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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
Balfour Beatty, the international infrastructure group and the largest UK contractor, has entered into a partnership with Weston College to provide work experience to its construction students.
As part of the application process, each student had to write an introductory letter and CV, before being interviewed by a panel consisting of two managers from Balfour Beatty (Scott Morris, Site Manager, and Kate Powell, Sustainable Design Manager) and Shaun Canniford, Weston College’s Curriculum Manager for its construction provision.
The students performed well, resulting in all five of them being offered a placement with the company.
Shaun Canniford said: “When Balfour Beatty approached the College asking if they could offer work experience to our students we were keen to take them up on their offer.
“The opportunity for students to work for such a recognised company was an offer we couldn’t turn down. On the interview day, the students were a great credit to themselves and the College.
“I would like to thank Kate Powell and Scott Morris from Balfour Beatty for their enthusiasm and commitment to the project.”
Mark Stephens, Project Manager for Balfour Beatty, who is currently managing the Bristol Airport West terminal extension said: “We are really looking forward to having the students on site and we will do all we can to make their experience as enjoyable and educational as possible, helping them to gain valuable on-site experience.”
Weston College has been described as a ‘true beacon’ for colleges nationwide when it was presented two awards from the Association of Colleges (AoC).
The College has been handed two national Beacon Awards by the AoC; the UCAS Progress Award for Careers Education and Guidance and the Council for Learning Resources in Colleges Award for the Effective Integration of Libraries/Learning Resources Centres in Curriculum Delivery.
The awards recognise the hard work of the College’s ASPECT (Advice, School, Progression, Employability, Careers, Transition) team and its LibraryPlus team.
The AoC Beacon Award Local Presentation Ceremony was held at the College’s Conference and Events Centre, in Knightstone Road, on Tuesday 4th May.
The ceremony formally announced the two achievements and consisted of networking and a lunch followed by presentations and prize-giving.
Local businesses and dignitaries, including Weston-super-Mare’s Mayor Cllr Raymond Armstrong and Mayoress Joan Dunne, attended the ceremony.
Principal and Chief Executive of Weston College, Dr Paul Phillips OBE, said: “It’s tremendous, the work which goes on at Weston College. These two teams have shown a real entrepreneurial flair and have ensured the learner has come first.
“Thank you to all of the guests who attended the ceremony, your support demonstrates the importance of collaboration and partnership in a true sense – we are all working together to ensure learners succeed.”
Ian Monroe, South West Regional Director of the AoC and Jon Graystone, representing the AoC’s steering group which judged the awards, attended the ceremony to present the two awards.
Mr Graystone said: “I am delighted to recognise and celebrate these achievements. We received 140 nominations and the quality of the two from Weston College was clear and the reason that they won.
“The judging process is rigorous, it involves all nomination being made anonymous, and so judges are unaware which colleges they come from.
“Weston College is a true beacon for Colleges in the UK.”
Changes to Advanced Learner Loans mean adult and part-time education at Weston College is more accessible and affordable than ever.
For people who want to get new qualifications or retrain, but are worried about the cost, the Advanced Learner Loan is the answer.
These loans have previously only been available for people aged 24 or over but from the 2016-17 academic year they will be available to learners aged 19 or over.
Ceri Forsdike took out a loan to pay for a Level 3 Hairdressing course at Weston College, and now runs her own mobile hairdressing business.
She said: “I would not have been able to progress onto my Level 3 course without having an Advanced Learner Loan – it allowed me to complete my learning to the best possible level.
“This has given me the confidence to set up my own business, which I wouldn’t have been able to do without my qualifications.”
The loan covers tuition and exam fees and does not have to be paid back until a person is earning more than £21,000 per year. Even then repayments are automatically deducted from a person’s salary at a rate of 9%, so if someone earns £22,000 their monthly repayment is just £7.50.
If you take out an Advanced Learner Loan for an Access to Higher Education course and then go on to complete a Higher Education course the loan is written off completely and you will never have to pay a penny back.
The provision has also been expanded to not only cover Level 3 and 4 courses, but also some Level 5 and 6 courses.
James Moodhoo was a self-employed builder who wanted to retrain to become a fully-qualified electrician.
He said: “Funding was my biggest issue when I was considering furthering my studies.
“I was a new father, and we didn’t have a lot of money. Self-funding the course just wasn’t an option.
“Weston College provided fantastic advice and the Advanced Learner Loan has really opened doors for me.”
A new short film has been produced about the Advanced Learner Loan scheme; it can be viewed via https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-PJQTvnhZes
There is also a dedicated section, with some helpful FAQs, here: www.weston.ac.uk/supporting-you/financial-support/advanced-learner-loans
WHICH LEVEL IS RIGHT FOR ME?
