Every so often we like to shine the spotlight on our members, and in this case one of the members of the Bristol Initiative. We sat down with David Crew, Head of Business Growth & Employer Partnerships for Weston College to talk about their life at Weston College and their relationship with the Bristol Initiative.
Sam Harrison: Tell us about your role – what do you have responsibility for? What does a typical day look like?
David Crew: As the Head of Business Growth & Employer Partnerships at Weston College, I am responsible for how the College engages with businesses and continues to grow. It’s a varied and fast-paced role. The College sees its relationships with employers as integral to its recent growth and future growth plans. I'm naturally curious about businesses and organisations, love building partnerships, and passionate about the impact of further education.
I lead a team of five staff who work collaboratively across all college faculties to co-design industry-approved curriculums, meet recruitment and growth needs of businesses, and create apprenticeship and staff training programmes for businesses. My role requires strategic thinking, project management, and engaging with key stakeholders across the South West.
What does my typical day look like? Meeting my team to discuss ongoing projects. Meeting business leaders to assess the impact of our partnership, or create new initiatives to address their challenges. Chairing project working groups to ensure we deliver impact. Most weeks we have an employer forum, an employer guest lecture or we often attend or speak at industry events.
My role entails a dynamic blend of relationship building, project management, strategic planning, and staying up-to-date with industry trends. Each day presents unique challenges and opportunities, so alongside leading a talented and passionate team it leads to an exciting and fulfilling role.
SH: What does your organisation do? Why do you like working for them?
DC: Weston College is one of the top-performing further and higher education colleges in the country employing circa 800 people, making it one of the largest employers in North Somerset. It’s a national centre of excellence for SEND (special education needs and disabilities) and the South West Apprenticeship Provider of the Year (2023).
- 100+ courses for 5,000 16-18 year old students
- 23 degree level courses for 1,000 university students
- 70+ apprenticeships for 2,500 apprentices annually
- Many courses for the 9,000+ adults who retrain or upskill with us every year
The College works with key employers across the city to train their staff or future workforce. Examples include the NHS where we train healthcare professionals, future aerospace engineers in Filton, construction professionals who work on major projects, paralegals at law firms, and software developers working in Bristol’s tech sector.
We have two training centres in Bristol. Our Bristol Training Institute (BTI) is in BS1, opened a year ago and has trained 500+ people in the heart of Bristol. We also train engineers at a co-location arrangement at GKN’s Global Technology Centre in Filton through our Institute of Technology. Community is key, and I see our staff training people in community venues in Lawrence Weston, Knowle or Easton. We take the ‘classroom’ to the community.
Weston College has become a regional education force with a real community focus, with learners at the heart of everything that we do.
SH: Why have you joined the Bristol Initiative?
DC: Weston College is part of Bristol Initiative because we feel that a strong business and education ecosystem will unlock the potential of the region. The Initiative gives us a seat at the table. We build partnerships, listen to the conversation and respond with training that people can access. We also have a strong relationship with Business West and support their work to create Local Skills Improvement Plans, ensuring education providers offer training that employers actually need.
At Weston College, we are passionate about innovation and the Initiative aligns perfectly with our values and aspirations in driving positive change and creating opportunities for our students and the wider community.
Additionally, the Initiative's emphasis on equality, diversity, and inclusion resonates strongly with us. We have been actively working towards building an inclusion-aware business community, offering training workshops on supporting neurodivergent employees and colleagues. We have trained over 200 individuals over 7 dedicated 1 day workshops in the last academic year which has resulted in key local business making significant changes with their organisation.
By joining the Bristol Initiative, we hope to collaborate with other members, share best practices, and contribute to initiatives focused on enhancing education, supporting learners, and fostering economic growth in the region.
SH: What are the key agendas that you’re looking forward to getting involved with?
DC: There are several key agendas that we are excited to engage with as part of the Bristol Initiative. Firstly, we are eager to continue our work in building an inclusive business community. We plan to offer more Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion training in the upcoming academic term, and we invite members to participate and contribute to these initiatives.
We are also keen on expanding our industry placement portfolio to offer robust work experience opportunities for our learners. We would appreciate the support and involvement of Bristol Initiative members who are interested in partnering with us to provide work placements and supported internships for learners with additional needs.
Additionally, we are open to exploring collaborations and partnerships that align with our mission of connecting learners with industry and supporting employers with future talent. We invite members to engage in discussions regarding how we can create more apprenticeships in our region, as we train many apprentices each year and see this as a key area for growth not only at our College but also in Bristol.
Ultimately, the only offer that I have is a conversation, as that’s where it all starts. Understanding the challenge, creating a vision, delivering action and seeing that impact. Employers@weston.ac.uk is where the journey begins.
SH: Where is your favourite place to visit in Bristol?
DC: I’m born in Bristol with strong family roots in BS3, living in Bedminster for 15 years. I love the city and have seen it change so much in the past 20 years into a vibrant place that connects people. Sunday morning walks around the harbourside with a visit to Brunel’s Buttery are a favourite. My wife and I have a newborn baby so this gets us out of the house! You can't beat a meal in Clifton and we also love Wapping Wharf. A catch up with friends over a pint in King Street is always welcome. Being a lifelong Bristol City FC fan, I'm often watching a match at Ashton Gate Stadium with friends and family – my wife refers to Ashton Gate as my second home! The city has so many things to offer, and I find that I'm always finding something new.
You can follow the fantastic work of Weston College on LinkedIn and Twitter. If you are a member of a Bussiness West Chambers of Commerce and would like to be featured in a blog just like this one then you can get in touch.
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