Like father like daughter, how one south Wales dad is helping his daughter land a ‘plumb’ job

A self-employed plumber from Pontypridd has gone from apprentice to mentor, after completing his plumbing qualifications at Coleg Morgannwg and recruiting his 17 year-old daughter as his apprentice.

David Webb went back to college in 2002 when he decided to have a career change and leave his job as a psychiatric nursing assistant in pursuit of a more hands-on, practical role. He completed an apprenticeship in plumbing and set up his own business last year.

Now David is calling for more employers to help train young people by offering apprentices to give their businesses vital skills and growth for the future.

David said: “My apprenticeship gave me a very comprehensive idea of plumbing, as a trade and as a business. I think returning to college later in life meant I was more committed, focused on honing my skills and working hard so I could achieve my ultimate goal of setting up my own business.“I’d advise anyone thinking about making a change to go for it. I love the freedom of working for myself and I’m proud to be in a position where I can help my daughter pursue her career as well.”

David enjoyed the pace of the learning and the range of core skills he learned at Coleg Morgannwg. The combination of theory with practical on-the-job experience allowed him to get an insight into the realities of running a business as well as the technical tricks of the trade.

David felt that the reputation of apprenticeships, and the practical experience he picked up throughout his course, set him apart from others starting out in plumbing.  It was this positive experience  which led him to encourage his daughter to join him in the trade when she left school.

David’s daughter Jodie is now set to follow in her father’s footsteps by becoming his apprentice to set up what will hopefully become a successful family business. She will start her apprenticeship at DAW Plumbing in September.

Jodie said: “Before making a decision on becoming his apprentice, I spent some time working with my dad and really enjoyed finding out what he did every day. I discovered that I had a real interest in the plumbing trade. He encouraged me to give it a try myself and an apprenticeship seemed like a great way to get all the skills I needed for my own career. I’m really looking forward to learning the trade from him and being able to contribute to the family business.” 

Michael Winter, work based learning contract manager at Coleg Morgannwg said: “Feedback from businesses shows that apprenticeships are absolutely crucial for people like David and Jodie, who are keen to get into sectors requiring practical skills.

“Not only is the experience beneficial to the students, it also allows local businesses to shape the professional skills of well-motivated, dedicated people who are keen to take advantage of opportunities in the industry and can be a valuable contribution to the company they are training in. The learning frameworks are designed to support employer’s needs, and the training is delivered to plug the skills gap and create professionals who are ready for the demands of the workplace.”  

Valleys college helps boost local economy

Coleg Morgannwg is doing its bit for the Rhondda Cynon Taff economy to help safeguard jobs by furnishing its new £40million campus with locally sourced and manufactured products.

Coleg Morgannwg is set to use Gwent-based provider of employment services, Remploy, to supply furniture for its new Nantgarw Campus. Remploy has a specialist education furniture division, which is a leading manufacture, supplier and installer of education furniture. The college is helping keep money in the local area by placing a large order for its new 14,660 square metre building.

An order for 700 classroom tables and 1,400 classroom chairs will be placed with Remploy Furniture this month, as the build up to the opening of the new Nantgarw campus gains momentum. September 2012 will see 2,000 students begin their education at the new site, with the majority of them using locally sourced products.

Karen Phillips, Deputy Principal at Coleg Morgannwg said: “Coleg Morgannwg is keen to make a positive impact on the Welsh economy with the new campus, and this latest commitment to Remploy is one of many steps that are being taken to give back to the community that the college serves.
“As well as supporting a local business, our focus on sustainability means we welcome the fact that Remploy has a base in Port Talbot which will cut down the carbon footprint associated with the delivery of the furniture.”

Remploy Furniture is one of Remploy’s eight enterprise businesses and also the UK’s largest supplier of furniture to educators. Remploy, a provider of employment to people with barriers to work, has been creating learning environments for schools, colleges and universities for more than 60 years. Having worked on some very large school buildings and being an education specialist made them the obvious choices to furnish one of the biggest investments to further education in Wales. 

John Nicholas, key account manager at Remploy said: “This project represents an excellent opportunity to illustrate how both client and supplier can work together to achieve mutually beneficial goals. Remploy has proactively engaged with Coleg Morgannwg and has been delighted with the ‘buy in’ at every stage.
“Much work has been undertaken behind the scenes within Remploy and everyone including senior management has fully supported every stage of this process. As we reach the final stages of the process we look forward to seeing the project complete and we wish Coleg Morgannwg every success with such an impressive facility - we are proud to be associated with such a project.”

Coleg Morgannwg will open its new £40million Nantgarw campus in September 2012. It will include a brand new A-level programme to provide students in Rhondda Cynon Taff with the opportunity to study A-level courses in a further education environment for the first time. Coleg Morgannwg has campuses in Nantgarw, Pontypridd, Aberdare and Rhondda.

Coleg Morgannwg picked up the Quality Chairman's prize for apprenticeships, in recognition of the exceptional contribution and work the college has put into developing high quality apprenticeship schemes, and specifically its work with GE Aviation Wales.

Run by the Wales Quality Centre (WQC), the Awards are based on the internationally respected European Foundation for Quality Management (EFQM) Excellence Model, one of the world's most rigorous frameworks for measuring the quality of an organisation's operations.

Coleg Morgannwg's Nantgarw Campus has become synonymous with the training of future engineers and in particular aerospace engineering. The long standing partnership with GE Aviation Wales, which specialises in the servicing of aircraft engines, has enabled both organisations to work together to design an apprenticeship training programme that is specifically tailored to meet GE's needs.

GE Aviation Wales supports a culture of continuous learning, particularly in terms of apprenticeship training. Its training programme is designed to maintain the exacting standards of quality that are associated with the aviation industry. The apprenticeship training programme further addresses the skills gaps identified in the aerospace sector.

Coleg Morgannwg has worked closely with GE Aviation Wales to train hundreds of young people to become successful aerospace technicians and engineers. The training programme has been jointly designed and delivered to ensure the programme meets the quality standards of the Sector Skills Council for Science, Engineering & Manufacturing Technologies (SEMTA) and that of the aviation industry and Coleg Morgannwg.

The GE Aviation Wales apprenticeship training programmes' success can be attributed to excellent partnership working between GE Aviation Wales and Coleg Morgannwg. There is a strong focus on a quality provision, with the apprentices' success at the forefront of planning and delivery.

Judith Evans, Principal at Coleg Morgannwg, said: "Winning the Wales Quality Award is a fantastic testament to the commitment of our staff and students and we are proud that their work has been recognized with an award of this caliber."

"We are constantly striving to provide our students with the skills necessary to secure good jobs in their chosen field in what is an increasingly competitive marketplace. This particular scheme was designed to address the skills gap in the aerospace sector and has given hundreds of students the opportunity to become successful engineers. This would not have been possible if we had not had such an excellent partnership with GE Aviation Wales. We are incredibly lucky to have fostered such strong relationships with businesses in Wales that appreciate the value of developing talent, and our students feel the benefit of working side by side with industry experts."

Coleg Morgannwg is currently preparing to launch a brand new A-Level provision in 2012 to coincide with the brand new state-of-the-art £40million campus at Nantgarw, and will allow the college to offer yet another pathway into learning for south Wales students. The new campus is the most significant investment into further education in Wales and will allow the ambitious college to offer an even more comprehensive selection of qualifications.

College partnership launches new A-level programme

An exciting new partnership between two south Wales colleges is widening post -16 student options, by bringing a brand new Advanced Level provision to Rhondda Cynon Taff, which will be delivered at a new £40m campus in Nantgarw.

Coleg Morgannwg and St. David’s College have formed a strategic alliance to provide 22 A-level subjects to students in the Rhondda Cynon Taff and surrounding area. An official launch evening took place at Coleg Morgannwg’s Nantgarw campus to introduce students and staff alike to the new programme that will be taught at the college’s state-of-the–art New Nantgarw Campus from September 2012.

The strategic partnership means young people in Rhondda Cynon Taff will be able to study A-Levels in a further education environment for the first time. Both colleges will trade skill sets and subject knowledge in a mutually beneficial arrangement that will provide students with an extensive array of further education options.

