Weston College recently delivered a highly successful series of online apprenticeship preparation workshops in collaboration with Channel 4, delivered in partnership with their 4Skills team. These sessions were specifically designed to support learners in advance of the Channel 4 Apprenticeship Programme, which is due to launch in January 2026, and to demystify the application and recruitment process for a highly competitive creative employer.

The workshops were well attended, with over 120 learners taking part from a wide range of curriculum areas, including Media, Creative, A Levels, Digital, Business, The King’s Trust, and SEND pathways. This broad engagement highlights both the strong interest in creative industry opportunities and the accessibility of the sessions across diverse learner groups.

Throughout the workshops, learners gained valuable and practical insight into the Channel 4 recruitment journey. This included guidance on completing high-quality applications, preparing for interviews, and approaching project-based assessment tasks with confidence. Particular emphasis was placed on the importance of values, behaviours, and transferable skills, alongside the attributes Channel 4 seek in aspiring apprentices entering the creative industries.

A key highlight of the sessions was the opportunity for learners to hear directly from current Channel 4 apprentices. Their first-hand experiences provided an authentic and relatable perspective on routes into the organisation, offering honest insights into day-to-day working life, progression opportunities, and what differentiates successful applicants. This peer-to-peer element proved especially impactful in building learner confidence and aspiration.

The positive impact of the workshops has been immediate and tangible. A number of learners have already submitted apprenticeship applications following the sessions, demonstrating increased confidence, motivation, and readiness to progress to the next stage of their career journey.

Overall, this collaboration showcases the strength and effectiveness of our wider Career Excellence employer partnerships and reinforces the value of targeted, employer-led enrichment activity in supporting learner progression into high-profile apprenticeship opportunities. Further collaborative activity with Channel 4 is planned for 2026, ensuring continued engagement and sustained impact for future cohorts.

Last term, our Level 3 Hospitality and Catering students took a trip to The Pony restaurant in Chew Magna where they took part in a cookery class and foraged for their own ingredients, giving them valuable lessons on seasonal ingredients and how to look for them.

The Pony is a produce-led restaurant which offers cooking classes to aspiring chefs, teaching people different methods of cooking, knife skills, and specific meals that can be difficult to learn independently. They offer workshops and classes, as well as tasting evenings and demonstrations from professional chefs.  

Our students took part in a foraging walk where they collected some of their own ingredients followed by a cookery class where they made a delicious risotto. By foraging for their own ingredients, students learnt valuable wild food skills and the impact that seasonal vegetables can have on the dishes they create. Wild food is also often more enriched with nutrients, and this experience gave our students a deeper appreciation for nature and the ecosystem by sustainably resourcing their own food, making this meal more rewarding and valuable. 

Our Hospitality and Catering students have many opportunities within the college to develop their skills such as catering for awards nights, hosting weekly dinner services at our in-house restaurant, and serving regular hot and cold lunches for students and staff across the college. Students have also taken part in workshops with professional chefs and trips to local restaurants and kitchens to enhance their skills and learn new techniques from a range of industry professionals. 

This experience was a fantastic opportunity for our students to step out of their comfort zone and trial new recipes and techniques, building their confidence and adaptability to use the resources available to them and preparing them to become experts in the field.  

Thank you to staff at The Pony in Chew Magna for welcoming our students and sharing their broad knowledge of ingredients. 

This curriculum trip forms part of the Hospitality and Catering Careers Excellence Hub. Weston College's Career Excellence Hubs are designed to be the launching pad for our learners' careers. In a world where connections and relevant skills matter more than ever, these hubs offer a holistic approach that prepares learners to thrive in their chosen industries. With the support of these hubs, our learners are well-equipped to make a significant impact in their professional journeys.  

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. 

As 2026 begins, Weston College and Bristol Airport remain committed to expanding their work together by creating opportunities that help individuals thrive, businesses grow and the region prosper.

For several years, the two organisations have worked side by side to build a strong, inclusive and future-focused careers and talent pipeline, connecting local people with real opportunities across one of the region’s most dynamic employment hubs. From inspiring young people to consider aviation careers to supporting adults to retrain or progress, the partnership is helping the next generation prepare for lift-off.

With a wide range of roles at the airport spanning aviation operations, engineering, digital, customer service, security, sustainability, retail and more; Weston College has played a pivotal role in helping translate these opportunities into clear, accessible career pathways for learners of all ages and backgrounds. The aim? To create a sustainable talent pipeline.

Through close collaboration, the partnership has delivered:

• Careers inspiration and engagement (including employer talks from the airport and its partners), careers events, site visits and insight sessions that bring the airport to life for students.
• Clear progression routes by mapping education and training pathways from entry-level roles through to higher-level and specialist careers.
• Skills development aligned to industry need ensuring learners are equipped with technical, professional and employability skills employers value most.
• Inclusive opportunities – supporting social mobility and widening participation for all.

By working together, Weston College and Bristol Airport are not only responding to current skills needs but also anticipating the future as aviation continues to evolve. Learners are encouraged to see aviation not as a single career, but as a sector full of diverse and futureproof opportunities supporting growth, innovation and sustainability across the aviation sector.

This approach ensures that employers can access a pipeline of work ready talent, learners gain real world insight and confidence in their career choices and the regional economy benefits from homegrown skills and retained talent.

“This partnership shows what’s possible when education and industry work together with a shared vision,” said Lynsey McKinstry, Strategic Business Partnerships Manager at Weston College. “By aligning learning with real careers at Bristol Airport, we’re helping drive ambition, confidence and a clear route into rewarding employment.”

Sophie Adams, Skills and Employment Business Partner at Bristol Airport added: “Weston College has been instrumental in helping us engage with future talent. Together, we’re building a workforce that reflects our communities and is ready to support the airport’s future growth.”