Business Enterprise Challenge is a fantastic competition ran every year for Business and Travel and Tourism students to give them a chance to work as a team and create a marketable product that they can sell to the public in order to raise money for Weston Hospicecare. This is the fourth year of the Business Enterprise Challenge and, so far, their efforts have raised over £22,500 for Weston Hospicecare in the last 4 years!  

There were 21 groups in total and each group start the challenge with a £50 investment from local employers to be used as the start up for their products. They then design and create an innovative business plan to sell and reinvest their profits to further develop their sales and grow their product and community impact.  

Every group taking part in this challenge are provided with a business mentor from a local employer in Weston-super-Mare. These mentors provide support and guidance throughout the whole process, offering the students with invaluable advice in areas such as networking, financial management, sales and much more. This provides the learners with essential transferrable skills for future entrepreneurs.  

All groups came up with unique and innovative products, however three groups in particular took the challenge in stride and exceeded all expectations, raising large sums of money and going above and beyond during the selling process. During this challenge, we offer Bronze, Silver and Gold awards as an incentive to work harder and win the title. The winners also got public recognition and a certificate to reward their efforts.  

Our Bronze winners created personalised lip gloss keychains which were loved by all ages. By keeping costs low and sales high, their product remains popular among students and staff. Their dedication, even outside of lessons, helped them raise an impressive £519.16. 

Our Silver winners showcased creativity and smart reinvestment, selling bespoke Halloween and Christmas candles at high-profit margins. They leveraged each other's strengths, worked closely with their mentors, and attended external events, raising an amazing £627.25. 

All teams worked extremely hard, but our Gold winners, Wax and Walkies, smashed the record, raising more money than any other group in the last four years with a fantastic £1,100. Selling wax melts, hot chocolate, and dog treats, they created a diverse range of products to maximise sales. With mentor Sarah’s guidance, they built one of the project’s strongest brands, earning them the top spot—complete with custom T-shirts to further promote their products!   

This challenge allows the students to think creatively and independently in order to develop and sell products for profit. By working with local employers and mentors, the students got to engage with the local community, whilst also learning more about the logistics behind setting up a business and the importance of financial management and much more. It gave them invaluable experience from a real-world setting and provided them with transferrable skills for the future.  

Kirsty Simmons, the Community Fundraising Manager at Weston Hospicecare, thanked our students for the amazing work they have done for them over the years, adding, “This fundraiser is amazing for Weston Hospicecare and Weston College because we’re getting the community together. Not only are we getting fundraising, but the students are learning from mentors that are out in the business world where they can make new relationships and connections which they can use going forward.  

This money will go to patients with life-limiting illnesses and their family members. It’s really crucial to know that we are not just here for the patients, but we are also here for their families.”  

We are incredibly proud of all the students who have taken part this year, raising a total that has surpassed all other years once again with a fantastic £7289.87 which has been donated directly to Weston Hospicecare.  

Thank you to the mentors and local employers that invested in our learners, got involved with the project and supported them through the process. This challenge would not be possible without your involvement.  

If you’re interested in applying to one of our Business or Travel and Tourism courses, click here.  

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. 

Hello everyone, my name is Callum Kavanagh, and I am studying the Digital Production Design and development T level (DPDD) at Weston College. I would love to share my experience of my industry placement at Lloyds Banking Group and how I managed to get to where I am.

My Journey at Weston College

Before joining the DPDD T Level with Weston College, I completed a level 2 course (due to not having the GCSE qualifications) as a progression route to get to the T Level. This helped to build my confidence and basic computing knowledge and even basic academic skills. With support from my Level 2 course, I then achieved a grade I was happy with and progressed with the necessary qualifications to the Digital Production Design and Development T Level.

Once I started the T Level I was quickly introduced to the hands-on working experience side of the T Level, with talks of employers and how we will be supported in finding them for the Industry Placement module of our course.

We got to experience a full process of interviews and questions from employers and those who got accepted by an employer could progress onto the industry placement with them. Our lecturer and careers advisors helped train us for these interviews and build our CVS and interview skills.

My Role at Lloyds Banking Group

During my placement at Lloyds Banking Group, I worked within a data team. I took part in Data Visualisation and Software Development; the work I was tasked with was part of a large-scale strategic project that had a real impact on the company. I was able to work alongside experts in the field, where I completed a solo project that I was tasked with by Lloyds Banking Group. This solo project was directly linked to a real-world project that the team was working on, and I was given the task of creating a program to help the teams efficiency. I later found out the program I made was used and built upon by another member of the team who I worked closely with and is now standard use within the team!

