Juanita recounted how she embarked on her musical career alongside her five older siblings, known as ‘The Wynn Sisters,’ at her father’s church when she was just five years old. At eighteen, Juanita began crafting her own songs, attracting the attention of industry giant Quincy Jones’ Music Publishing, leading to her first two-year deal. She went on to sign a five-year contract with Sony ATV Music Publishing.

Describing her songwriting talents, Juanita told the learners how her lyrics have graced the works of musical legends such as Diana Ross, Fred Hammond, Angie Stone, and Destiny’s Child (Beyoncé, Kelly Rowland and Michelle Williams). From gospel to R&B to jazz, Juanita’s versatility shines through. She has also created compositions for jazz musicians, such as Ben Tankard and Norman Brown.

In 2017, Juanita’s song ‘This Is Your Life’ was featured on the Grammy award-winning Best R&B Album of the Year and in 2022 her song ‘He’s Been Good’ was nominated for a Dove Award.

Juanita’s lyrical narratives reflect her journey – from preacher’s daughter to runaway teen, a homeless mother of two, and eventually a counsellor-turned-professional musician. Now, having performed as a motivational singer and speaker in the United States and South Africa, she shares her stories of love, joy, peace and resilience.

In the Q and A, our Foundation Learning students asked very varied questions, including ‘Who was your biggest musical influence?’ – “Stevie Wonder, for his great storytelling”; ‘How do you promote yourself when you’re starting out in music?’ – “TikToks, using snippets of your songs,” to ‘How many songs have you written?’ – “147 in my catalogue and 15 have been published” to her loves for fashion, the UK and sports. She also said that her favourite book is ‘The Alchemist’ – and her car of choice would be a Chevy Suburban SUV – “I’m very tall!” she explained.

About Juanita Wynn
33rd Annual GMA Dove Award Nominee 2002
Urban Recorded Song of the Year – ‘He’s Been Good’ by Virtue (Derek ‘DOA’ Allen, Juanita Wynn, and Joe Archie)

59th Annual Grammy Awards Winner 2017
Best R&B Album – ‘Lalah Hathaway Live’ by Lalah Hathaway; featuring ‘This is Your Life’ (Lalah Hathaway, Jonathan Richmond and Juanita Wynn)

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The twelve films vary from ‘how to choose the right paint brush for the job at hand’; ‘stirring paint to achieve the right consistency’ and ‘cutting in for the perfect finish’. Films will also soon be available on ‘how to create your own dust catcher when drilling’ and the best techniques for hanging pictures.

Head of Content & PR Sean Wozencroft from the communications agency 8848, which is based in the Midlands, said he chose Southall Community College as he had worked here before with another construction industry client Selco.

Sean said: “Southall Community College is an amazing facility, promoting top-notch resources and opportunities for construction students. It was the perfect location for our filming.”

Videographer John Bridgewater explained that he was shooting the films in landscape format, and ensuring the action was central to the frame so that the videos could also be used in square and portrait formats such as Instagram, Facebook and TikTok.

Professional presenter Gary Hirst tackled most of the tasks, while Leyland’s Senior Commercial Manager Steve Thorndike also carried out some of them.

Leyland is supporting iQQTV with £500 to spend at any of its 33 stores in London.

Enda Mulloy, Deputy Head of Construction said: “We are very grateful to the construction resources Leyland provided for our students to use, including electrical and lighting materials, wood, tools, silicones and sealants, ladders and plumbing items too.”

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The 14-week leadership programme, which began in February 2024, ends in May. So far the twelve carpentry students taking part have enjoyed a week-long residential trip to the beautiful Brecon Beacons in Wales, where they learned team building, leadership and outdoor skills to build resilience and confidence. Right now, the students are busy creating environmental social impact projects, which they pitched to the Berkeley team for feedback during their visit to The Green Quarter. In July, students will attend a leaders’ graduation ceremony to receive their certificates of achievement.

Peter Fleet, Youth Development Manager for Groundwork London, said: “This project has been a perfect fit for Southall Community College, which is situated very close to Berkeley’s The Green Quarter. The students are Carpentry learners, so they are finding out about sustainable building methods through Berkeley, and leadership and environmental skills through Groundwork London.”