Judith Evans, principal at Coleg Morgannwg, said: “The build up to the opening of our New Nantgarw Campus is well and truly underway and it is the additional offering of A-Levels and other new courses that will really set us apart from the rest.

“The new building is looking fantastic and there is great excitement both within the college and in the local area ahead of its opening. As the most significant investment into further education in Wales, we are confident that the new building will enable us to offer new and exciting prospects to our students while continuing our long tradition of providing an excellent pastoral and learning environment.”

As well as skill sharing between the two colleges, Coleg Morgannwg will now be able to offer combined courses, with academic and vocational options. Students have the option to mix and match their subjects, retake GCSEs and there is a Fast Track to Higher Education, year-long, A-level course for those who need extra UCAS points for University.

Ken Reed, assistant principal at St. David’s College, said: “We are delighted about the partnership with Coleg Morgannwg and are confident that the collaboration will bring exciting opportunities for both parties.
“Coleg Morgannwg is such a welcoming and happy place which is vital for the well-being and performance of students. We will help to develop their advanced level programme while benefitting from the exceptional range of vocational courses that they are experienced in providing. While many details still need to be finalised, the partnership has fantastic potential for learners in south Wales and RCT in particular.”

The open evening, held at Coleg Morgannwg’s current Nantgarw campus, saw students showcasing their talents such as offering canapés made by the catering students while others provided live entertainment. Throughout the evening, money was raised for the Pontypridd Homeless Charity, which is part of the students’ Welsh Baccalaureate.

The £40m New Nantgarw Campus will accept its first students, including those studying A Levels for the first time at the college, in September 2012.

Coleg Morgannwg students produce pantomime costumes …….oh no they didn’t!

Since September staff and students studying on the B.A. (Hons) Costume Construction course at Coleg Morgannwg have been working tirelessly to produce the visually stunning costumes for Rhondda Cynon Taf’s magical pantomime. 

Cinderella, will run at the three main theatres throughout Rhondda Cynon Taf, the Coliseum, Muni Arts Centre and Park & Dare and will star Alex Winters from CBeebies and Frank Vickery.

Costume designers Donna Adams, Hafina Harris and Georgie Phillips and production wardrobe master
Nicholas Grimes, from the BA (Hons) Costume Construction course at Coleg Morgannwg

Rhondda Cynon Taf’s Cultural Services Marketing Manager, Joanne Ridout was amazed with the professional finish of the costumes, she stated “The costumes look stunning and reflect the huge amount of hard work and commitment the students and staff have put into the project.

The wardrobe ranges from outrageous Ugly Sister costumes, including an amazing gold Christmas tree complete with baubles and crackers, a Brownie uniform, Buttons' blue and gold costume and an amazing bright pink fur coat”.

Outrageous ugly sister costume!

The costumes can be seen in all their glory during a performance at one of the venues from Friday December 2nd – Saturday 31st December 2011when Frank and Alex will be joined by West End star Gillian Elisa as the Fairy Godmother. (www.rct-arts.co.uk)

Congratulations to our Performing Arts students A K A Team ‘Frugality’ who won 1st prize in the Big Pitch final held at the Pierhead Building in Cardiff Bay. The team was made up of: Natalie Gillespie, Samantha Griffiths, Charley De-la-hay and Scott Caviel. They were up against stiff opposition from 7 other teams from three South Wales colleges, Merthyr, Ystrad Mynach and Gwent.

The judging panel which included Ruth Badger, ‘Apprentice finalist’ and straight-talking business woman were extremely impressed with the standard of the presentations and unanimous in their decision.

Congratulations also to Team ‘Sportsters’ from the college who also took part in the exciting event and conducted themselves throughout in a totally professional manner. Both teams were a credit to the college and their tutors. 

Further details of this fantastic event and also an amazing opportunity given to one of the members of team Sportsters will follow soon.

For the moment we would like to thank all those who supported the Big Pitch from beginning to end.

Intrepid Television Presenter Lowri Morgan recently attended Coleg Morgannwg to help celebrate the achievements of the students.

Lowri was welcomed to Coleg Morgannwg and invited to join the celebrations by the Principal, Mrs Judith Evans.  The annual Prize Evening recognises the achievements of those students who have successfully completed their courses.

Welcoming the prize winners and guests Mrs Evans said “Prize Evening is one of the highlights in my calendar; I look forward to celebrating the success of our students; whether it is academic or overcoming barriers.  I am sure our guest this evening will inspire many of you to believe in yourself and go for it!”

Guest speaker Lowri Morgan gave a brief overview of her two main challenges and left the audience in awe of her determination and experiences which included representing Wales on the rugby field, completing the illustrious Ironman Challenge, diving down to the remains of the Titanic in a submersible and completing the Jungle Marathon in the Amazon and one of the toughest challenges on the planet - the 6633 ultra marathon.  In the freezing Arctic setting, competitors are pushed to their physical and mental limits as they strive to complete the 350-mile endurance in only eight days.

A DVD of her travels outlined some of her highs and lows along her journey.  Lowri said “I am delighted to present the students with their certificates; I have been looking forward to meeting the students to hear about their achievements. 

Lowri presented the awards to over 30 successful students from various courses across all campuses. A number of additional college awards were presented to the students in recognition of their success.

Lewis Gregory received the Contribution to College Life and Good Role Model award for his contribution throughout his time at the college.

Lewis worked tirelessly as a course representative and member of the Student Parliament, serving on the College Corporation Board, as a student governor. He gained triple distinctions in his I.T. course and also obtained the Level 3 Welsh Baccalaureate qualification.  He is now studying for a BSc. IT Management for Business at Exeter University.

Performing Arts student Samantha Griffiths was presented with the Dennis Davies Award in recognition of overcoming barriers in her learning journey.  After eight years of bullying at school Samantha enrolled at the college and has never looked back; she believes that the course has reshaped her life for the better.

Nathan Williams received the college’s Outstanding Achievement Award for his excellent results on his BTEC National Diploma in Applied Science/Advanced Welsh Baccalaureate course. He achieved distinction grades in all his BTEC units and produced an excellent report for his individual investigation for the Advanced Welsh Baccalaureate. Nathan demonstrated a keen interest in Natural Science and Geology throughout his studies and is now studying for a BSc. in Geology at Cardiff University.

Chair of the Corporation Mr Peter James thanked Lowri for presenting the awards and for her exciting presentation; he invited Natalie to present Lowri with a floral arrangement in appreciation of her attendance at Coleg Morgannwg.

The evening’s entertainment was provided by the College Staff choir who warmed up the audience with a rousing performance of ‘Empire State of Mind’, ‘Rollin’ and ‘Higher’.

The Performing Arts students also supported the event with a lively extract from their forthcoming pantomime – Jack and the Beanstalk.

Natalie Gillespie and Scott Caviel were given the responsibility of acting comperes for the evening while fellow student and pianist Kara Copeland accompanied the singing of the National Anthem.

Spanish: Key to Engineering Apprentices’ Work Programme

The chance of a European work placement is inspiring engineering apprentices from Wales to broaden their horizons. First step: learn Spanish.

Spain is hosting two-week work placements for apprentices from Wales under a programme led by CollegesWales International – the international arm of ColegauCymru / CollegesWales. The European-funded programme is working with colleges across Spain – in the Basque Country, Catalonia and the Balearic Islands - to source work placements for up to 26 apprentices from Wales in the spring of 2012.

This work placement programme is ambitious and challenging for learners. The apprentices’ tutors settle them in to the host country and then leave the apprentices to take on the responsibility of doing a job of work in a company in Europe. They will have to adapt to a new culture, get along with new colleagues and communicate in an unfamiliar language for the duration of their stay. 

Five engineering apprentices who study at Coleg Morgannwg have been given time by their companies – FSG Tool and Die, RPC Containers and Eries Magnetics, along with two engineering tutors from Neath Port Talbot College – Michael Rees and Colin Thomas, to start to prepare for the placements that will take place next March by learning Spanish.

