Weston College recently delivered a highly successful series of online apprenticeship preparation workshops in collaboration with Channel 4, delivered in partnership with their 4Skills team. These sessions were specifically designed to support learners in advance of the Channel 4 Apprenticeship Programme, which is due to launch in January 2026, and to demystify the application and recruitment process for a highly competitive creative employer.
The workshops were well attended, with over 120 learners taking part from a wide range of curriculum areas, including Media, Creative, A Levels, Digital, Business, The King’s Trust, and SEND pathways. This broad engagement highlights both the strong interest in creative industry opportunities and the accessibility of the sessions across diverse learner groups.
Throughout the workshops, learners gained valuable and practical insight into the Channel 4 recruitment journey. This included guidance on completing high-quality applications, preparing for interviews, and approaching project-based assessment tasks with confidence. Particular emphasis was placed on the importance of values, behaviours, and transferable skills, alongside the attributes Channel 4 seek in aspiring apprentices entering the creative industries.
A key highlight of the sessions was the opportunity for learners to hear directly from current Channel 4 apprentices. Their first-hand experiences provided an authentic and relatable perspective on routes into the organisation, offering honest insights into day-to-day working life, progression opportunities, and what differentiates successful applicants. This peer-to-peer element proved especially impactful in building learner confidence and aspiration.
The positive impact of the workshops has been immediate and tangible. A number of learners have already submitted apprenticeship applications following the sessions, demonstrating increased confidence, motivation, and readiness to progress to the next stage of their career journey.
Overall, this collaboration showcases the strength and effectiveness of our wider Career Excellence employer partnerships and reinforces the value of targeted, employer-led enrichment activity in supporting learner progression into high-profile apprenticeship opportunities. Further collaborative activity with Channel 4 is planned for 2026, ensuring continued engagement and sustained impact for future cohorts.
This article was written by Epoch’s Marketing Manager, Ricardo P Martins.
Getting that first job is hard.
Even harder in an industry like ours, filled with self-doubt, giant egos, cut-throat competition, and most recently, the threat of an AI revolution. In this industry, opportunities for new talent to get a foot in the door are few and far between.
At Epoch, we believe that opportunities should be giving to everyone, not just to a few privileged people from the “right” schools and/or “right” backgrounds. So, if we see talent, we want to help.
With that drive in our hearts, we created the Epoch Academy.
The Academy, as we fondly call it internally, is Epoch’s internship programme. It’s our way of giving back to our community, providing opportunities for the next generation, nurturing both the future superstars of the industry and those who haven’t yet had the opportunity (or luxury) to break into the creative workforce yet.
We do that by maintaining strong relationships with a handful of universities across the UK. These are universities that not only produce incredible talent every academic year, but also align with our values of putting people first and building meaningful bonds.
We start creating these bonds by sending a team out to each one of these universities to spend time with the students, getting to know them on a one-to-one basis, hearing their stories, their ambitions and learning about what drives them. The Epoch Academy Workshop, held in Bristol around springtime, is the cherry on top of this beautiful relationship. It’s a day of celebrating all the talent we found along the way and spending quality time with them creating, brainstorming, conceptualising, and most importantly, having loads of fun together.
The Workshop is also an opportunity for them to bond not only with us but also with other young creatives from different universities, backgrounds and walks of life.
It’s important to say that, as we can’t visit all universities across the country, we also take applications for the Epoch Workshop on our website. We make sure that at least 40% of workshop attendees come from these website applications.
The biggest bond of this journey, however, is created during the internship itself. By then, they know us. They’ve met us in their classrooms, connected with us on LinkedIn, and spent a whole day with us in Bristol. So, when they come through big grey door at 54 Queen Square on their first day, it feels like arriving at a friend’s house.
It’s warm. It’s familiar.
Not to toot our own horn, but many of them want to stay.
A few already have.
And those bonds? They are for life.
Across the creative and digital industries, organisations are under constant pressure to deliver more — faster, smarter, and with limited resources. One increasingly valuable and often overlooked solution is hosting a T Level Software Development student on a structured industry placement.
