WorldSkills is a fantastic competition that aims to improve the skills and development of young people across the world.  

It encourages our students to step outside their comfort zone and go against a range of different people to improve their confidence and ability and be a part of something they may have not previously considered. 

At Weston College, we encourage all our learners to apply for WorldSkills in order to compete in something they are passionate about, and this year, three of our students have passed the application process and made it to the National Finals of WorldSkills in November 2024 – Aidan, Amber and Jack.  

Aidan will be competing in the Welding category where he will show off his skills against the other finalists. He is currently completing a Level 3 Plate Welding Apprenticeship where he spends 16 hours a week preparing for WorldSkills. This preparation ties in well with his course but the welds he has been practising are more complex than those he needs to complete his course.  

Aidan says, “the facilities at Weston College are excellent! They supply me with everything I need to succeed and the welders they use are the same as the ones I’ll be using at WorldSkills. 

The staff are always there to keep me motivated for WorldSkills and my lecturer is very supportive and will always try his best to help me when I’m stuck. 

I hope I’m able to do well in the WorldSkills final so I can represent the college and my workplace.” 

Amber will be competing in the Foundation Skills Health and Social Care category, an area which was the closest to childcare and allows her to widen her knowledge base and learn more about different life skills.

She is currently on her 2nd year of the ‘Into Work’ course which allows her to prepare for work in a supported environment. Amber balances her studies with her WorldSkills preparations by having one call a week to practice for WorldSkills, discussing what the assessments will entail, and how she can prepare for it herself. After Weston College, Amber wants to work in Childcare with SEND students. 

WorldSkills has already helped Amber gain a better understanding of Health and Safety, quality of care, and preparing her for work. The competition will be testing her on risk assessments, how to deal with certain scenarios, and her main exam will be role playing a phone call as a care worker to ensure that she can communicate effectively and ask the appropriate questions. 

Amber is excited to be competing in WorldSkills and said, “the staff have been really supportive, whatever I need they’re on hand to help me.” 

Jack will be competing in the Foundation Skills Horticulture category, allowing him to deepen his love for gardening and prove his skills against others.  

Similarly to Amber, Jack completed the ‘Into Work’ course at Weston College and found his passion for gardening when he worked at both The Garden on South West Skills Campus, and at Butcombe Farm.  

He completed his work experience at Red Chilli Kitchen where he made chilli sauces and sold them to raise money for charity. Jack worked so hard that he secured a job at the end and now works at Uncle Paul’s Chilli Farm charity doing gardening. 

Jack balances his work with WorldSkills, ensuring he practices at least one day a week to prepare himself. He has found the staff at Weston College to be helpful in readying him and making sure he is fully aware of what to expect going into WorldSkills. 

Jack says, “I am feeling a bit nervous because I don’t want to mess anything up, but I know that I will give it my all no matter what the result is”. 

Good luck to all three of you in WorldSkills! 

Photo: courtesy of WorldSkills International

Weston College is thrilled to announce its selection for an exclusive trial of WestonBot, an innovative AI tool designed to enhance student support services. The college has been chosen by Jisc, the UK’s leading education and technology not-for-profit, to participate in this pioneering project, aimed at transforming the way students access welfare, library, and academic resources.

WestonBot will provide 24/7 support, offering answers to a wide range of student queries related to course materials, college services, and more. Accessible via the MyWeston App, WestonBot is designed to ensure that students can access reliable assistance whenever they need it.

What is WestonBot?

WestonBot is an intelligent virtual assistant designed to provide real-time support to students across a range of areas:

Welfare Support: Whether students need information about mental health resources, self-help tips or help with worries and concerns, WestonBot is here to guide them toward the right support.

Library Assistance: WestonBot makes it easier than ever for students to find textbooks, access research materials, or get help with referencing.

Academic Services: From time management strategies and exam preparation support, WestonBot can help students stay on track with their studies and access key academic resources.

Being part of the Jisc trial puts Weston College at the forefront of digital innovation in education, ensuring that we offer our students cutting-edge tools to support their academic journey. WestonBot will allow students to access information quickly, without the need to wait for office hours or support queues, ensuring their concerns are addressed promptly and efficiently.

“We understand that students’ schedules and study needs are increasingly diverse, and WestonBot is here to meet them,” said Chloe Wilde, Weston College’s Head of Student Support Services. “By providing on-demand support and helping students navigate their academic journey, WestonBot complements our commitment to fostering a student-centred learning environment.”

WestonBot not only assists with immediate questions but also intelligently escalates complex enquiries to the relevant college department, ensuring a smooth handover to human support when needed. 

Weston College is proud to introduce WestonBot as a valuable resource to its learning community, underscoring the college’s dedication to embracing innovative solutions that empower students and enhance their academic experience.

Recently, Persimmon Homes kindly donated our Construction Career Excellence Hub (CEH) students over 6 pallets of bricks to provide them with more opportunities and growth, improving their overall skills and confidence and supporting the next generation of Bricklaying learners.

Persimmon Homes is a UK housebuilding company, dedicated to making houses more affordable than the average new build homes. They also support local communities and charities such as The Independent and Refuge in order to make a difference and improve the lives of others.

In honour of this kind donation, three members of the Persimmon Homes team joined us at the South West Skills Campus, along with Dan Aldridge, the Labour MP for Weston-Super-Mare, and three other Councillors. They got the chance to meet our Bricklaying students, chat with them, and see how their brick donation was being used within the course.

Our Bricklaying students were able to practice with the brand-new bricks, making their work look more professional and giving them a better understanding of how a real-life project would end up.

One student, Izzy, said, “I thought it was great to have new bricks in from Persimmon Homes and I’m sure everyone in bricklaying will appreciate it.”

Another student, Ewan, said, “when I started using the new bricks, they were so easy to lay and look so nice after you’re finished with them, giving me more opportunities to build bigger and better things.

“I would love to thank everybody that took part in donating those bricks! It was a big help to all the bricklaying learners at Weston College.”

Not only have Persimmon Homes improved the skills of our learners, but they have also supported their development by taking on five apprentices: three in Brickwork and two in Carpentry. They also have existing apprentices from previous years that they continue to support and give them the experience they’ll need to move on to their desired career.

The opportunities that Persimmon Homes has provided Weston College will allow us to continue to deliver high-quality teaching as well as producing well-rounded learners who have the confidence, experience and skills to excel, not only in the classroom, but also in their future roles.

Weston College would like to say a massive thank you to Persimmon Homes for their generous donation, and to Dan Aldridge and the other Councillors in attendance for showing your support and taking the time to visit our learners.

If you are interested in applying for one of our Construction courses in September, click here.