One of the apprentices, 19 year old Luke Parry who works for FSG Tool and Die, said: “I chose not to study languages at school – science and technology was my thing. But this is different. It’s real - I’m going to work in Spain. I will need to understand my job, my colleagues and of course the boss! And I’ll need to sort myself out – buy food, use public transport. Everything.

“It puts learning a language into a whole new perspective. I’m totally motivated to learn Spanish now. I’ll have to work hard between now and March to squash enough Spanish into my head to be able to make the most of this experience.

“I’m also looking forward to adding a modern foreign language to my CV. It’s great that the language course I’m on is going to be accredited so I’ll have something on paper to show for it.  And work experience in another country, too, I’m really hoping that will help in many ways in the future.”

International Coordinator at ColegauCymru / CollegesWales, Siân Holleran, who is herself a linguist, said: “ColegauCymru is working hard to provide opportunities for learners in Wales to broaden their horizons and find their place in the global economy. There has never been a better time for ambitious college students who have set their sights on a vocational career path to add a modern foreign language to their suite of vocational skills. 

“In partnership with CILT Cymru, the National Centre for Languages in Wales, ColegauCymru has organised intensive language training for the apprentices, accredited by the WJEC, with sessions held in North and South Wales.

“Internationally portable vocational careers can be found in beauty therapy, business administration, catering, construction, education, engineering and more. High level technical and soft skills plus experience of other cultures and a grasp of another language make for an unbeatable combination.

“I am looking forward to expanding these opportunities in Wales by widening the participation of Welsh learners in work placements in Europe and I wish this first group of apprentices the best of luck with their Spanish!”

Snapping up success

A mature photography student studying at Coleg Morgannwg has had one of his photographs accepted by the prestigious Swansea International photo competition where acceptance levels are strict. Alan Preece, 70 studying under Gareth Morgan for a level photography was highly delighted to be accepted for this competition. The competition entry was produced during his Btec Photography course last year.

Students Showcase Talents on World Stage

Students from Coleg Morgannwg were congratulated on their contribution to the success of the opening ceremony of the London 2011 WorldsSkills event, the world’s largest skills competition. The students designed the costumes and assisted with the backstage wardrobe function at the event which took place at the O2 arena.

Following their success at the Association of Colleges’ (AoC) Awards for Construction Foundation Degree, the students were invited to design some of the costumes for the opening ceremony  when the UK hosted the world’s largest skills competition.

Worldskills took place in October 2011 and showcased hundreds of skills which are needed to drive enterprise and build economies. The competition which attracted over 150,000 visitors takes place in a different country every two years, and brings together over 1,000 competitors from 50 countries to battle it out in 46 different skills.

Tutor Emma Highgate said: “All of the staff and students involved in costume construction are really passionate about what they do; the students were really excited about this event and the opportunity to showcase Welsh skills to the world.

Coleg Morgannwg celebrates apprentice graduation at GE

Principal of Coleg Morgannwg, Judith Evans and representatives from the college recently visited GE Aviation Wales  to support and recognise the achievements of the company’s apprentices at its annual graduation ceremony. 

The Minister for Business, Edwina Hart and representatives from the University of Glamorgan and EEF, the manufacturers' organisation for UK manufacturing also attended the event to witness the graduation of 24 apprentices from the GE Aviation Wales apprenticeship programme.

The plant based in Nantgarw, just North of Cardiff, which specialises in the repair, maintenance and overhaul of aircraft engines, occupies over 1.2 million sq. ft. of workshop space and employs over 1,200 people, of which 100 are apprentices.

As part of GE’s apprenticeship scheme, the plant works in partnership with Coleg Morgannwg and the University of Glamorgan to further support the apprentices work- based training. 

Managing Director of GE Aviation Wales, Adrian Button said: “Our apprenticeship programme is a platform for our young apprentices to gain academic and technical experience. As a premier employer in Wales we are proud to offer a structured programme which will help to continue to develop a skilled workforce in Wales and create leaders of the future.”

Throughout the three year programme apprentices spend time across the business to give them a broader understanding of how the company operates, as well as developing the skills needed for them to achieve their formal qualification.

Edwina Hart said “GE is a company with a world-class pedigree that requires a skilled workforce to continue to grow. It therefore has a continuous programme of re-skilling and up-skilling employees to match the skills and knowledge required to compete in today’s global market.

“The apprentices graduating today will have gained valuable skills to help them continue their careers in the aerospace industry and I wish them all well in their future careers.”

Participation in the Gold Duke of Edinburgh Award is also offered to all apprentices as part of their training, encouraging community volunteering, focusing on team and character building whilst developing physical attributes. Currently, GE is the only company in Wales to support apprentices through this initiative. 

Coleg Morgannwg in running for top UK honour

Coleg Morgannwg has been named as one of the leading further education colleges in the UK after being shortlisted for a prestigious national award.

Coleg Morgannwg is one of six colleges shortlisted for its outstanding Leadership in Learning and Skills at the first annual Times Education Supplement (TES) Further Education (FE) Awards.

With campuses across south Wales, Coleg Morgannwg beat hundreds of hopeful nominees from across the United Kingdom to gain a place on the shortlist. The college aims to collect its second national award of the year after winning Association of Colleges’ (AoC) Award in February. 

The college has gained significant external recognition for its contribution to further education in Wales and the UK.  Over 10,000 students, attend the College campuses in Pontypridd, Aberdare, Llwynypia and Nantgarw on a wide range of courses from Law to Beauty Therapy, all of which provide an ideal stepping stone to higher education.

Coleg Morgannwg Principal, Judith Evans said, “Everybody at the college is delighted that our hard work and commitment to improving teaching and learning has been recognised and being shortlisted is a tremendous honour. We are looking forward to finding out the result in November, but already feel such a sense of achievement being shortlisted against five other strong contenders.

“Staff here work extremely hard to give students the best possible experience and are well prepared for life after college. Our new campus in Nantgarw will be complete next year and that will only enhance the student experience.”

The awards are the successor to the Learning and Skills Improvement Service’s prestigious STAR Awards, and the service continues as their sponsor.
Rob Wye, chief executive of the Learning and Skills Improvement Service, said: “Tremendous work is being undertaken day in, day out across the sector to drive improvement in learning and skills and so make life better for learners.

“We should celebrate all that is going on and thank all those unsung heroes and heroines who help us realise our shared objective of continuous improvement in all that we do. By building on the success of our own STAR Awards scheme, the TES FE Awards will ensure that, as a sector, we can continue to recognise all such achievements.”

A brand new £40 million campus at Nantgarw is currently under construction and will open its doors to student in September 2012. It will replace the college’s existing site at Rhydyfelin and provide state-of-the-art facilities for more than 3000 students and staff.

Coleg Morgannwg achieves Careers Wales ‘Mark’

Coleg Morgannwg receives the prestigious Careers Wales Mark for its dedication to continuous quality improvement for its learners. The Mark replaces the previous Careers Wales Quality Award and fits more specifically with the requirements set out by the Welsh Government.  Coleg Morgannwg is the first college, excluding those involved in the pilot, to receive the Mark.

Ann Evans, Chief Executive, Careers Wales Mid Glamorgan & Powys presented the award to Principal Judith Evans at a lunchtime event at Milford’s Bistro, Pontypridd Campus.

Ms Evans said “I am delighted to award Coleg Morgannwg with the Careers Wales Mark.  I have been reliably informed by my colleagues that the college and Careers Service have worked in successful partnership for many years. The achievement of the Mark demonstrates their commitment to providing ongoing support and guidance to its learners regarding their career path".

Principal, Judith Evans thanked Ms Evans for attending the college to make the presentation.  She said “I am delighted to receive this award on behalf of the college, as it reflects the hard work and commitment of staff and students. Providing first class careers guidance is a high priority at the college and this framework will allow us to continue to provide an excellent standard of careers guidance, from which our learners will benefit”.

Healthy Working Wales Case Study

Coleg Morgannwg’s perspective of health and well-being at work
Coleg Morgannwg is one of the largest providers of further education and training in Wales. With around 500 staff, the college has four main campuses across Rhondda Cynon Taf, in Aberdare, Pontypridd, Llwynypia and Nantgarw, together with a large number of local outreach centres.

