Career opportunities in STEM (science, technology, engineering and maths) have grown significantly in recent years. We recently had the opportunity to talk with Weston College governor, Mr Chris Carter, who recently attended ‘The Big Bang’ interactive STEM fair at the Winter Gardens in Weston-super-Mare. As part of Love Our Colleges week we asked Mr Carter how the College is inspiring future generations and how it has responded to industry demands within STEM sectors.

What did you think of The Big Bang fair? Do you think it inspired young people to consider STEM careers?

I thought The Big Bang was an excellent example of showing students of various ages and skills just how wide and interesting the field of STEM education actually is. The name STEM stands for science, engineering, technology and mathematics, all of which were represented under one roof in an enthusiastic and obviously, judging by the reactions I saw, intensely interesting way. The variety of opportunities Weston College offered for the students to get ‘hands on’ was impressive and the Winter Gardens lent itself admirably to the event. I would be very surprised if this event did not inspire a significant number of potential careers.

Why do you think a career in STEM would be exciting to pursue?

The question should be why would it NOT be exciting?! The fields covered by STEM are representative of so many of the developing and necessary aspects of modern life. They can provide opportunities to build careers in vital and interesting areas ranging from engineering to life sciences via astronomy, soil science, aeronautics and marine engineering communications. These and countless other directions are examples where the core subjects can be expanded and developed as varied career paths open up.

The College also offers workshops for primary school classes. Why do you think this is important?

I have always believed that the earlier you start in education, the better chance young pupils have at gaining a balanced but gentle introduction to a wide variety of life skills as part of their development. If an interest is born at an early stage then there is so much more opportunity, either to nurture it further as the child’s education progresses, or just to include it in that child’s general educational skill set.

What makes Weston College stand out when it comes to providing STEM education?

Firstly, I would say the superb facilities offered across the various College campus sites and the dedicated and expert tuition from the highly skilled and motivated College staff. What also makes the College stand out is the much-prized ‘student experience’, which I think is second to none alongside the care and dedication to the learners which is the core of Weston College’s offer. Overall, it is simply a combination of all of these which apply not only to the teaching of STEM subjects but across the whole range of courses. We, as Governors, are extremely proud of the superb success rates for which Weston College is renowned but equally of the personal achievements of our learners on their journey.

Why do you think STEM has become such a large focus in the South West?

You only have to look at the type of employment opportunities in the South West to see why STEM has such a large part to play. The core STEM subjects touch on all of our lives, and on a daily basis. We use telephones, we drive cars and we eat the produce from our farms. All of these aspects are equipped with the products of technology which are powered by the energy produced by the ‘appliance of science’.

What are the long-term benefits to investing in STEM?

We are faced with global warming and an ever-increasing population. It does not take a genius to see that we need to sustain the development of all aspects of STEM education to meet the challenges of the future. Investment in further education is one of the best investments any Government can make. That’s why we all need to get behind the Association of Colleges campaign. ‘Love our Colleges’ sees FE providers working collaboratively to raise awareness and strive for a better future. Without the appropriate funding, the development and investment required to adapt to the needs of each industry cannot happen. This is essential in today’s world of work and just one of the reasons why the government need to invest in the next generation.

With Brexit around the corner, many organisations are looking for new ways of bringing talent into their business. One approach that is often overlooked, is employing an ex-offender.

By giving an ex-offender the opportunity to get back into work, you’ll have access to this pool of work-ready talent.

Our work providing education in 19 prisons has revealed the untapped potential that’s available. There have been numerous success stories, including ‘Billy’.

‘Billy’ struggled to find a job after being released from prison. He had many skills to offer, having previously worked in retail and managerial roles, but, having been out of work for a while, lacked confidence.

‘Billy’ was knocked back for roles he was more than capable of doing, and set out to change the perception employers have of people with criminal convictions.

‘Billy’ decided that to find employment he would have to get some ‘work experience’, so he completed an extended placement with a well-known high-street store. His confidence soon grew, as he received excellent feedback from customers and his employer. He also had a hugely positive effect on the store and showed he was capable of more responsibility.

