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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
Blog by Simon Werkshagen – Head of Commercial Construction Training and Logistics Centre
Weston College’s Construction Training Centre (CTC) has been open for almost three months now and (touch wood!) everything has so far gone to plan.
Footfall from day one has been tremendous, with hundreds of industry workers making use of the new facilities for various practical and class-based training. (By the way, if you haven’t yet heard about the CTC, take a look at my previous two blogs here and here.)
Our scaffolding training, which is run in partnership with Simian, has proved hugely popular. We’ve also just been awarded Construction Industry Scaffolders Record Scheme (CISRS) accreditation for delivery of Level 1, 2 and Advanced Scaffolder courses. This means we can deliver an ever-expanding range of courses required for workers to gain these industry-standard cards and qualifications.
In terms of plant training, the centre’s also been accredited as an awarding body for widely recognised NPORS qualifications, and we’ll shortly be inspected by CPCS, which will – hopefully – lead to us being given accreditation to run those courses too. Following these approvals, plant operations training will be available from August – you can book your place now.
Aside from enabling us to provide industry-recognised courses, these accreditations also act as seals of approval for our new facility and help enhance its reputation among the wider construction industry.
On a similar theme, we’ve also been hosting weekly ‘business breakfasts’, which are essentially informal meetings with groups of employers and prospective learners. As well as allowing us show off the new centre, these events help us forge new partnerships with organisations and businesses operating in the construction industry and promote courses among employers.
With plant courses due to start, this area of training has been top of the agenda recently and, last month, myself and colleagues from our Weston-based partner, Plantforce, attended the PlantWorx trade show in Peterborough.
Aside from the dreadful weather it was an outstanding event, which enabled us to build contacts, and forge some, potentially, very exciting relationships.
As someone who has long been fascinated by the use of technology in plant operations, I was also thrilled to get the opportunity to try out an excavator training simulator.
And, as I used this impressive piece of equipment to perform various tasks around the virtual construction site, I realised that there’s a gap in the market for a new training course.
At present, you can take a basic excavator course and earn your beginners ‘ticket’ – or licence – the following week. However, this will not guarantee you to work on a ‘tier 1’ contract (directly for a client), which requires significantly more expertise in operating the equipment.
By providing simulated training after the basic course, we can bridge the gap that currently exists, by teaching people how to use the various pieces of technology that are required for higher level contracts.
To cut a long story short, our ‘Site-ready Operator’ course has now been finalised and due to be delivered in the centre’s new simulator suite.
If you’d like to find out more about the Construction Training Centre, visit www.contruction-training-centre.co.uk or please drop me an email (simon.werkshagen@weston.ac.uk) or give me a call on 01934 421266.
The Enterprise4U final took place on Wednesday 27th March at Weston College. The event is an excellent example of how schools, Weston College and local businesses work together to raise the aspirations of young people.
Over the last few months, teams of young people have been developing ideas for a new business with the support of school staff, business and enterprise consultants Jane Dickson and Bernie Richardson and staff from Weston College. During the final, learners shared their business plans, hosted a trade stand, displayed their prototypes and presented their ideas to a panel of judges. Learners excelled in their presentations and displayed confidence in answering the judge’s questions. Selecting the winners was a difficult decision for the judges and after much deliberation the following prizes were awarded by the Deputy Mayor and Mayoress of Weston-super-Mare, Councillor Martin Williams & Mrs Brenda Charles.
Best Business Plan - Worle Community School
Best Trade Stand - Churchill Academy
Best Presentation - Hans Price Academy
Overall winner and winner of the Tony Smith Enterprise Award - Priory Community School
All winners received an E4U Trophy and vouchers. The overall winners will also get to visit the University Centre Weston for a tour of the facilities and to present their business ideas to a Business Lecturer.
Well done to all the learners that took part in the process of E4U. Learners demonstrated commitment, maturity and an in depth passion for the event. The Weston E4U Schools’ Business Challenge showcases the entrepreneurial and business skills of young people in Weston.
A Weston College course that supports young people with SEND into paid employment has been shortlisted for a prestigious award.
The innovative ‘Into Work’ programme is in the running for the SEND Apprenticeship Champion category at the FE Week and AELP AAC Apprenticeship Awards.
Staff from the College’s Foundation Learning team will attend a glittering ceremony at the ICC in Birmingham on March 28th to find out if they have won. Those shortlisted have also been invited to a special reception at the Houses of Parliament on March 4th.
‘Into Work’ is a one-year supported internship for 16 to 24-year-olds with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). Staff work with learners, their families and employers to provide employability skills, and instil confidence and self-belief.
The course, which launched in 2014, has already proved a major success with 45% of learners achieving paid employment, and 55% progressing to higher-level training. Nationally, just 6% of learners with learning disabilities are in paid employment.
Last year, ‘Into Work’ won the ‘Inclusion in Employment’ category at the National Special Educational Needs Awards.
Dr Paul Phillips CBE, Principal and Chief Executive of Weston College Group, said: “’Into Work’ is still a relatively new programme so to receive such recognition already is a fantastic achievement and deserved tribute to course leaders.
“This shortlisting demonstrates how the College has embraced the ideals and ethos of supported employment and put them into practice to achieve sustainable outcomes and help learners transition successfully into adulthood.”
Weston College is leading the way with its SEND provision, last year the College had the prestigious honour of winning a Queen’s Anniversary Prize for Higher and Further Education, one of only two further education colleges in the country to be awarded this prestigious honour this year.
WHICH LEVEL IS RIGHT FOR ME?
