COURSES FOR SCHOOL LEAVERS
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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
On 21st October, World Esports Day, our incredible Esports team took part in a Twitch livestream Charity event for the Winston’s Wish; a charity supporting children and families coping with the loss of a parent or sibling. The event was in partnership with Coventry College’s Coventry Crosshairs, and the teams competed in games of Overwatch, Valorant and Rocket League.
When the goal of £250 was smashed before the first games had even finished, it was increased to an ambitious £500 in the break. Everyone was thrilled when that goal was also reached, reaching £506 in the end!
The results of the games are as follows:
Our Rocket League team lost 3-2, going the entire distance in the best of 5, and only losing after 4 minutes of Overtime. They showed incredible effort, however, and provided amazing entertainment for the audience!
The Coventry Crosshairs Valorant team were very strong, and won 13-5 against the Weston Waveriders.
Finally, our Overwatch team got a 3-1 win against Coventry, though the Crosshairs showed incredible resilience and sportsmanship.
When the stream ended, the average viewership was 55 concurrent views across 4 hours of stream time – the team were so grateful for the continued support throughout gameplay.
The lecturers want to give a huge shout-out to the learners who got involved and allowed this to all take place. It was an incredible event, and we’re so proud of everyone who took part, and a huge thank you to everyone who donated and watched the stream!
My name is Jack, and I completed my Nuclear Engineering Degree Apprenticeship with Weston College in July 2022– which was sponsored by the Ministry of Defence.
I applied directly for my role with the Ministry of Defence, who in turn had arranged for their apprenticeship to be delivered through Weston College. After completing my A-Levels I took a few years away from education to pursue a volunteering role overseas, and upon my return to the UK was looking at ways to follow my desires to become an engineer. Exploring my options, including a ‘conventional’ University course, I discovered the world of degree apprenticeships and was excited by the opportunity to learn academic theory and see its direct application in the workplace. The prospect of earning a wage whilst doing so was just an added bonus!
The degree apprenticeship benefited me in ways that my friends who completed conventional degrees never could; to explore the breadth and depth of my chosen discipline both with academics, and with working professionals. Additionally, I was given the opportunity from day 1 of my studies to contribute to and deliver work for my employer that was of real-world significance and consequence, not purely academic exercises. Being able to work whilst studying also enabled me to reaffirm that engineering was a discipline that I wished to pursue professionally.
Being an apprentice brings a plethora of benefits, ranging from the opportunities to gain practical experience, to being prepared for the world of work. Qualifying for student discount and getting paid to learn are rather nice perks too!
Furthermore, working for the Ministry of Defence provided some once in a lifetime opportunities, ranging from seeing Submarines in construction, to going out on Operations with the NATO Submarine Rescue System, and travelling internationally to work with colleagues around the world. The mentoring and support that the MOD provided, and the encouragement to pursue personal development was really helpful and enabled me to undertake additional studies at university, whilst also engaging in STEM outreach work with the Nuclear Institute.
As this was a new course, and I was part of the first cohort to be sponsored through Weston College by the MOD, there was a steep learning curve. Both for us, and the staff through the five years of the scheme. In addition to the cultural changes to learn, trying to learn Nuclear engineering wasn’t without its difficulties. However, despite challenges and setbacks we, my friends and I, were able to complete the scheme and we all graduated and have been able to take up full time employment.
Since completing the degree apprenticeship, I've taken up a role with Rolls-Royce Submarines, where I work as a mechanical engineer. This is an exciting role which I'm deeply enjoying, and one that my apprenticeship helped prepare me for.
Completing a degree apprenticeship is a really rewarding (and challenging!) way of furthering your own education and competencies. There are more and more opportunities for degree apprenticeships becoming available every year, and so it’s certainly worth considering! Take time to research your potential employer, and the apprenticeship standard, to make sure it aligns with what you want to do. If you find a good fit, then there is no better way of getting into the world of work whilst continuing your education.
Apprenticeships have the power to unlock doors, provide opportunities and prepare you for the workplace in ways that universities don’t. If there is an opportunity to pursue your aspirations through an apprenticeship, then I cannot stress enough how seriously you should consider going down the apprenticeship route.
Jack
Some of our wonderful Creative and Digital Media students will be creating amazing content as they help out at this year's Weston Beach Race!
Located on Weston-super-Mare's seafront, the annual Beach Race is the UK’s biggest Offroad Motorsport event. Spanning over 6 miles, the race brings in competitors and supporters from all over Europe, with over 100,000 people attending across the three-day weekend.
Our learners will be filming content of the race, crowds, and riders, alongside presenting their student-run radio station, Weston Waves, at the event.
Weston Waves was launched earlier this year and has been a triumphant success and excellent learning experience for our media students.
Between hosting shows and mixing music, the radio station has given our learners the opportunity to develop a vast range of skills, progress their understanding of industry-relevant practices and take ownership of their hard work. The Beach Race is a perfect place to evolve the Weston Waves station even further, interviewing sportspeople and covering a live event!
This is just one of many amazing opportunities learners on our Creative and Digital Media course get to work and interact with live projects, within a real industry setting.
The event will begin Friday 21st October 2022 and will run until Sunday 23rd October 2022. To find out more about the Beach Race, click here.
To find out more about the Creative and Digital Media course, click here.
WHICH LEVEL IS RIGHT FOR ME?