“The leadership programme brings many other benefits to the students,” said Enda Mulloy, Deputy Head of Construction at Southall Community College. “Our students have gained confidence, employability skills, deepened their understanding of construction, and are making a real contribution to the local community through their social action projects.”

The social action projects the learners are working on include ideas for the building of greenhouses for residents of The Green Quarter to grow their own vegetables, and bird boxes, plant and veg pots for the apartment blocks’ balconies. The students are also looking at recycling initiatives.

Skye Graham, one of the Carpentry Level 1 students on the leadership programme, said: “I was fascinated to see how considerate they’ve been about the people who are going to live there. They’ve included relaxation spaces and made separate play areas for the older and younger children. They’ve even put blocks on the paths so that pedestrians and cyclists can use them safely.”

Classmate Daniel Ettienne said: “My favourite part was the canal, you can hear the birds singing, it’s a great place to chill. They’ve done so much work to clean the water and paths and make it a peaceful and relaxing place to be.”

Both Skye and Daniel are enjoying their leadership programme too. Skye said: “leading teams on the residential and giving instructions to motivate people, has given me more confidence to stand my own ground.” Daniel said the residential had taught him to be a better leader and team member: “I make sure I listen to everyone’s viewpoint and perspective and include their ideas as well.”

The Berkeley Foundation is the independent charitable foundation set up by the Berkeley Group. They have committed over £26 million to more than 100 charities and organisations that they partner with to help young people overcome barriers, improve their lives and build a fairer society. They work in close partnership with the Berkeley Group, and the company provides the majority of funding. Staff from across Berkeley do a fantastic job of raising money through fundraising events and Give As You Earn, as well as giving them access to a wide range of assets and opportunities, from staff volunteers, to work placements for the young people on the programmes.

Groundwork is a federation of charities mobilising practical community action on poverty and the environment across the UK. They’re passionate about creating a future where every neighbourhood is vibrant and green, every community is strong and able to shape its own destiny and no-one is held back by their background or circumstances.

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The title ‘Student With Voices’ encapsulates the essence of the event, acknowledging that each student possesses a multitude of avenues for expression beyond mere spoken word or poetry. It encompasses their diverse talents and passions, from music, dance, and visual arts to areas such as hairdressing, makeup, and software design. Moreover, it recognises the various platforms through which students can make their voices heard, whether through charitable endeavours, civic engagement, or participation in college activities like Enrichment, tutorials, student representation, or clubs and societies. In essence, ‘Student With Voices’ celebrates the richness and depth of every student’s ability to express themselves across various mediums and spheres of engagement.

Introduction to IT, Art and Media Entry Level 3 student, Ellie Mauger was asked what she thought about having her poem selected as the best out of 130 entries: “There is only one thing I can honestly say, I’m absolutely over the moon and that I would love to do it again.”

Ellie described her poem, titled ‘Disparity’, as being about how she struggles emotionally to open up to people. Ellie’s poem was presented on an image of a bottle to illustrate how she contains her feelings. Ellie said: “My artwork and writing really help me to relieve the heavy weight I have on my chest, and stops me from bottling everything up.”

Troy Johnson, a Supported Intern on the Hammersmith Supported Internship programme read his poem, ‘A Huge Sigh of Relief’.

Troy said: “Taking part in this event has taught me to look inward into my emotions to that specific time I was writing the poem about. It has also taught me to express myself through a written format, and I’ve learned skills in different language techniques, such as using metaphors and similes.”

The two-hour Student With Voices event was divided into sets with seven student poets in each, who came to the mic to read their poems.

Disun Majekodunmi, who was the project leader for Student With Voices and is also a performance poet too, known as Dee Majek, said: “It was wonderful to celebrate student expression. It was exciting to see and hear the remarkable talent and expressive gifts within our college community. The event truly embodied the ethos of amplifying student voices, allowing their passions and perspectives to shine brilliantly.”