These learners are not observers. They are developing practitioners who can meaningfully contribute to real projects while gaining essential industry experience.
T Levels are rigorous technical qualifications designed in collaboration with employers. As part of their course, learners complete a substantial industry placement, where they apply their skills in a real working environment.
Year 2 Software Development learners already have a solid technical foundation and are ready to support organisations with practical, hands-on work.
A T Level Software Development student from Access Creative College can support your organisation in a range of practical and productive ways, including:
Development Support
Assisting with front-end or back-end development tasks
Supporting website builds, updates, or feature improvements
Writing, testing, and debugging code under supervision
Testing & Quality Assurance
Testing applications or websites across browsers and devices
Logging bugs and supporting fixes
Carrying out user testing and feedback reviews
Digital & Technical Support
Updating content management systems
Supporting internal tools or dashboards
Assisting with basic automation or scripting tasks
Research & Documentation
Researching new technologies, frameworks, or tools
Creating technical documentation or user guides
Supporting planning, wireframing, or prototyping stages
Because these learners are still developing, they bring curiosity, fresh perspectives, and up-to-date technical knowledge — often aligned with current industry tools and workflows.
Hosting a T Level learner is not the same as recruiting a full-time employee. Placements are flexible, time-bound, and supported, allowing organisations to benefit from additional capacity without long-term commitment.
Many employers use placements to:
Trial future talent
Progress lower-priority but valuable projects
Upskill existing staff through mentoring opportunities
Strengthen links with the next generation of digital professionals
Organisations are not expected to navigate this alone. We at Access Creative College will support employers throughout the placement by:
Matching learners to suitable roles
Ensuring placements meet course requirements
Supporting onboarding and expectations
Acting as a point of contact throughout the placement
Learners arrive motivated, prepared, and keen to contribute — with clear learning objectives and guidance already in place.
By offering a T Level Software Development placement, organisations play a direct role in shaping the future talent pipeline for the creative and digital industries. It’s an opportunity to influence skills development, support social mobility, and give a young person meaningful industry experience — while gaining real value in return.
If your organisation works with software, digital products, platforms, or technology in any form, a T Level Software Development learner could be a practical, enthusiastic, and valuable addition to your team. If you are interested in finding out more, then please contact Industry Placement Officer [email protected] or 07930274298
Where most mural artists begin
The mural industry is an exciting place, and many young artists dream of becoming full-time muralists and creatives. Through our time in the industry, we’ve seen just how strong that ambition is. But we’ve also noticed some major barriers that make it incredibly difficult for upcoming artists to progress.
One of the biggest issues is simple: access to walls. Without physical spaces to paint and gain real experience, artists struggle to build portfolios, prove their credibility, and move from small personal work into professional projects. This lack of opportunity also plays a wider role in the graffiti challenges we see across Bristol, and is a key reason why there are fewer emerging mural artists than there could be.
For businesses looking to hire mural artists, this lack of early opportunity often means fewer emerging professional mural artists to choose from.
The biggest barrier for new mural artists: access to walls
The start of a young mural artist’s journey is often unclear. How can you build a portfolio without access to space? Private clients and businesses want to see how you deliver, and want to know that you’re confident working at scale. Without clear experience to back you up, you’re often relying on trust, which can be inconsistent. As a result, many artists turn to the street, finding quiet walls to paint. This helps build practice and confidence, but it doesn’t always translate well on a professional portfolio.
It quickly becomes a loop for new artists. You can’t get projects because you don’t have experience, and you can’t get experience because you can’t get projects. It’s a frustrating place to be, and it takes real grit and effort to escape.
This barrier doesn’t just disappear when you get your first wall either. If you want to go bigger, and work on larger-scale murals, the opportunities become even slimmer. Access remains one of the biggest limits on progression.
There are some ways to break through this that we’ve seen. Some artists use grant funding to incentivise clients to work with them, and there are occasional graffiti festivals that you can pay to enter. But these opportunities take time and effort to find, are often competitive, and rarely offer a clear or consistent route forward.