The college is actively engaged in maintaining and improving the health and well-being of its staff and its work was recognised by the Welsh Government in May 2011 with the Gold Corporate Health Standard.

The organisation has implemented a range of health and well-being interventions including:

Health and safety:
Informative health and safety presentations are made in reception areas and notice boards are used to display safety topics to staff and students, including fire safety and slips, trips and falls.

Mental health promotion:
A counselling service is in place and fit notes are monitored to prompt an intervention when anxiety, stress or depression is a factor in an absence from work. The college recognises the benefits of initiatives including reading groups in improving mental health and well-being.

Nutrition:
There are healthy eating promotions on all campuses; one campus has a social enterprise café with a particularly healthy menu; the training restaurants provide healthy options at competitive prices to staff, students and members of the public.

Physical activity:
Staff  have access to the leisure facilities of the college and the local authority. A number of activities have been introduced, which are also supported by senior staff, including walking, cycling, football and gardening.

General health issues:
Staff health is monitored using a health surveillance system, with staff recalled for appropriate screening each year or more frequently if necessary; external speakers are invited on specific health topics including stress and cancer, supported by links with charities.

Occupational health and rehabilitation:
Coleg Morgannwg has a supportive return to work process, which the occupational health team is actively engaged in. The college’s spa and treatments are also used as part of this model where appropriate.

“Coleg Morgannwg values its staff and the outstanding contribution that they make to the education of learners. Teaching and learning is a very rewarding profession and it clearly requires commitment, dedication and enthusiasm. The promotion of healthy lifestyles enhances vitality, stamina and well-being, resulting in a fitter and happier workforce.”
Judith Evans, Principal

For further information e-mail Julie Rees, Head of Human Resources, Coleg Morgannwg: J.rees@morgannwg.ac.uk

For further information on the Corporate Health Standard visit: www.healthyworkingwales.com

Coleg Morgannwg a leader of further education in Wales

Coleg Morgannwg has been ranked as one of the most successful further education colleges in Wales according to new figures from the Learning and Skills Observatory Wales. Coleg Morgannwg has shown that its students are performing above the Welsh average for course completion rates and attainment levels in the further education sector.

The average success rate of students across all courses (un-weighted rate) at Coleg Morgannwg is now 84% with the current benchmark for the country standing at 81%. These statistics place the college in the top two further education institutions in the country.

Principal at Coleg Morgannwg, Judith Evans said: “It is brilliant to see that our student completion and success rates place us as one of the best performing colleges in Wales. The success is testament to our strong leadership team, committed staff, dedicated student body and excellent support from employers.

“Our aim is to raise learners’ aspirations and ensure that they all achieve their potential in their chosen career path.  We provide them with suitable career choices in a supportive and well resourced learning environment. It has been a successful year and the opening of our new campus next year will have a further positive impact.”

Coleg Morgannwg’s most successful courses are media and performing arts which have an impressive 98% completion rate and vocational design studies which has a 97% completion rate. Both courses are also very successful with a 93% and 91% success rate respectively.

These figures cap a magnificent academic year for the college which has been awarded the UK-wide AOC Beacon Presidents Award for its costume construction course, achievement of the Wales Quality Award for the Most Improved Organisation in Wales and became the first further education college to receive the Gold Health Standard by the Welsh Government.

Coleg Morgannwg plans to continue improving its student experience with the state-of-the-art Taf Ely Learning Campus, due to open in September 2012 and is looking forward to another successful academic year starting this September.

Media Magnets

Students from the Media course were given the opportunity to produce a radio advert to promote ‘enrolment’ days. The group of students visited the studios at Real Radio, Cardiff where they were greeted by Paul Robinson, Copywriter of the adverts.

The students were given a tour of the studio and introduced to a number of the presenters before settling down to the task of producing their advert.  Media student Roxy Bevan said “It was a brilliant opportunity, I loved it - at first we were really nervous but Paul was great; he explained how he writes the adverts, using sound effects etc and reassured us throughout the challenge…I can’t wait to hear the advert!”

Students are South Africa bound to take their skills to children

Classmates are preparing to spend their summer break caring for children with HIV and aids, having raised £1500 each to travel to a South African children’s centre.

The Coleg Morgannwg students, who have just completed a course in children’s care, learning and development, have donated their time to the project after attending an inspiring seminar from Joan Adams, founder of Morning Star Children’s Centre in Welkom, South Africa.

The centre provides daycare for under privileged children infected with HIV and Aids. It also helps the local community by offering support groups, providing basic schooling and regular food parcels.  The enthusiasm of the students for this charity proved catching, with six members of staff also signing up to travel with them.

Supported by the teaching staff, three students, Carlie Logan, Louise Newland and Louise Glastonbury went on a fundraising mission and managed to raise an impressive £1,500 each to pay for their own flights and accommodation, through a variety of methods from car boots sales to salsa dancing classes.

Our intrepid students & staff about to leave for South Africa

During the summer, they will set off for a two week stay in Welkom, where they will support the centre taking care of their children as well as helping out with practical tasks like painting and gardening.

Kath Sidorowicz, tutor at Coleg Morgannwg, said: “This is a great opportunity for our childcare students to take their newly acquired skills to a place that will really benefit. It is testament to their passion for the project that they managed to raise the sums they needed to travel, and they had a great deal of support from their families, classmates and staff.

“Obviously, as a college, we are thrilled to provide students with seminars like the one hosted by Joan Adams that inspires them to this degree. While it will no doubt be a once in a lifetime experience, it is by no means a holiday, and I am glad that myself and five other staff will be there with them to help them make the best of this opportunity”

The intrepid students will return to the college to share their experiences in September in a bid to inspire their classmates to make the trip an annual tradition.

Joan Adams, founder of Morning Star Children’s Centre, said: “I can't believe how much good has come from my short visit to Coleg Morgannwg earlier this year and how much support and interest has been generated.

Joan Adams from Morning Star visits the college

“We're so looking forward to the students' visit to Morning Star. I really hope this is going to be a life changing experience for all of them and that they'll return home enthused and determined to make a difference in people's lives wherever their futures take them.”

COLLEGE RECOGNISES VOCATIONAL SUCCESS

Coleg Morgannwg held its second annual VQ Day celebrations with an awards ceremony at its Rhondda Campus; attended by vocational students, their tutors and Principal, Judith Evans. VQ Day is a national celebration of vocational achievement and the college held the event to showcase the achievements of its students across a range of vocational courses from all curriculum areas.

The principal congratulated the students on their achievements and welcomed the opportunity to highlight the importance of vocational qualifications and the part the college had played in supporting the aspirations and goals of the students.

Over 30 students received awards with three students selected as overall winners.  These had been selected by members of the Student Parliament in recognition not only for their academic achievement and effort but also for the personal barriers some of the students had to overcome to achieve success.  The winners included Simon Watkins (First), Samantha Marshall (Second) and Petrina Oliver (Third).

Principal, Judith Evans said: "This is our second VQ Awards Ceremony and I really enjoy the event. Celebrating the success of some exceptional students, many of who have overcome barriers and personal tragedies is important and I feel privileged as the principal of the college to have played a part in helping these students to achieve their goals.  The event highlights the success of vocational courses throughout the college and recognises the commitment of the students and dedication of our staff”.

The event concluded with a buffet prepared and served by the Hospitality & Catering students under the guidance of tutor Marilyn Emmanuel.

Overall Winner - Simon Watkins
Simon enrolled on the Hospitality and Catering course at the college in September 2007, aged 16 years. His family decided to move to Wales after the devastating effects of the tsunami in Thailand. 
He embraced his studies with a passion and successfully completed a range of qualifications. He is a valued team member with exceptional people and communication skills. Simon has been actively involved in extracurricular events, functions and competitions and has always been prepared to go the extra mile.  Before starting at UWIC in September 2011 to embark on International Hotel management degree course Simon will spend the summer working at the Hardwick, Abergavenny.