This poem by Disun is the underpinning ethos of ‘Student With Voices’:

Every Learner has a voice
Every Learner needs to be heard
Every Learner has a gift of expression
Whether oral, written or printed in words

The five literary categories Alex and Kavita selected the poems on were:

• Word Imagery
• Word Play
• Depth of Expression
• Originality
• Resonance of Message

Kavita Hansla is a London-based spoken word artist, poet and storyteller, who merges her scientific background with her love for language and wordplay. Kavita’s name means “poetry” in Hindi. Both Alex and Kavita performed their work at the Students With Voices showcase event.

Reflecting on her roles as both a judge and performer at the event, Kavita shared: “The event aimed to empower students to recognise the value of their voices. And as each student took to the stage to recite their poems, we all got to witness true magic unfold. The confidence and spirit they displayed to perform in front of such a large crowd made the experience unforgettable. And the pinnacle was hearing the student’s excitement to keep sharing their voices beyond the event. For me, that is the truest measure of success!”

Jamaican-born and raised in East London, Alex Murdock began writing poetry as an adult and started performing on stage in 2022.

Alex, who also performed his work at the event, described feeling privileged to be one of the judges, he said: “It was eye-opening” and “their profound work, it shows a level of expression that I was grateful to have the chance to witness. I think our experiences are the cornerstone of what we express, and every student has something to say, and worth hearing. I took pride in being a facilitator of them having their voices being heard.”

150 copies of the limited edition poetry anthology will be printed for each of the 130 students who entered the competition with some additional copies for college staff and the competition judges Alex and Kavita.

Students With Voices was the first of its kind at iQQTV and due to its overwhelming success, we will hold another event in October to celebrate Black History Month 2024.

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Throughout the event, students and apprentices engaged in various challenging tasks spanning carpentry and joinery, bricklaying, plastering, dry-lining, refrigeration and air conditioning, plumbing, electrical, and multi-skills disciplines. iQQTV students were accompanied by their Bricklaying teacher Jasvinder Virdee and their Plastering teacher Leslie Lewis.

Judges from esteemed organisations such as the British Association of Construction Heads, Durkan, Refina, Ox Tools, and Dovetail and Slate were actively involved in the evaluation process.

Many of the winners from this competition will have the opportunity to represent iQQTV in their respective trades at the upcoming WorldSkills UK competition scheduled towards the end of the year.

Enda Mulloy, Deputy Head of Construction and Motor Vehicle at iQQTV, said: “These exceptional outcomes for our learners at the CNWL Construction Skills Competition Day are not only a tribute to the dedication of our staff but also to our students in striving to become the best they can be.”

iQQTV Student Results

Bricklaying Level  1	Name	Jasvinder Virdee, iQQTV Bricklaying teacher commented:
First	Mate Dominik	Textbook procedures Gauge Level Plumb and Range.
Third	Steven Elias	Work executed well with particular emphasis on setting out.

Bricklaying Levels 2/3	Name	Jasvinder Virdee, iQQTV Bricklaying teacher commented:
First	Liam Nunn	Setting out Plumb Gauge Level and Range within construction standards. Finished off with ample time for completion.
Second	Ashley Purewal	Again high standards observed while working. Finished off with ample time for completion.

Plastering Level 2	Name	Leslie Lewis, iQQTV Plastering teacher commented:
First	Malachi Hewett	Consistency and accuracy won the day.
Second	Jake Osmond	Strong attention to detail and timescale.
Third	Damian Hayes	Really good mitres.

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David Woods, a senior manager with the British Business Bank (BBB) described how his organisation can help. BBB makes it possible for traditional financiers to fund business ventures they might otherwise reject due to their capital constraints or appetite for risk.

David said of Government-owned BBB: “We provide loans of £500 to £25,000 per director, up to four directors maximum, in a start-up SME.”

BBB also offers business owners a free online learning resource called, , created in partnership with The Open University. The Finance Hub gives a wealth of guidance on business loans, grants and management strategies more generally.

Deryck Sealy, a founder and director of The London Business Partnership (LBP) offers SMEs access to digital training and support from customer management systems to cyber security and digital marketing. Deryck said: “The London Business Partnership is a social enterprise to support people who want to start, sustain and grow their businesses.”