I managed to learn so much within the industry by working there, getting real experience truly is the best way to learn and grow as a developer. I learnt a variety of skills from programming to accessibility and data visualisation, the learning wasn’t only hard skills for the workplace but also key skills transferable to any situation and daily life. I learnt how to work effectively within a team environment and how to complete presentations to large scale audiences. I was able to complete a presentation about my project to over 100 other professionals during a team’s call and sharing my ideas within the company.

How I was Supported

Weston College and Lloyds Banking Group were both incredible at providing support within the industry placement. Lloyds Banking Group always had team members willing to mentor me and answer any questions I had about my own project or the company itself. Weston College maintained a strong line of communication while I was within Lloyds Banking Group, checking everything was going as planned and no changes needed to be made.

As someone who struggles with ADHD, I had worries about if I would be able to stay focused and complete this course. I worried how I would do within a working environment and how I could manage my problems. However, Weston College provided me with support throughout the placement, which was done primarily by a personal member of the ADHD support team at Weston College who I was able to speak to. This became a regular occurrence, and I now meet with him on a regular basis where I learn to manage my ADHD. I also received support from my tutors as they had an understanding of my situation and were always willing to speak with me if I ever had any problems.

Standout Moments

The main standout moment for me was being given the trust to take on a solo project and given time to be by myself and work on that project. Being included within the team and not just given some training made me feel important and wanted by the team. This made my working environment an enjoyable place to be and one I could thrive in.

Plans Following T Level Completion

After my Industry Placement with Lloyd’s Banking Group, I was able to show them my dedication and desire to work further with them. Because of this, I have been offered an apprenticeship with Lloyd’s Banking Group within the same team I worked with during my industry placement.

My advice to others considering the T Level is – DO IT! The T Level course is an incredible course for not only its level of educational standards, but also the opportunity to work within a company and get real experience, which is worth more than any number of textbooks could teach you. If you have the commitment to get your work done, then you will have so many opportunities with this course and even possibly get a direct link to a future employer like I did to Lloyds Banking Group.

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. 

Last month, a group of Business and Travel and Tourism students went on an exciting trip to New York City. They explored famous landmarks, experienced different cultures, and learned more about their studies in a real-world setting.  

The trip gave students a chance to see how a big city operates and to visit well-known places like the Statue of Liberty, Brooklyn Bridge, Times Square, Rockefeller Centre, Wall Street, the Empire State Building, Grand Central Station, the 9/11 Memorial and Museum, the High Line, and Central Park. Each stop gave them a better understanding of history, business, and tourism and, because they visited over Valentine’s Day, they witnessed 4 proposals which was definitely a highlight!  

Besides the main attractions, students also explored Ellis Island, Chinatown, Little Italy, and 5th Avenue. These areas gave them a glimpse into the different cultures that make up New York and allowed them to see parts of the city that are not always on the typical tourist route.  

Many students found the 9/11 Memorial and Museum particularly impactful as it was such a powerful experience and a massive part of history, being portrayed through exhibitions, personal stories, and artefacts. For our Travel learners, it put something they have read and learnt about in the classrooms into a real-world context and gave them a deeper understanding of how it affected travel and tourism, not only in America, but internationally.  

Lucille, a first-year Level 3 Travel and Tourism student, shared her experience: “The New York trip was so much fun, from seeing and exploring the landmarks of the city to meeting other learners in other classes who also went on the trip. I especially enjoyed seeing the Statue of Liberty and Brooklyn Bridge while getting to try some classic New York experiences like riding in a yellow taxi and tasting amazing food.”  

Hannah Carstensen, one of our Travel and Tourism lecturers who organised the trip, added, “For both our Business and Travel and Tourism learners, this was an incredible opportunity to visit a premier destination for tourism which is home to countless corporations, financial institutions and business headquarters.”   

Beyond learning, the trip helped the learners create unforgettable memories and build friendships with students on different courses that they don’t always get chance to interact with. It was an incredible trip that allowed them to experience a city completely different to Weston-super-Mare.  

If you are interested in applying to one of our Business or Travel and Tourism courses, click here. 

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.