Samantha Marshall – 2nd
Samantha came to college after a very difficult time in her life, her husband died, she was made redundant from her job in a bakery and she did not know which direction to take in her life. Although very nervous and lacking in confidence she enrolled on the NVQ in Business Administration and achieved all her qualifications.  Samantha has gained in confidence and is working towards her goal of completing her level 2 NVQ in Business Administration and other related qualifications by July 2011.Samantha will continue to study on a part time basis and has enrolled on the HNC Business course.

PETRINA OLIVER - 3rd
Petrina has overcome barriers that most individuals would hide away from.  She is totally committed to changing her life and is an inspiration to other adult learners. At 49 years of age Petrina rarely left the house and found herself with no qualifications and as she thought ‘little chance of ever getting a job’.  She realised she had to do something and started volunteering with Glyncoch Communities First. With the support of the college tutors she overcame her fear of computers and now has good IT skills.  She also achieved C&G NVQ2 in Community Development, in Word Processing (Word) and Spreadsheets (Excel).  Whilst undertaking these courses she has also taken C&G Basic Skills classes in Maths and English Level 1. Petrina has enrolled on a Counselling course and an NVQ Level 2 course in Health and Social Care for September.

FORGET MasterChef and Come Dine with Me – a team of Cynon students have taken the honours in a national culinary challenge.

The cooking champs conjured up a dinner for a king and won a top award in the Welsh culinary “Oscars”. The “Magnificent Seven” from Coleg Morgannwg’s Aberdare Campus took the silver medal in the Institute of Hospitality Dining Awards, which are competed for by catering students from across Wales.

The Aberdare cooking squad, who are all aged between 16 and 21, are following an NVQ catering course. Six of the students were responsible for designing the menu, cooking and presenting a sumptuous three-course meal for 12 guests. The seventh student had to deliver a PowerPoint presentation to the judges, detailing where the food and ingredients were sourced.

The teams were given £100 to spend in total on the food and table decorations and £40 for wine. All produce used had to be grown or reared in Wales and the students had four hours to prepare and cook their menu.

In a Come Dine with Me-style atmosphere, the judges and their guests arrived at the college’s Llewellyn Suite, where petits fours and canapes were served.

After the PowerPoint presentation, it was time to sample the students’ sumptuous fare. Chef lecturer David Harland said: “This is a tremendous achievement and we are thrilled that the team achieved silver. “They did everything themselves and that was quite a task. “Although it was a nerve-racking evening, the judges said the food was superb with a delicious flavour. We are so proud of their achievement.”

The award ceremony was held at UWIC in Cardiff on June 6 and the winners of the gold, silver and bronze awards were kept a closely guarded secret.

“When they announced that Coleg Morgannwg Aberdare Campus had scooped the silver gong, we were stunned – but it is an honour well deserved,” said Mr Harland.

The students each received a certificate and £75, with a framed plaque for the college to display. The team have also been supported by food and beverage lecturer Sian Servini and catering technician Wendy Rees.

Photography by Matthew Horwood - Media Wales

Coleg Morgannwg has become the first further education college in Wales to receive a prestigious award for its high standards of health and well-being.

As one of the largest providers of education and training, Coleg Morgannwg has been working hard to maintain and improve the health and well-being of its staff and has been awarded the Gold Corporate Health Standard by the Welsh Government.

After receiving the silver standard last year, Coleg Morgannwg has continued its commitment to creating an ideal working environment for its 500 staff. The college has been commended for the range of health and well-being interventions that have been implemented, such as promoting healthy eating across all campuses and supplying staff with a supportive return to work process. Categories assessed during the process are mental health promotion, nutrition, physical activities, general health, occupational health & rehabilitation and health & safety.

Principal at Coleg Morgannwg, Judith Evans said: “To be the first further education college in Wales to achieve gold is something that I and the staff here are extremely proud of.
“Coleg Morgannwg values all its employees and the outstanding contribution that they make to the education of our learners. Teaching and learning is a very rewarding profession but requires commitment, dedication and enthusiasm. Students are at the heart of everything we do and staff well-being transcends down to them so encouraging them to perform at their best will benefit our students in the long term.”

Coleg Morgannwg has made an effort to achieve the gold standard by holding health and safety presentations in reception areas, giving staff access to leisure facilities and monitoring the health of staff along with bringing in speakers to help them stay healthy.

The college is determined to continue to build on its health and well being standards and hopes that further positive change will make Coleg Morgannwg one of the top places in Wales to work.

The Corporate Health Standard, run by the Welsh Government, is the quality mark for workplace health promotion in Wales. It is presented in bronze, silver, gold and platinum categories to public, private and third sector organisations implementing practices to promote the health and well-being of their employees.

At a glittering ceremony at the Hilton Hotel Cardiff on 26 May, outstanding learners and teachers were recognised as the top performers across colleges in Wales, and seven colleges were awarded for driving improvements that benefit learners.

ColegauCymru’s Annual Awards recognise outstanding achievements by learners, teachers and colleges and the quality of submissions for the ColegauCymru Awards 2011 was notably high. The judging panels were very impressed, noting that the colleges had “raised the bar” this year. Coleg Morgannwg picked up the award for Effective leadership in the delivery of skills.

Dr John Graystone, ColegauCymru Chief Executive, said: “On the day that the Education Minister Leighton Andrews congratulated colleges for responding to the Welsh Government’s agenda for change, it was fitting that the evening ended with showcases of the very best of college practices.

“Congratulations to all the winners. These awards ensure that best practice is properly recognised. The awards are also central to colleges’ continual efforts to raise standards across the board by learning from the best.”

Dr Graystone continued: “The ColegauCymru Awards 2011 not only benefit learners but also have a clear value to a wide range of highly-respected national organisations. We are delighted to have received sponsorship and strong support once again this year from: Agored Cymru, City & Guilds/ILM, Edexcel, Learndirect, Lifelong Learning UK, OCR Cymru, WJEC, and Tribal Education.”

Coleg Morgannwg student Wayne Davies was Highly Commended at the NIACE Inspire awards ceremony.  Like many students, Wayne Davies left school at 16 with no qualifications and no sense of where he was heading. During the years that followed, he became aware of more and more of his friends going down a wrong path, often getting involved in petty crime and drug taking. The one thing he was certain of was that he didn’t want to follow them down this dead-end. He was determined to do something better with his life.

Things were also difficult for Wayne at home, with his parents struggling to keep a roof over their heads. His father’s experiences with intermittent unemployment inspired him to seek a more secure and brighter future for himself via gaining qualifications which could open up new and better career opportunities, especially when his father was declared bankrupt and his parents’ house was repossessed.

Wayne loved learning from the moment he started in Coleg Morgannwg. The GCSEs and, later, the Access to Science course he studied taught him to think in new ways and helped him to gain steadily in confidence. Wayne’s nominator, Ian Rees, believes that: “Wayne’s enthusiasm for learning is second to none and is infectious to those around him. His level of self-motivation is a fine example to others.”

For Wayne, returning to learning has been a life-changing experience. He is now studying for a Geology degree at University of Glamorgan, and is genuinely excited about the future: “I am really proud of what I have achieved so far. My ambition is to go on to study for a Masters in Palaeontology. Beyond that, I would love to study for a PHD, and then work abroad – ideally in Australia or the USA – in the field of Palaeontology. My life now has direction and a sense of purpose. I cannot recommend Further Education highly enough to anyone who, like me, missed out first time round and needs a second chance. Coleg Morgannwg gave me that chance, and I shall always be grateful for the opportunity.”

Coleg Morgannwg is celebrating after beating off competition from colleges across the UK to claim a prestigious education award.

After initially winning the Association of Colleges’ (AoC) Edge Award for its costume construction foundation degree, the college was acknowledged with the President’s Award at a ceremony in London.

The President’s Award chooses the most outstanding college from the overall AoC winners. Coleg Morgannwg was up against 17 strong AoC winners, including Coleg Sir Gar in Carmarthenshire.

Coleg Morgannwg was chosen as an outstanding example of achievement in further education by the President of the AoC Charitable Trust, Lord Willis of Knaresborough.