Why being a great mural artist isn’t enough
We’ve realised that you don’t just need to be a good artist to make it into the mural world, you also need to become an entrepreneur. Throughout your journey you often end up needing sales skills, web development skills, marketing, negotiating, and even accounting just to stay afloat. It’s hard enough to be exceptional at your craft, let alone good enough across all of these other areas as well.
That’s why we’ve noticed that many of the artists who do break through aren’t always the most naturally gifted, but they work relentlessly and fully embrace the entrepreneurial side of the journey. Not every artist is willing to cold call, walk into businesses, pitch themselves, and face rejection again and again. You often begin this career for the love of art, and slowly find yourself becoming a struggling salesperson for your own work.
This doesn’t even touch on the level of competition within the industry. Another skill you quickly realise you need is the ability to stand out and find your own lane. That takes time, trial and error, resilience, and business strategy, all alongside trying to stay creatively motivated.
Our experience building Art Sync
We saw this barrier first-hand while building Art Sync. We knew we had the ability to deliver, but back then we had no portfolio. It took time to secure our first project, and even then, it wasn’t at the scale we originally wanted. But it got our foot in the door, and helped us to start building momentum.
We came into Art Sync with experience in business and sales, so we knew from day one that putting ourselves out there and facing rejection was unavoidable. That background gave us the confidence to approach conversations properly, build trust with clients, and establish a visible online presence from the start.
Most artists aren’t fortunate enough to have experience in these areas, so a lot of the journey becomes learning by doing. From what we’ve seen, one of the most effective ways to get that first experience is through your network. Who do you know with walls? Do you know any business owners? Would your family let you paint a mural? These small opportunities can help build early experience without relying on street work to represent your professional identity.
Creating real mural opportunities for artists in Bristol
We’re not just sharing this problem, we’re actively trying to solve it from the inside. By building strong relationships with businesses and institutions, we’re starting to unlock real wall space opportunities and create access where it didn’t exist before. Our latest partnership with UWE and New Wave is beginning to bring some exciting projects to life in early 2026.
We’ll be installing six murals for UWE across Bower Ashton, Frenchay Campus, and their new Kingfisher Court accommodation. Alongside the installations, we’ll be offering students the opportunity to shadow, assist, and take part in design workshops to begin developing real mural skills. The first project will be at Bower Ashton, where students will be involved in the full design process, from concept development through to helping paint the final winning design. This is just the first of several UWE projects that will include learning opportunities.
Alongside this, we’ve also received permission to paint at Skyline Park. We’ll be organising a spray day to give artists open access to a wall where they can experiment, practise, and gain real experience. The aim is to create a space for artists to learn by doing, connect with one another, and build confidence. We plan to offer this as a free experience, removing the financial barrier to entry.
Building a stronger mural ecosystem
This problem is real, and we genuinely want to help. Of course we care about supporting upcoming artists, but we also believe that by strengthening the mural ecosystem as a whole, we strengthen what we’re building too. Bringing new talent through keeps the industry moving, and keeps our own work evolving.
We’re excited to see where artists go when they’re given real opportunities, real walls, and real experience. If you’re an artist trying to find your way in this space, we see you, and we’re committed to doing what we can to make that path a little clearer to walk.
Whether you’re a business looking to hire mural artists, or an artist searching for real mural opportunities in Bristol, we want to play a part in making those connections happen.
If you’d like to hear about upcoming spray days, student projects, or future opportunities, you can follow our journey on Instagram.
Bristol and the wider region’s creative businesses have a narrow window to access substantial government funding for skills development. This is co-funded employer training. Mastered has secured funding that covers up to 90% of training costs – reducing the typical £4,000 per person investment to just £400 – but all funds must be allocated by mid-December 2025, with training completed by end of March 2026.
This is your last opportunity to secure this year’s funding allocation.
Government funding cycles operate on strict timelines. Businesses need to register interest and confirm participation before the December deadline. With funding allocated on a first-come, first-served basis, early movers will secure their spots whilst others miss out entirely.
The good news? You’ve got just enough time to get your team’s development sorted before the Christmas break, with training delivered through Q1 2026 when you need it most.
