Last month, Health and Social Care students took part in Health and Social Care Future Skills Week, a week-long project focused on developing important skills for their future careers. Each day gave students the chance to learn something new, work with professionals, and explore different areas of the health and social care sector. 

The week started with a wellbeing day, where students worked with the Student Engagement Team, taking part in activities designed to help them look after their own wellbeing, including art therapy, a gym induction, and an afternoon of sports. This gave students time to focus on their own health and welfare and learn ways to stay healthy in the future. 

On Tuesday, students met with guest speakers from different areas of Health and Social Care. Nick Mallett from University Hospitals Bristol and Weston shared his experience in nursing, as well as Jenny Gamlin, a community midwife and health visitor, Michelle Clarke, a respiratory specialist, and Clare Waggett, an occupational therapist, also discussed their roles and what they entail. These sessions provided our learners with a better understanding of the various career options available in the sector. 

Wednesday was all about learning key workplace skills. Students took part in training for manual handling, first aid, and learned about National Early Warning Score 2 (NEWS2) and Sepsis 6. These are essential skills that are required for students who wish to begin working in the health and social care sector. 

On Thursday, students took part in the ‘100 New Ideas’ project where they worked in teams with students from different levels to come up with creative ideas to support older people’s health and wellbeing. Their ideas were part of a campaign by the St Monica Trust, and the best ones were chosen by a panel of judges. The winning teams received prizes, and their ideas were shared with St Monica Trust. 

The winning idea from our students was to facilitate a bus service between their care villages in Bristol and North Somerset. This would allow residents to participate in events across the organisation, visit people they may know and meet new people. Students also came up with ideas to support dental care, a dating service to build friendships and relationships, and creating more spaces for a variety of worship.

Health and Social Care Future Skills Week provided our students with opportunities to experience different career pathways with industry professionals. It was an excellent way to network and build connections, but also prepare them for a variety of sectors with invaluable information from hands-on workshops and informative guest lectures. 

Thank you to the industry professionals who took the time to visit our Health and Social Care students and share your first-hand experience. 

If you are interested in applying to one of our Health and Social Care courses, click here.

Weston College is proud to announce that it has successfully retained its ISO 27001 certification for the sixth consecutive year, following a rigorous audit conducted between 10th – 13th February 2025. This certification reaffirms the College’s ongoing commitment to the highest information security management standards.

ISO 27001 is the internationally recognised standard for information security, ensuring that organisations implement best practices in safeguarding sensitive data. Retaining this certification highlights Weston College’s proactive approach to risk management, data protection, and cybersecurity, setting it apart as one of the few Further Education (FE) colleges in the UK to consistently meet this prestigious standard.

Pat Jones, Principal and Chief Executive of Weston College, expressed her pride in this achievement: “Maintaining our ISO 27001 certification for six years in a row is a testament to the dedication and expertise of our staff in ensuring the security of our information systems. As a College, we continuously strive to uphold the highest levels of data protection, ensuring that our students, staff, and stakeholders can trust in our robust security measures. This certification demonstrates our unwavering commitment to excellence in digital security.”

The successful audit underscores the College’s adherence to best practices in information security, assuring students, employer partners, and regulatory bodies that Weston College remains at the forefront of secure and innovative education services.

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, Guthrie Kennard, an American singer-songwriter from Texas, visited our Music Performance and Production learners, offering invaluable insight into the world of songwriting and performance. With over 60 years of experience in Old Blues and Southern country music, Guthrie brought not only his talent but also his wisdom, sharing stories from a lifetime dedicated to music. 

Guthrie has played bass for six decades and performed alongside legendary musicians like Larry Graham, Buddy Miles, Rocky Hill, and Ray Wylie Hubbard. From playing gigs in small intimate settings to massive crowds of 50,000 people during the peak of the blues movement, Guthrie had many amazing stories to share with our learners about his journey. 

His passion for music has never faltered, “I have more stories than I do money,” he admitted, and even at 74, he continues to play because it brings him joy and fulfilment. 

During his visit, Guthrie shared insights into the songwriting process. He emphasised the importance of originality in lyrics, advising students to avoid repetition and make every line unique. His songwriting process is also largely organic—he starts with chords and a melody, often relying on drum patterns to guide the rhythm.  

While he doesn’t always plan albums in advance, he claims that he has a clear sense of the sound he wants to achieve. “I usually have a feeling of what an album will sound like, and I will write a song and decide that I need to keep it in that genre,” he explained. 

Guthrie finds inspiration for his songs originates from the world around him. “I listen to stories, so if I hear a line that inspires me, I will use it as a lyric,” he shared. However, he also admitted to struggling with writer’s block, encouraging the students to keep writing, whether it’s serious songs or silly and fun, every bit of creativity is progress. 

The students were captivated when Guthrie performed in our Michael Eavis music Suite at Loxton Campus. Many of our learners aspire for a lifetime career in music in the future, giving them a lot of encouragement and insight into their chosen industry.  

Guthrie acknowledges that his age has slowed him down a bit and discussed the challenges he has faced over time, but his love for music has always outweighed the negatives and he doesn’t want to stop playing. “I love doing it, and it keeps me going. It’s something I’ve done since I was a kid. Even though it’s been hard, it’s also kept me alive.” 

During his visit, Guthrie praised Weston College’s facilities and the warmth of the students and staff, admitting that he was actually a bit nervous to be there. 

Guthrie’s insights and experiences provided the students with an honest, unfiltered look at the realities of being a musician. From handling criticism to navigating the financial struggles of the industry, he offered an abundance of knowledge that will undoubtedly help shape the future generation of artists.  

We’d like to say a huge thank you to Guthrie Kennard for taking the time to visit us all the way from Texas and share his amazing journey and wisdom with our students. 

If you’re interested in applying to one of our Music and Production courses, click here.