Course leader of costume construction at Coleg Morgannwg, Emma Highgate, said: “All of the staff and students involved in costume construction are really passionate about what they do and this award reflects our commitment and support to our students and the costume industry.

“There were a lot of strong contenders at the awards so we were obviously thrilled to receive the overall President’s Award, which recognises the hard work the students and staff have put in over the last two years.”

Coleg Morgannwg has developed strong links with theatre and film production companies to meet the industry demand for higher level practical skills in costume construction. During the course students produce costumes for theatre and screen productions and work alongside professionals in theatre, dance, and opera including the Welsh National Opera.

Lord Willis, who chose Coleg Morgannwg as the winner, was impressed with the scope and ambition of the course. He said: “Coleg Morgannwg’s course is hugely ambitious, creative, challenging and unconventional, all the qualities we increasingly need to see from the sector. This is a course which can only operate through the excellence of its design, execution and cost base, again the essential ingredients of successful creative businesses.

“To challenge students to compete in this highly competitive marketplace and to succeed through securing real briefs demonstrates a college stepping up a level and demonstrating that there are simply no glass ceilings for the FE sector.”

Coleg Morgannwg’s new £40 million campus is being showcased as a model demonstration project for exceptional corporate social responsibility and sustainability by Constructing Excellence Wales.

The Taf Ely Learning Campus at Nantgarw, which is backed with over £34m Welsh Assembly Government funding, including investment from the European Regional Development Fund, has just celebrated the halfway point in its construction and topping out ceremony.

The campus is being developed to strict reduce, reuse and recycle guidelines and has resulted in it being used as an exemplar project for other construction companies.

The structure of the building was pre-fabricated off-site before being transported in sections to Nantgarw for construction company, Laing O’Rourke, to assemble. This has resulted in a quicker erection process and waste reduction of 85% which would normally go to landfill.

Coleg Morgannwg celebrated the completion of the structure with a topping out ceremony attended by Leighton Andrews AM Minister for Children, Education and Lifelong Learning.

Leighton Andrews said: “We want our young people to be learning in facilities which are environmentally responsible, modern and technologically advanced. Coleg Morgannwg’s new campus is a great example of this ambition in practice.”

The new four-storey building will replace the college’s existing site at Rhydyfelin and provide state-of-the-art facilities for more than 3000 students and staff.

Principal at Coleg Morgannwg, Judith Evans, said: “The new campus has been developed to the highest sustainable standard working towards the BREEAM rating of excellent. So to be recognised by Construction Excellence Wales as an outstanding project in sustainability is a huge achievement.

“The topping out ceremony was a great opportunity to celebrate the months of planning, development and construction and it was really satisfying to finally see it all coming together.”

Laing O’Rourke will now begin work on the internal structure of the new campus which is due to be completed in September 2012.

Representatives from Coleg Morgannwg attended the ‘Healthy Working Wales’ award presentations in Port Talbot to collect the Silver Corporate Health Award. The college is only the second college to be granted this level of award. The Corporate Health Standard is the national mark of quality for health and well being in the workplace. Any workplace that has adopted practices to improve employee health and well being can apply.

The standard is a continuous journey of good practice and improvement, and it can be used as a tool to support the development of policies that promote the heath and well being of employees. The standard has been developed to recognise good practice and to target the key preventable ill-health issues.

The promotion of Health and Well Being has become an integral part of the Colleges core values and has included the setting up of a Health and Well Being group which has run initiatives such as Breast Cancer Awareness, No Smoking Day, Stress Awareness and the Health Challenge “28 days around Coleg Morgannwg”. The College will be continuing on this journey and hopes to achieve Gold or even Platinum. Already planned for 2010 / 2011 are awareness sessions on Cervical Cancer, Testicular Cancer and Musculoskeletal Disorders. Congratulations to all who helped with this success.

Coleg Morgannwg has won the Association of Colleges’ President’s Award at a ceremony in London. The course sees students progressing to university or straight into the entertainment industry following an intensive two year Foundation Degree course in Costume Construction for Theatre & Screen.

The College was chosen from 17 AoC Beacon Award winners as an outstanding example of achievement in further education by the President of the AoC Charitable Trust, Lord Willis of Knaresborough. Lord Willis chose Coleg Morgannwg as the winner of the 7th annual President’s Award as he was impressed with the scope and ambition of the course.

He said: “Coleg Morgannwg’s course is hugely ambitious, creative, challenging and unconventional – all the qualities we increasingly need to see from the sector. This is a course which can only operate through the excellence of its design, execution and cost base – again the essential ingredients of successful creative businesses.

“To challenge students to compete in this highly competitive marketplace and to succeed through securing real briefs demonstrates a College stepping up a level and demonstrating that there are simply no glass ceilings for the FE sector.”

The announcement came as John Hayes MP, Minister for Further Education, Skills and Lifelong Learning, presented all the winning Colleges with the prestigious Beacon Awards at a ceremony in Westminster.

He said: “I’m pleased to be part of the AoC Beacon Awards which recognise and celebrate the greatest successes of the further education sector. The Awards highlight the exceptional ability of many Colleges to respond to the needs of students and local businesses and revitalise the communities they serve.

Coleg Morgannwg won the Edge Award for Practical Teaching and Practical Learning for its Skills for Costume Construction in Theatre & Screen Foundation Degree. The Award recognises Colleges providing excellent practical teaching that results in students having learning experiences that are real, meaningful, challenging and life-changing.

The College has strong links with theatre and film production companies and won the Award for the course which was developed to meet an industry need for higher level practical skills in costume construction. During the course, students produce costumes for theatre and screen productions and benefit from working alongside professionals in theatre, dance, screen and opera companies.
Course leader Emma Highgate said: “We are so delighted to have won. All the staff and students involved in this course are really passionate about what we do and that is reflected in the commitment and support given to this course.

“We went out to the industry with lots of questionnaires and let them know we were planning on starting a costume design course but what we discovered was that there is one costume designer on a film set but 300 people needed to make the garments so we focused on costume construction. This is our third year and we have built up really strong contacts with theatrical organisations, including Welsh National Opera.”

The experience of working alongside clients, including designers, actors and models, is invaluable in developing their understanding of the sensitivities involved with fitting garments on real people and of the financial and practical constraints involved in the industry. Most students go on to complete the full BA degree programme at university, while the remaining students take up jobs in the West End, in TV and in film work.

Peter Mitchell, interim CEO of independent education foundation Edge, said: “Coleg Morgannwg showcases the importance of providing students with high quality educational routes and this project highlights the many paths to success such an approach can give to young people. I congratulate them on their Award and hope they continue to lead the way for other Colleges across the UK.”

Photographs Copyright: Stefano Cagnoni  2010

At a Gala Dinner and Awards evening at City Hall in Cardiff a presentation attended by dignitaries from across the private and public sector was held. This year’s award ceremony was attended by the First Minister for Wales, Carwyn Jones AM. 

There are 8 award categories and Coleg Morgannwg won The Prize for the Most Improved Organisation, sponsored by SONY UK TEC.  The Award was presented by Mr Steve Dalton, MD of SONY UK TEC, for demonstrating year on year improvements across all aspects of the organisation’s operations looking at a minimum of three year trends.  It also assesses the distance travelled by organisations against other benchmarks/standards such as Investors in People, Green Dragon Environmental Standards etc.

Pictured is college Principal Mrs Judith Evans receiving the award from Mr Steven Dalton. Also in the photo are Karen Phillips, Helen Saunders, John Phelps, Peter James (Chair of the Governors) and Brenig Davies (Governor).

Winning the prestigious Wales Quality Award, or one of the prizes, is an accolade for any business and the college is proud of its achievement.

Coleg Morgannwg wins national education award

Coleg Morgannwg is celebrating after winning one of the UK’s most prestigious awards for its outstanding contribution to further education.

The college scooped the Edge Award for Practical Teaching and Practical Learning for its costume construction in theatre and screen foundation degree.  Most students on the course progress to university or straight into a career in the entertainment industry.

The Association of Colleges Beacon awards, which this year celebrate 17 years of outstanding teaching and learning in further education colleges, were announced at the AoC’s annual conference and exhibition in Birmingham.