Discussion during the Q&A ranged from the challenges of fixed price contracts in construction to business owners accessing digital resources to achieve net zero. Barry Mortimer of the West London Green Skills Hub described the helpful materials available on the GLA website.

Matt Fawcett, Deputy Principal, Planning, Partnerships and Projects outlined some significant developments at iQQTV. The West London Retail Hub is about to open up for training courses from selling products on the shopfloor, to buying, merchandising and designing retail space. Situated in the exceptional Westfield London, home to 350 shops, restaurants and boutiques in Shepherds Bush, the Retail Hub is set to benefit hugely from its high-profile location.

At Ealing Green College, iQQTV is developing a Creative and Cultural Design Lab with cutting-edge technology for media production and digital technology. In Hammersmith and Fulham College, a Health and Life Science Lab will come onstream for September, with specialisms in pharmacology, phlebotomy, lab skills and physiotherapy. Each of these outstanding facilities will support our T-Level provision in Digital and Health.

Assistant Principal, Sajada Sajid said: “Each T-Level student needs to complete 45 days of work experience”. She welcomed employers to work in partnership with the college. Sajada said: “As a vocational college, we welcome the opportunity to design the curriculum with employers to meet the needs of local businesses.”

In February iQQTV launched three state-of-the-art immersive classrooms across all three college sites in Hammersmith, Ealing and Southall. A £400,000 project, as part of the college’s commitment to revolutionising the entire learning environment, each immersive classroom comes complete with virtual reality headsets, a huge pin-sharp playback screen, 85” interactive whiteboards, 85” monitors and responsive mood lighting.

Through this technology, iQQTV students can link, in real-time, to specialist environments worldwide as well as our other colleges – allowing them to collaborate directly with experts in their field.

iQQTV encourages employers to attend our Open Days to meet potential students, their families and carers and talk about their progression opportunities into work and apprenticeships.

To attend an Open Day in June or a Business Breakfast Networking event, contact our Business Development Team on employer@wlc.ac.uk

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Stands were judged on a variety of criteria to recognise the work that had gone into them and students were presented with certificates. The ‘Middle East’ won the award for Best Overall Stand, ‘South America’ achieved second place, ‘Africa’ and ‘Southern Europe’ achieved third place, and ‘Asia’ achieved fourth place. iQQTV was delighted to host a group of French students at the International Village Festival, who are studying and working in hospitality at IFA Bourges, an institution in central France offering apprenticeships. The students offered free crepes at their stand and circulated throughout the Festival giving away syrup-flavoured drinks.

A notable annual event in the college’s calendar, the many lands represented at the festival included Africa, Asia, the Caribbean, the Middle East, the Pacific Islands, South America and Southern Europe.

On the South America stand visitors could try foods, listen to music from South American countries and buy geodes –  balls of rock cracked open by the stall holders to reveal the coloured crystals inside.  

Alieu Morey explained: “Through our units we’ve learned about conferences and events and in this event that we are doing here we are  replicating here what we’ve seen in other industries such as the World Travel Market exhibition and how they’ve done things, and we’ve taken heavy inspiration from the brochures, booklets and pamphlets.”

On the Africa stand, Faith Thair-Al-Saidy said: “Events like the International Village are very active and allow us to become fully immersed in Travel and Tourism.”

Students on the Pacific Islands stand agreed that the International Village Event was the best thing they have done in their course so far. Aaliyah Kelly said: “This is highly interactive and part of our coursework which makes it enjoyable.” Her teammate Ruby said: “It teaches us how to prepare for an event and how stressful it can be too.”

On the Asia stand Karen Joy Sambilad said: “Events like this bring students to work together and collaborate, and basically have fun, which I do really enjoy about this course.”

Each stand was assessed by a panel of judges and visitors to the exhibition could vote for their favourites too. Feedback from students highlighted the educational value and enjoyment derived from participating in the event. They emphasised the interactive nature of the festival, which allowed them to apply coursework concepts in a practical setting and learn valuable event management skills.

Overall, the International Village Festival exemplified the spirit of collaboration, cultural exchange, and celebration of diversity, making it a memorable and enriching experience for all involved.

