Influencing, engaging and celebrating during Colleges Week 2024

It was a non-stop week of activity at Weymouth College, as we joined educational institutions across the country in marking Colleges Week.

Colleges Week, organised by the Association of Colleges (AoC), has been held annually for the past seven years. About 1.6million students attend Further Education colleges across the UK and this annual event is an opportunity to showcase the ways in which they transform lives and communities.

This year’s campaign was brought forward several months with the theme of ‘influencing, engaging and celebrating’, to ensure Further Education colleges could share their voice ahead of the spring budget and impending General Election.

The AoC released a series of political calls for action throughout the week, including plugging the skills gap, fair pay for Further Education teaching staff and improved tuition funds.

Weymouth College also took the opportunity to discuss a political issue that many of our own students feel passionately about – lowering the voting age to 16. AS Politics students Elliot and Finlay took to the stage in front of their peers and teachers to make arguments both for and against the suggested idea as part of Colleges Week.

Politics students Elliot and Finlay on stage for the Colleges Week debate

Elliot and Finlay recently stood as Weymouth College’s candidates in the Dorset Youth Parliament elections and students were encouraged to place their votes throughout February, with the results to be announced shortly.

As well as politics, there was a strong focus on the arts at Weymouth College during this year’s Colleges Week, as it coincided with our Creative Media department’s Industry Week.

Leading names from multiple creative media industries were welcomed to the College for guest lectures and workshops,  including Oscar-winning film producer and former Weymouth College student, Gareth Unwin, best known for his work on ‘The King’s Speech’.

The College even welcomed a Dalek from the set of ‘Doctor Who’, which was brought along by Wareham-based special effects company, The Twins FX.

Oscar-winning producer and former Weymouth College student Gareth Unwin gave a talk as part of Creative Media Industry Week – with his Oscar!

The Twins FX brought along a Dalek from Doctor Who for Creative Media Industry Week

Colleges Week was rounded off with a hugely successful Artistic Takeover at the Nothe Fort, which brought together students from Creative Media, Art & Design, Performing Arts and Music courses for an incredible showcase at this historic venue.

Despite the rain and high winds, students welcomed hundreds of guests for an evening of acting, singing, dancing, DJ and instrumental sets, with art installations decorating the underground tunnels of the fort.

Artwork at the Nothe Fort as part of the students’ Artistic Takeover, which rounded off Colleges Week

Throughout the week, we also celebrated many of the reasons why we #LoveOurColleges and shone a spotlight on the services and facilities that Weymouth College can offer the local community, including our adult learning courses and re-engagement for young people not in education, The Bay Theatre, The Avenue Restaurant, our activity centre Weymouth & Portland Adventure, our hair and beauty salons, and our Sports Centre, which also celebrated the launch of new virtual exercise classes.