The awards recognise colleges providing excellent practical teaching that results in students having learning experiences that are real, meaningful, challenging and life-changing. 

Principal at Coleg Morgannwg, Judith Evans, said:  “We are delighted to have won this prestigious award demonstrating the outstanding standard of quality vocational opportunities that further education provides to learners. Our highly motivated team along with their continuous involvement within industry has resulted in exceptional learner progression into higher education and/or employment. We would especially like to thank the employers who continue to support this initiative and our students who demonstrate such passion for the industry and commitment to their studies.”

The college has strong links with theatre and film production companies and won the award for the course which was developed to meet an industry need for higher level practical skills in costume construction. During the course students produce costumes for theatre and screen productions and benefit from working alongside professionals in theatre, dance, screen and opera companies. Most students go on to complete the full BA degree programme in costume construction at university, while the remaining students take up jobs in London’s West End or go on to work in the television and film industries. 

The UK-wide Beacon Awards provide national recognition for excellence and innovation as well as acknowledging the talents of staff at all levels. They highlight the breadth and quality of education in the college sector.

Peter Mitchell, interim CEO of independent education foundation, Edge, said: “Coleg Morgannwg showcases the importance of providing students with high quality educational routes and this project highlights the successful future such an approach can give to young people.  I congratulate them on their Award and hope they continue to lead the way for other Colleges across the UK.”

Coleg Morgannwg will host a local celebration event in the New Year and will be presented with their award by John Hayes MP, Minister of State for Further Education, at a national presentation ceremony due to be held in Westminster on 9 February 2011.

Costume design tutor Emma Highgate always encourages her students to create fabulous outfits for stage and screen.

But they pushed the boat out for their most flamboyant project yet – designing the perfect dress for a pantomime dame.

Inspired by characters from classics shows such as Cinderella, Aladdin and Robinson Crusoe, Emma’s second-year students transformed their male Coleg Morgannwg tutors into Mother Goose and Widow Twankey, using corsets and body padding to create curves in all the right places.

Their models strutted their stuff on the catwalk, all hoping to be crowned the ultimate pantomime dame, while a panel of judges scrutinised every stitch and sequin.

Emma said: “They all did really well and produced the costumes to a very high standard. It’s not just about making it – they need to measure and cut it for an individual. It’s a very creative way of working.”

Childcare Students at Coleg Morgannwg support Operation Christmas Child Appeal

Fifteen shoe boxes filled with a selection of toys, toiletry items and gifts left the college recently, bound for less fortunate children all over the world.

Childcare students based at the Rhondda campus donated items to support the world's largest children's Christmas project, Operation Christmas Child. The project sends a message of love and hope to children in need around the globe, through gift-filled shoe boxes.
 Last year, almost 1.2 million shoeboxes were filled with gifts and goodies and sent to children who need them in some of the toughest parts of the world.

Childcare tutor, Alison Llewellyn who co-ordinated the effort at the college said “We support the Operation Christmas Child project every year. The kindness and generosity of students and staff and their willingness to help others less fortunate than themselves is tremendous, especially in this current economic climate.”

Childcare student, Natalie Williams, studying on the Cache Level 3 course said “We’ve had fun filling the shoe boxes and hope the children will enjoy the gifts we’ve chosen. It is good to know that these children will receive a present and will enjoy their Christmas as much us”

Two Coleg  Morgannwg Global Enterprise finalists, Bethan Davies and Sam Elliot, took part in the recent Senedd media launch of the Youth Enterprise Strategy (YES) and ‘Big Ideas Wales’ website; the event  marks  the start of Enterprise Week 2010.  Opening the event the Minister for Education Leighton Andrews emphasised the need for young people to develop these important entrepreneurial skills and for everyone to adopt a ‘positive, can do approach to work and life generally’

The event proved invaluable to Bethan and Sam who gained experience presenting an excellent account of their entrepreneurial journey to dignitaries and the press.  Both Bethan and Sam were members of a  Coleg Morgannwg team who earlier in the year represented Wales at the Global Enterprise Challenge in Indonesia, where the students were awarded 3rd place out of 14 teams from across the world and highest marks for creativity and marketing.

Enterprise is high on the agenda of the college with the first of four Campus-based Enterprise Challenges scheduled for later this week at the Aberdare Campus.  Also teams from the Art and Design and Business areas of the college are taking part in a Heads of Valleys Innovation Partnership (HOVIP) Challenge between Gwent, Ystrad Mynach and Merthyr Colleges.  This is a live challenge where the students have to discuss ideas and produce a marketing plan for the new Rhymney Brewery Visitor Centre, which is to be opened in March alongside Big Pit at Blaenavon.   In two weeks time the teams will pitch their ideas to the Managing Director of Rhymney Brewery and Nic Brewer, Alan Sugar’s right hand man from the television programme the Apprentice.

Lynne Parfitt, Senior Curriculum Leader for Core Learning said “The College is extremely proud of the achievements of our students who take part in such enterprise challenges.  We are amazed by the sheer determination and unrelenting team work – participants gain confidence through the experiences which helps them to remain focussed and unfazed throughout.”

A law student from the Rhondda who nearly gave up on education when he was younger is heading to America this summer in a bid to help children share his new-found passion for learning.

Matthew Jones, 19, from Porth, experienced some difficulties at school and was given the chance to complete his studies at Coleg Morgannwg.  Thanks to the support of staff and students at the college, he gained top grades in his GCSEs and A Levels.

Matthew is currently in the middle of a law degree at Aberystwyth University and although he is enjoying his course, he also relishes in working with children. So Matthew has decided to take a year out of his degree course and go to California to teach children environmental science at a conservation centre.

Matthew, who volunteers at his local Youth Offending Team in his spare time, said: “I’m really grateful to Coleg Morgannwg for giving me the chance to finish my education. I nearly dropped out altogether at one point, but now I absolutely love learning. I wouldn’t be where I am now without the support of the college.

“I’m looking forward to going to America to work because I love working with children and being a good role model. If I can use my experiences in any way to help the children there then it’ll be an extremely worthwhile trip.”

When Matthew finishes his degree he wants to go to Japan to teach children English. He then plans to do a PhD in an area which involves helping children with learning difficulties.

Coleg Morgannwg works very closely with Rhondda Cynon Taf local authority and the 14 to19 consortia to provide qualifications for younger students like Matthew who sometimes struggle in the traditional school environment.

Coleg Morgannwg principal Judith Evans said: “Matthew is a great example of a student who overcame difficult circumstances and is a inspiration and role model to others”

Three sisters from Pontypridd who found themselves unfulfilled with their jobs, signed up for the same college course on the same day and are now looking forward to brighter futures.

Bethan Edwards, 27, Rhianydd Edwards, 25, and Zoe Najian, 19, from Cilfynydd, embarked on the humanities course at Coleg Morgannwg to improve their future career prospects and will now all go on to university.  

Bethan, previously a stay-at-home mum to three-year-old Alys, thought university would never be an option. At school, she didn’t complete GCSEs because she had epilepsy which made her so ill that she had to leave school at 15. At Coleg Morgannwg Bethan has been able to complete her GCSEs as well as an OCN in humanities.

Zoe, who was previously working on a production line at a factory, is also working towards the OCN.

Both Bethan and Zoe hope to go to university next year after completing the diploma at Coleg Morgannwg to become primary school teachers.

Rhianydd, who was working in a bar before she started at Coleg Morgannwg, already had AS levels so was able to bypass the OCN course and go straight onto the diploma course. Would-be support worker Rhianydd is going to Cardiff University this September to study supportive housing.
Bethan said: “We all found ourselves really de-motivated and unfulfilled in what we were doing with our lives. So when we heard about Coleg Morgannwg’s open day we thought we’d go along and see what they had to offer. When we realised how easy it could be to get some qualifications, we instantly signed up and haven’t looked back since.

“I’m so pleased that I’ve been given a second chance to do my GCSEs and Coleg Morgannwg has been really supportive in helping me achieve my goals. Also my daughter goes to the college crèche which is a big help, and it’s reassuring knowing that she is so close.”