This opportunity is specifically available to creative studios and businesses in Bristol, Bath, South Gloucestershire, and North Somerset through the West of England Mayoral Combined Authority (WEMCA) funding partnership.
The programmes are designed for all creative companies — technical directors, heads of production, creative leads, client services and finance teams who need to stay ahead of the curve. Training focuses on real business challenges, including:
Recognising that creative teams can’t always commit to weekly sessions, Mastered offers flexible formats—from intensive 2-day blocks to spread-out sessions that fit around production schedules. Training can be structured around your Q1 2026 workflow.
“We know Bristol’s studios are juggling ambitious projects whilst navigating new technologies,” commented Perri Lewis, CEO of Mastered.
“This funding window is tight, but it means senior leaders and specialists can access world-class training without the usual cost barriers. The December deadline is real—we’re urging studios to act now rather than miss this year’s allocation entirely.”
The deadline for fund allocation is mid-December 2025, with all training to be completed by 31st March 2026. Funding is allocated first-come, first-served.
Don’t leave this as a “next year” problem. Secure your funding allocation now.
For further information, fill in this form or contact Tim Fleming, industry partnerships manager at Mastered. Find a time that works for you here.
Founded in 2014, Mastered delivers government-funded, industry-focused training that helps senior creative talent stay ahead of the game. We’ve supported over 8,000 professionals across 95+ countries and partnered with 30+ studios to develop the skills their teams need most.
We believe the creative industries deserve better training: accessible, flexible, affordable, and always current. By ensuring talent can thrive, we help studios create better work, build stronger teams, and shape the future of culture, technology, and storytelling.
BRAVA (Bristol Academy of Voice Acting) is delighted to announce that it has received two Society of Voice Arts and Sciences (SOVAS) Award nominations.
Best Podcast Host
The nominations are for Outstanding Podcast – Best Producer/Host – for BRAVA Founder and CEO, Melissa Thom, for the High Notes podcast on the art and business of voice.
From Monoglian throat singing to vocal health, accents, gaming and more, High Notes uncovers the craft behind the business. Series 3 has just dropped and explores ‘Words at Work’, talking to some of the best minds about voice, speech and communication for business.
Best Audio Drama
BRAVA has also been nominated for Outstanding Audio Drama for Angels in Bristol, an original Film Noir script based in 1954 Bristol, written and directed by Elaine A. Clark, and produced by Melissa Thom.
Elaine wrote the script exclusively for BRAVA’s in-person Characters Masterclass, held in Bristol every summer. This annual event provides participants with the opportunity to be cast in and record a range of productions, from audiobooks, to audio dramas, video games and more.
Melissa Thom, Founder & CEO of BRAVA said:
“I could not be prouder of everyone at BRAVA involved in these nominations. It’s a real testimony to the talent of our voice clients. Here’s to storytelling, community, and the power of voice; to putting Bristol and the South West firmly on the global voice map; and, most importantly, to creating art for pleasure!”.
BRAVA’s High Notes podcast is hosted and produced by Melissa Thom, audio and video engineer Euan McAleece, and audio and video editor, David Macgregor.
The Angels in Bristol cast: Carla O’Shaughnessy, Tiffany Xin, Marilla Lamour, Tina Duffin, Gwen Henderson, Tyler Woodburn, Guy Pass, Daniel Watson, Amy Smith, Rebecca Kozlen, Tabitha Owens and Melissa Thom. The Producer was Melissa Thom and Assistant Producer, Tabitha Owens.
To work with BRAVA on voice, speech and communication in the workplace and beyond, drop us a line at [email protected] or visit our website at www.brava.uk.com
Students on Weston College’s UAL Foundation Diploma in Art & Design have recently completed an impactful seven-week project titled “Visual Rebellion: The Rule Breakers”, showcasing their creativity and critical thinking through bold artistic exploration.
The UAL Foundation Diploma in Art & Design is a 1-year pre-degree course designed to give students the opportunity to trial a wide range of mediums before specialising. It provides valuable time for learners to refine their skills, explore their interests, and prepare for progression into higher education or creative industries.
The project encouraged learners to break formal rules in art and design, using their work to express authentic beliefs and challenge social, political, and personal conventions. Themes explored included political and social issues, personal experiences, and the boundaries of scale and material use.
