In order to provide greater opportunities for our learners, we are actively seeking to increase our number of Careers Excellence Hub Partnerships with fantastic employers. Our Engineering CEH are doing just that by taking our learners up to Babcock in order to promote and develop a partnership between Weston College Engineering and Babcock for T Level Industry Placements. 

Babcock is a globally leading engineering company which specialises in international defence, aerospace and security equipment and manufacturing. They ensure that the critical services of defence equipment are produced to be durable, affordable and available in order to create a safe and secure world. They also provide engineering support to naval, land, air, and nuclear operations, as well as frontline support, specialist training and asset management. 

To begin the day, our Engineering learners got a tour of Babcock and its facilities to better understand how the company work and familiarise themselves with the environment. During the tour, the learners were then lucky enough to witness a simulated torpedo firing which they thoroughly enjoyed. 

Not only this, the students also had the opportunity to engage in a series of tasks and activities throughout the day, the highlight being a virtual welding simulator. This was a computer-based tool that allowed the students to practice welding techniques in a virtual environment, without the need for actual equipment or materials. Three learners broke the record, achieving a score of 98/100 which highly impressed the Babcock staff and were awarded medals as recognition of their outstanding achievement. 

Since visiting Babcock, the company have confirmed that they are keen to work out a finalised plan for hosting T Level industry placements and are fully onboard with supporting our learners achieve world leading industry skills. This future partnership will open up many amazing opportunities for our learners and is largely accredited to their hard work and the positive impression they made on Babcock during their visit. 

We’d like to thank Babcock for having our learners and making a lasting impact on their passion for engineering. 

If you are interested in applying to one of our Engineering courses in September, click here. 

Deciding what to do after college is often daunting, whether you’re interested in university, an apprenticeship, or going straight into work, the best way to decide is to be fully informed of every option.  

One of our ex-students, Charlie, is currently on his second year of a Degree Apprenticeship at the Ministry of Defence (MOD). After finishing Weston College 2 years ago, Charlie came back in to talk to some of our A Level learners about all the benefits of a degree apprenticeship, outline the general structure, and explain the application process and entry requirements needed for a degree apprenticeship at the MOD.  

At college, Charlie studied A Levels in Computer Science, Economics and Maths and is currently completing the Digital Technology Degree Apprenticeship, a 4-year course that allows him to obtain a degree but also get some great work experience at the same time.  

A Degree Apprenticeship at the Ministry of Defence consists of approximately 80% work and 20% study and is normally around 4 years long. The university study aspect of Charlie’s course is completed 1 day a week and is delivered at the Weston College Winter Gardens. There are approximately six work placements across the 4 years, each lasting around 8 months and providing you with real-world skills and knowledge of a working environment.  

There are many benefits to choosing a degree apprenticeship which stretch outside of gaining more work experience than a normal university degree. For example, you also get opportunities to travel, a fully funded tuition and a competitive salary throughout your apprenticeship, a flexible work schedule with the option to work from home, the chance to work alongside amazing industry partners, and a high chance of continued employment once you have completed your apprenticeship. 

In order to apply for a degree apprenticeship at the MOD, you are required to have at least five GCSE’s grade C or above, and 3 A Levels or equivalent grade C or above, including Maths and a Science. If you meet these requirements or are on track to achieve them, you can apply by sending in your CV and a cover letter of why you would be a good fit for them.   

You will then be required to complete an online competency test in Maths, English and Computer Science; however, this application process can vary depending on the degree apprenticeship you apply for. High scoring candidates will be invited to the assessment centre in Weston to complete tests and, if you are successful, you will then be invited to an online interview. Provisional offers will then be made, and a formal offer will be sent out once you have achieved the required grades.  

Charlie also gave tips to the learners regarding the assessment process, giving a brief outline of previous assessment examples and explaining the typical attributes that the MOD look for in candidates, for example initiative and communication between groups.

He also provided advice for students considering a degree apprenticeship, saying, “you should apply to multiple degree apprenticeships but also apply to a university because that is your best chance of getting something.   

I applied to 5 or 6 and I only heard back from 2 of them. You may have a bad day, so your best bet is to apply for multiple and increase your chances.”  

The learners found Charlie’s talk helpful and inciteful, with their lecturer, Ana, saying “they asked questions until the very end of the lesson. I’d never seen them so engaged!”  

We’d like to say a big thank you to Charlie for coming in and talking to the students about his experiences and explaining the application process for a degree apprenticeship at the Ministry of Defence.  

If you’re interested in applying for our A Levels next September, click here.  

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.

The progression from college is often daunting, whether you’re interested in university, an apprenticeship, or going straight into work, the best way to decide is to be fully informed of every option. That’s why the Art and Design Careers Excellence Hub (CEH) organised a Fashion and Textiles lecturer from the University of the West of England (UWE) to discuss the available courses to some of our Art and Design students. 

The Fashion and Textiles guest lecturer from UWE, Tracy Fitzgerald, discussed everything from the variety of modules each year, to the different work placement opportunities and career pathways available.  

According to Tracy, there are three main areas of a Fashion and Textiles course at UWE: Fashion design, Textile design, and Fashion Textile futures. These three areas provide a range of different opportunities, roles and pathways for students. To get an idea of each of these areas, Tracy provided our students with portfolios from previous years that they could browse in order to experience the kinds of projects they’d get the chance to complete on the course. 

During this guest lecture, Tracy thoroughly outlined each year of the courses so the learners were well informed of what a university course may entail. This included explaining project briefs, the amazing employers that students have previously worked with on placement, the opportunities to study abroad, as well as outlining how the course is delivered by breaking down each year. 

A Fashion course at UWE not only develops a student's knowledge and skills in fashion, but it also allows them to develop more transferrable skills which can be useful in upskilling any role. This includes getting the chance to use different software such as CAD Design, InDesign, Illustrator, Photoshop, and more! 

The learners also learnt a bit about the exams and coursework, the hours they’d spend on campus, and the advanced workshops they would get the chance to partake in. This helped the learners gain a better understanding of how a university course is delivered and provides a better picture of whether this is the right route for them. 

Tracy also reassures the students by informing them that the base of the course is creativity. You are not expected to know everything before you begin, you’re simply expected to have ideas and be enthusiastic in what you are studying. 

Overall, the guest lecture from Tracy Fitzgerald proved to be very insightful and provided our students with a lot of information regarding what to expect from a university course so they can choose the right path for them once they progress after college. 

A big thank you to Tracy from UWE for taking the time to come in and give an amazing talk to our learners, it benefited them greatly.  

If you are interested in applying to one of our Art and Design courses in September, click here.