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.”

Last month, we had four Weston College students competing in the national WorldSkills competition. Maddie and Ellie competed in the Beauty Therapy Practitioner Skill category, Oscar competed in the Foundation Skills Digital category, and Jodi competed in the Foundation Skills Horticulture competition. 

WorldSkills is a fantastic competition that aims to improve the skills and development of young people across the world. It encourages our students to step outside their comfort zone and go against a range of different people to improve their confidence and ability and be a part of something they may have not previously considered.  

Our students competed in a range of tasks and did a fantastic job, with Maddie placing 3rd nationally in the Beauty Therapy Practitioner Skill category and Oscar getting a Highly Commended award in the Foundation Skills Digital category. This is a fantastic achievement that they should be extremely proud of. It will also improve their skills and their confidence for future careers and personal development.  

Ellie and Jodie also did exceptionally well, becoming finalists in the regional competitions before progressing to the national competition. This is a huge achievement and is an excellent way to improve the students’ resilience, adaptability, and confidence. It also improves their transferrable skills such as their time-management and their problem-solving skills. They also got to meet like-minded individuals and network with professionals in the industry. 

We recently received an email from Ellie’s parents, thanking the Hair and Beauty team for supporting Ellie throughout the competition and her studies, saying:  

“Ellie’s dad and I would like to thank you all so much for all the training, coaching, and time you have given Ellie in preparation for the WorldSkills 2025 finals.” 

“Your dedication and belief in her abilities have made an incredible impact on her journey. We are truly proud of her achievement, and her dedication to the competition was second to none. She did it for herself, but she also worked extremely hard for you.” 

“Thank you for being such inspiring mentors and we wish you every success in your candidates going forward.” 

As a college, we would like to say a massive well done to the students who competed, but also a huge well done and thank you to the lecturers behind-the-scenes who worked tirelessly with the students, training and supporting them to ensure they went in feeling confident and prepared. 

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.