Coleg Morgannwg offers a range of courses for all ages, including engineering, IT, hairdressing and a variety of A Levels.

Congratulations to the Global Enterprise students who represented Wales in Bali, Indonesia. The students were awarded 3rd place out of 14 teams from across the world. The results are as follows: 1st Australia, 2nd Japan, 3rd Wales (Coleg Morgannwg).
These aspiring Alan Sugars of the future are students from Coleg Morgannwg’s Centre for Art and Design Technology at Nantgarw. They jetted off to Bali for the Global Enterprise Challenge on June 14 and 15.

The team, Josh Matthew, Mellissa Micallef, Bethan Davies, Sam Elliot, Samantha Davies and Angelo Constantinou, were selected to represent their country after the all-Wales final at the Millennium Centre.

At the intense two-day event, the youngsters were challenged to develop an innovative product for the health, wellbeing and social care sector.

They came up with providing sponsored equipment to schools to enable young people to participate in free running without damaging property.  But at the Bali final, the students didn’t know what they had to develop until the day of the competition.

The team were accompanied by Coleg Morgannwg’s Enterprise Leader Lynne Parfitt, their Art and Design Tutor Alistair Aston and the college’s Deputy Principal Karen Phillips.

Judith Evans, Principal of Coleg Morgannwg, said: “We are extremely proud of what our students achieved in Bali in such a tough competition.  We were amazed by their sheer determination and unrelenting teamwork and were particularly impressed by the way they remained unfazed and focused throughout the whole competition.  I am confident that the skills demonstrated by the students in Bali will lead them into extremely successful careers in the future.”

A team from Coleg Morgannwg has been judged the Global Entrepreneurship Challenge champions for Wales. The budding entrepreneurs from the Nantgarw Campus will now represent Wales against 14 other countries in the world final of the prestigious competition in Bali later this year.

After two days of competition at the Wales Millennium Centre in Cardiff, Coleg Morgannwg's innovative Freerun business idea got the nod from the experienced panel of judges. Challenged to develop an innovative product or service that covered the needs of the health, wellbeing and social care sector, the learners came up with a business that provided sponsored equipment to schools and colleges to enable young people to participate in freerunning without damaging property.

The awards presentation was made by Lesley Griffiths, the Welsh Assembly Government's Deputy Minister for Science, Innovation and Skills, who congratulated all the participants. "It is events such as these that inspire entrepreneurial activity and help young people to consider starting their own business in the future," she said. "It is also about promoting a positive can do attitude."

Teams of six learners from 22 further education colleges were given just 24 hours to develop a business plan and three-minute, pre-recorded presentations which they gave to a panel of leading business people from the private and public sectors. Each team was mentored by a successful business owner who had been appointed a role model for the Welsh Assembly Government's Dynamo Programme, which encourages young entrepreneurs. Coleg Morganwg's team was mentored by John Farley of Autografik Design.

The competition, which showcases creativity and innovation, was the culmination of months of activities from several thousand learners who battled to represent their college in the national final.

Costume learner, Elizabeth Morgan scooped the ‘Best trainee Costume’ Award at the ‘It’s My Shout Red Carpet Awards Ceremony’.  The event was held at the Grand Pavilion, Porthcawl where young actors and film makers were recognised for their talents in acting, writing, technical skills and production.
The scheme was set up in 2003 to provide hands on experience for young people in Wales to work alongside professionals in the making of short films which are then broadcast on the television.

Twenty year old Elizabeth, from Pontypridd, a second year learner studying at our Arts Centre, enjoyed the evening with her tutor and fellow learners. She said “ Spending the Summer working on ‘It’s My Shout’ was an amazing experience and I cannot wait to do it again next year.  It has given me a professional insight into the industry of film making. Working with professionals has been a valuable learning experience. Winning the ‘Best Costume Trainee Award’ was incredible and was  a fabulous experience. Joining the ‘Costume Construction for Screen and Stage’ course straight from school has been such a great challenge for me and extremely rewarding. ”

Tutor Emma Highgate added “The learners really enjoyed the atmosphere of the evening; we were all delighted when Liz was presented with her award. To win this award so early on in her education/career is an outstanding achievement. Many of the learners who work on the It’s My Shout films are in the third year of their degrees or have graduated. Liz has only just started the second year of course which goes to show what an achievement this is”.

At the recent JTL (Joint Training Ltd) Welsh Regional Apprentice of the Year Awards which was held at the Vale of Glamorgan Hotel and Spa, ten apprentices competed for the top awards.

JTL is the leading training provider to the building services engineering sector, working with over 3,500 businesses in the UK. It is recognised as the sector preferred training provider and engages with a network of around 150 of the UK’s colleges.

Coleg Morgannwg learner Robert Mason was awarded the best JTL Apprentice for Wales.  Robert is continuing with his studies and attends the Nantgarw campus; he is employed at Systems Electrical Engineering based at Merthyr Tydfil. Lorne Stewart employee Sarah Brockway was runner up, with Ross Perryman also picking up an award.

Coleg Morgannwg Hospitality & Catering learner Sam Lau was given the opportunity to undertake a month’s work placement in the famous Pearl Restaurant, London.

Sam originally trained in Business and Management in Kuala Lumpur University and embarked on a trip around the world, working in restaurants to fund his trip. From a young age Sam had a passion for cooking and when working in his uncle’s business in Pontypridd he realised if he was to fulfil his ambitions as a professional chef, he would need to train and achieve recognised qualifications. Sam enrolled on the NVQ Level 3 in Professional Cookery at the Pontypridd Campus, studying practical and theoretical subjects which will prove beneficial during his placement.

At the restaurant Sam worked alongside celebrity chef Jun Tanaka who has hosted several TV shows including, Cooking It, Saturday Kitchen, Great Food Live, Saturday Cooks and Market Kitchen. After his placement with Jun, Sam went to work at Gordon Ramsey’s Boxwood Restaurant in Knightsbridge, London.

Paula Marsh, Senior Curriculum Leader explained: “This placement provided Sam with an invaluable insight into the running of a busy London restaurant. He has proved to be a very talented learner and I’m sure he will achieve his ambitions”.                

Music learners from Coleg Morgannwg travelled to Bridgend Recreation Centre to battle it out with bands from Bridgend College, in the Battle of the Bands competition; an annual event to promote National Colleges Week.

The four bands performed 20 minute sets in a bid to secure the prize; a fantastic one day recording session in a professional music studio, sponsored by Prawn Studio, Bridgend. After lengthy deliberations the panel of judges; Polly James, presenter at Nation Radio and Andre Van Wyk, Arts Development Officer at Bridgend County Borough Council announced the winners – the Magpies, from Coleg Morgannwg.  The group of four musicians will also be featured on Nation Radio, playing some of their great music.

Scott Howells Music lecturer, Coleg Morgannwg said "The learners really enjoyed playing in a professional environment and displayed good camaraderie with learners from Bridgend College. The prize of a day's recording and national air play on Nation Radio will give the learners good experience of being a professional recording artist".

In the college’s Prize Evening ceremony Wayne Davies was recognised for his achievements. He joined the college with minimal D grade qualifications, but a great deal of determination to progress and a clear vision for the future.  During his interview he impressed his lecturer with his maturity and motivation.

His attendance and punctuality throughout the academic year was exemplary, as was his level of commitment to the course. He studied 5 GCSE subjects (one by evening) plus the Welsh Baccalaureate programme. He faced some personal hardship during his time of study, his family like many others have been badly affected by the recession, but at no point did he let this interfere with his commitment to the course.  He worked consistently and diligently, always completing all classwork exercises and always early for coursework deadlines.

His calm, mature and friendly approach impacted on his fellow learners, and all subject lecturers agreed that the group dynamic benefitted enormously from having him in class. He achieved 2 A grades, a B and two Cs plus the Welsh Baccalaureate. This year he has enrolled on the Access to Science programme at the college.

Wayne was chosen from around 15,000 learners to receive the College Outstanding Achievement Award, he was presented with his award by Roy Noble OBE BBC Radio presenter.