Throughout the project, students investigated influential artists who cover topics such as propaganda, war, corruption, and exploitation. The aim was to provoke thought, foster creativity, and stimulate dialogue through art that carries personal meaning and relevance.
The first part of the project focused on research, including a trip to Bristol and seminars on research methodologies. Learners explored five avenues of “Visual Rebellion”, collecting imagery and presenting their findings digitally.
Over the following weeks, students rotated through specialist pathways including Surface & Form, Interdisciplinary Fine Art, and Visual Communication. Students also took part in practical workshops which offered hands-on experience in digital media, printmaking, 3D design, collage, lens-based work, and illustrative sewing. This was a fantastic opportunity for them to trial a range of mediums and figure out which form of art was their preferred pathway.
Each learner maintained a record of their journey through sketchbooks and personal blogs, documenting research, workshop outcomes, and reflections which built their portfolios and showcased the effort and research gone into their artwork. The project concluded with a thorough evaluation of each pathway and the overall experience.
This course is a fantastic opportunity for students who are unsure what they want to do and who fancy exploring new ways to express themselves through art. Whether you have studied art before or not does not matter on this course, all you need is to have completed a Level 3 course and have a passion for creativity.
Well done to all the students and the amazing work they have produced so far!
This project forms part of the UAL Foundation Diploma in Art & Design 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.
Progress to the next level in Creative Arts! At University Centre Weston (UCW) our students give us impressive feedback, with our latest National Student Survey results putting us above average in all nine areas! Find out more about our exceptional teaching, wellbeing services and learning resources by visiting our website. Click here!
Bristol… we are coming to meet you! Help us shape the future media creatives for our region. We are looking to engage with TV, film, content media, games, animation and the photography industry on 26th November at the gorgeous St George’s Hall
✅ Discuss key challenges and opportunities in the creative sector
✅ Shape future talent pipelines and influence taught curriculum
✅ Strengthen collaboration between education and industry to drive
Enjoy breakfast and open discussion with representatives from Weston College, University Centre Weston and Business West LSIP team
If you’re an employer in the creative industries and would like to join us, sign up through here
https://www.weston.ac.uk/event/media-production-photography-games-and-animation-employer-advisory-board
Join the online SEND Employment Forum: Building an Inclusive Workforce in North Somerset.
North Somerset Council and Weston college have launched Inclusive Futures – a SEND focused Employment Forum to drive growth in Supported Internships and create more employment opportunities for young people with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND).
Securing and maintaining meaningful work can be challenging for individuals with autism or learning disabilities. However, evidence shows that Supported Employment, a structured, partnership-based approach; can make a lasting difference by helping individuals gain and sustain successful employment.
We are working closely to support local employers, education providers, and support organisations to increase the employment rate of young people and adults with learning disabilities and/or autism.
The Inclusive Futures SEND Forum aims to:
We invite you to join us for an engaging discussion on Supported Internships in North Somerset. This event is tailored for forward-thinking employers who want to explore inclusive recruitment strategies and open doors for young people aged 16–24 with SEND or an Education, Health, and Care Plan (EHCP). Employers of all sizes are welcome from all sectors to discover more and be part of a young person’s employment story.
University Centre Weston is gathering valuable insights from employers across all sectors to better understand current and future demand for digital apprenticeships and we’d like business input.
If your business employs, or is considering employing, digital talent at any level, please take a few minutes to complete our short survey:
Complete the Digital Apprenticeships Employer Survey
The survey lists a range of digital apprenticeship standards (Levels 2–6), from data and software roles to cyber and digital infrastructure. Your feedback will help us ensure that training and skills provision in the region align with real employer needs.
We’re particularly keen to hear from:
Your input will directly inform how we design, deliver, and support digital apprenticeships that meet the evolving needs of employers and industry. You can also sign up to join our Digital Future Breakfast on 10th November taking place at University Centre Weston.
Thank you for helping us shape the future of digital skills in the West of England. If you would prefer to chat directly, please reach out to me at [email protected] and we can arrange a call.
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