Peter Smith, Travel and Tourism Lecturer said: “The underpinning ethos of the International Village Festival is all about celebrating global diversity, which is especially well suited to iQQTV as our students are very diverse and come from, or are linked to, many countries around the world.”

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Part of the Mayor’s Skills Academies Programme, and following a successful bid, West London Green Skills Hub will now continue until March 2025.

The Hub is dedicated to improving employment opportunities, reskilling the workforce, boosting West London’s economy and playing its role in helping to achieve the Mayor’s net zero target for carbon emissions by 2030. It does this by bringing together West London’s training providers, employers, local authorities, charities, business groups and others to share best practice and support each other.

At the heart of the Hub are two well-respected, active and energetic employer-led boards that invite West London businesses, organisations and others keen to collaborate to get in touch.

West London is also fortunate to have a top line-up of colleges and training providers who support the work of the Hub – each offering a modern and innovative green skills curriculum to meet the demands of employers and job seekers. A West London green skills prospectus, created by the Hub, sets out the training and qualifications offered by the Hub’s training provider supporters, which can be viewed .  

Matt Fawcett, Deputy Principal at iQQTV and leader of the West London Green Skills Hub, said: “I am delighted we have been awarded an extension to our contract. We have also been granted an extra boost to our budget and across the next year we will be channelling extra funding into events and activities designed to get more people into jobs, apprenticeships and training.”

The Hub recently celebrated International Women’s Day by running a highly successful green skills jobs and training fair at The Drum at Brent Civic Centre aimed at unemployed women. The event featured an all-female line-up of inspiring guest speakers and employer-led workshops giving the women attending, tips on how to increase their chances of landing a job.  

Matt added: “This event was a perfect example of what we can do. The Hub, working in collaboration with iQQTV and Women into Construction, delivered an inspiring event attended by over 100 women bringing them together with over 20 employers with job vacancies and colleges offering an exciting range of training and qualifications. I am looking forward to hosting many more events and activities between now and March 2025.”

To find out more, please visit the , or contact Barry Mortimer, Hub Coordinator at b.mortimer@wlc.ac.uk

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The idea for the competition arose when the boundaries were redrawn for Mr Sharma’s Ealing Southall constituency. He wanted to celebrate the local community and showcase the important features of each and every ward, including the new ward of Walpole.

“After the next election, Ealing Green College will become part of my constituency,” said Mr Sharma, “whilst currently it is just outside.”

First Prize went to Lovely Alcaraz with Harleen Ladhar, Yuliia Velychenko and Amina Amrane runners up. As well as winning artists’ materials, each student received a letter from Virendra Sharma MP on House of Commons notepaper.

The quality of submissions to the competition was so high that Mr Sharma needed to seek external advice to decide on the winners.

Mr Sharma asked students in the class what they thought important landmarks on a local map should be, and they replied: parks and green spaces, and places to meet friends such as cafes, shops and restaurants.

Mr Sharma explained that he had once been a Youth Worker and he believes that more services and activities should be provided for young people.

Mr Sharma urged the students to register to vote during his visit and to participate in elections, as well as encouraging their friends and family members to take part too. He told the group about a summer programme he organises where young people spend a day in Parliament, followed by days spent meeting the London Mayor at the Greater London Authority (GLA), with Ealing Council meeting the Council Leader, at the Supreme Court to find out about our legal system, as well as gaining work experience with the team at Mr Sharma’s constituency office.

Virendra Sharma MP said: “I organise the summer school for young people to learn about civic life, enabling them to become active citizens and leaders of the future.”

Mr Sharma encouraged the students to apply to join him this summer and will be sending details to their teachers.

“Public service is my passion,” he said, “and real power is in service to the community, representing them in Parliament.”

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According to the UK’s Construction Industry Training Board (CITB), women currently represent around 14% of the total construction workforce in the UK. This figure has been gradually increasing over the years but still indicates a significant gender disparity within the industry.

Within skilled trades such as carpentry, plumbing and electrical work, women are even less well represented. According to data from the UK Government’s Office for National Statistics (ONS), as of 2020, women accounted for only around 3% of skilled trades occupations in construction.