‘Billy’, whose skills had not gone unnoticed, soon outgrew his placement and landed a role as an assistant manager. He is now going from strength to strength in his new role, and his employer was thrilled to find such a high-calibre candidate. ‘Billy’ has certainly helped change the perception of those within his business of ex-offenders, and the store has definitely benefited from his expertise.

If you are interested in discovering the opportunities that ex-offenders can offer your business, get in touch today through the 600 in 6 page of our website.

Weston College’s female rugby academy has made history by winning the Rosslyn Park National 7s Cup at their first attempt.

This was the first time the College has entered a side in the competition and provides evidence of the growth and investment there has been in female rugby over the recent years. It was an outstanding achievement and one that far surpassed the expectations of players and staff. However, this was also fully deserved for the player’s efforts throughout the season and the outstanding performances they produced on the day.

After an early leave on the Friday morning the girls arrived for their qualification match against Welsh opponents Gower College. Weston hit the ground running and had soon scored four tries by half time. They continued the scoring in the second half and eventually finished 44-0 winners which saw them qualify for the main half of the draw. This group also contained Pembrokeshire College and four-times winners Ysgol Dyffyryn Aman. Both these games were much more tightly contested with Weston winning the first 28-0 and then scoring a last minute try to defeat Ysgol Aman. These wins saw the first bit of history made that day with the girls becoming the first ever Weston College team to make to the knock-out rounds of this prestigious tournament.

In the quarter-finals, the girls came up against their biggest challenge yet and played against Sint-Jan Berchmanscollege from Belgium. Despite losing two key players to injury, the girls held on and finished 17-15 winners to set up semi-final contest against Epsom College . This proved to be quite the challenge with the opponents racing to a 10-0 lead in double-quick time. However, Weston replied with some of the best rugby of the day, scoring three unanswered tries to win 21-17.

In the final, Weston produced another outstanding display of hard work, team spirit and ruthless defence, which allowed Amy Coles to score four tries which saw them crowned champions.

This success highlights the great work being done towards female rugby and sport in general in the region. Looking forward, this is looks set to be the first of many great achievements on the national stage.

Lois Bird, captain of the Weston team, said: “It feels surreal to be a national champion. We went expecting to win two or three matches, and didn’t even imagine being in the final.

“This win is huge for girl’s rugby in the area. Somerset is a really big part of girl’s rugby and for Weston College especially, to get that win is going to draw more people in.”

Team Coach and Sports Academy Assistant Manager, Jack Gadd, said: “The girls only had one specialist 7s session a week, for five weeks, in preparation for the tournament, which makes it an even greater achievement”

“Seeing the bond between the players grow was probably the most important part for me – as well as seeing rugby at its purest and history made by winning the cup for the first time.”

The girls’ victory has been achieved just in time for the unveiling of the College’s bespoke facility, the Health and Active Living Centre (HALC), where sport and health-based courses will continue to thrive and grow. Boasting state-of-the-art equipment, these facilities will benefit learners and will also be available for the public to hire.

Jack added: “I think the new facilities will enable us to continue to grow our strong sports provision. Just having a place to call home with outstanding facilities, both indoor and outdoor, will offer lots more to our learners.”

Dr Paul Phillips CBE, Principal and Chief Executive of the Weston College Group, said: “The Health and Active Living Centre is a major, multi-million pound investment from Weston College and the West of England Local Enterprise Partnership.

“But even before these facilities open, our young people are winning national awards. It’s just been a pleasure to see our women’s rugby team achieve absolute excellence. The Health and Active Living Centre is just part of one huge facility now for the people of Weston-super-Mare, for the students and for everybody who wants to get involved in this fantastic project.”

Congratulations to Lois, Harri, Sophie, Lottie, Chloe, Amy, Courtney, Meg and Elise for the massive achievement. Many thanks to all of the staff who aided the team and helped them to achieve.