well in their jobs and have all deserved their promotions. They have handled the pressure of being given extra responsibility in their jobs and have performed better.

"I am very pleased with the structure of their training provided by Training Solutions. They are training on-site at Cadbury House, which means they are learning and improving their skills in a ‘real kitchen' situation.

"Another benefit of their Apprenticeships is the opportunity to gain a qualification. The training provided by Training Solutions has had a beneficial impact on the development of the hotel's staff. There is a long-standing relationship between Cadbury House and the College."

Training Solutions work with more than 1,000 businesses and organisations supporting them to achieve significant improvements in overall performance. It does this by helping businesses maximise their performance of one of their most expensive resources - their people.

Training Solutions also offers a wide range of flexible, business-related training, development and consultancy services including qualifications, professional development workshops and coaching and mentoring programmes.

If you are interested in attending the Apprenticeship workshop, which takes place at Connexions on Colston Avenue in Bristol on Thursday, January 29 from 1.30pm until 4pm, please call Anita Al-Zamily at Training Solutions on 01934 411573 to book a place.