Women into Construction (WiC) was founded in 2012 to help women achieve careers in construction and to support their progression within the sector. WiC runs many recruitment initiatives such as training courses, mentoring, and addressing workplace culture and barriers to entry for women.

Karima Khandker, Director of Resourcing, Skills and Equity, Diversity and Inclusion at Thames Water chaired the event. She was proud to announce that 34% of the workforce at Thames Water are women but recognises the huge skills shortage within the industry and that by investing in women, we can work to overcome this. Karima says: “Employers have a responsibility to remove barriers too.”

Anna Walterskotter, a WiC project manager, started work as an apprentice plumber with Peabody Housing Association in the nineties. Anna spent sixteen years ‘on the tools.’ She moved into teaching and became Head of Construction and Engineering at Hackney College, before taking up her position with WiC.

Kimberley McGinty, Social Value Manager with Wates Group began her construction career as a hod-carrier and bricklayer before achieving her role in social value. She advised everyone to make sure their LinkedIn profile was glowing and succinct to sell their talents to potential employers. Kimberley said to the women at the event: “We are all here to champion you and support you in getting into the industry.”

iQQTV Assistant Principal Lisa Portland is based at Southall Community College, home to iQQTV’s Construction and Green Skills Centre. Lisa explained that everyone present had many transferable skills for construction roles, directly related to studying a trade and the core functions of any business such as document management or office admin and HR. For women aspiring to work in the specialist trades, FE Colleges can offer construction training, including green and retrofit qualifications, which entail fitting a property with renewables or energy efficiency measures, as part of the national sustainability agenda.

Lisa said: “We currently have eleven women studying construction trades. We consult with them regularly to make sure the environment is supportive and inclusive as we want to recruit many more women to our courses for the future.”

Trained architect Alexandra Antonescu works as a design manager for ISG. A global construction company, ISG is currently completing the fit-out for Google and Deutsche Bank headquarters, and the construction of a research centre for UCL. Alexandra profiled some of the women in technical roles at ISG, and the company’s ethos is strongly focused on recognising the skills of women. She explained, “The CEO of ISG is a female executive who advanced within the company through her own efforts.”

Cherrelle Abraham-Brown, Social Value and Community Manager with property developer London Square, talked about Holloway Park, an exciting partnership between Peabody and London Square. 985 homes will be built under the scheme on the site of the former women’s prison which closed in 2016, and 60% of the dwellings will be allocated for social housing.

Fifty-one construction trades apprenticeships are available as part of the game-changing initiative. Cherrelle urged the women present to ignore the stereotypes, choose a career in construction and become a role model for others.

Cherrelle said: “The Holloway Park apprenticeships are open to Islington residents, and we are introducing strategies to maximise recruiting women to these positions.”

Sarah Kyasimire graduated from one of WiC’s short employability training courses, and after two weeks’ work experience with Kilnbridge Construction Services was taken on by them full-time as their stores manager. She soon moved on to a customer support role within the company’s waste management division, and will shortly move into the sustainability division of the company.

Sarah told everyone: “Don’t be afraid of what you don’t know. I was given an opportunity and I am constantly growing.”

Women into Construction will be launching an employability programme ‘Women into the Green Construction Sector’, a sector-based work academy programme (SWAP) at iQQTV in the summer.

A group of unemployed women will be recruited onto the programme and will be offered a range of green skills training, an employability qualification, Health and Safety Level 1, and the opportunity to take a test to gain a CSCS card. Following this they will go on a two-week work placement with a top west London construction employer – and hopefully from there onto paid employment.

The further education colleges and training providers which are partnered with West London Green Skills Hub and also attended the event, were Stanmore College, West Thames College, Barnet & Southgate College, College of North West London, Harrow, Richmond and Uxbridge Colleges, iQQTV and MIT Skills Training.

The employers who came to the Jobs Fair were ISG Ltd, Total Energies, Higgins Partnership, Bouygues, Danny Sullivan Group, The Hill Group, Suez Recycling & Recovery, Ardmore Construction, Flannery Plant Hire, Thames Water, Wates and St George – part of Berkeley Group.

Brent Works, which helps local residents into jobs and apprenticeships also attended the event and with Willmot Dixon ran a series of workshops on how to get a job in construction.

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