Apprenticeship programme through the medium of Welsh
WITH the Welsh Government announcing plans to have a million Welsh-speakers by the year 2050, Urdd Gobaith Cymru has developed an innovative apprenticeship programme.
One of the key aims of the Urdd is to provide opportunities, through the medium of Welsh, for all the young people of Wales to play a constructive role in society, fostering personal and social skills.
Urdd Gobaith Cymru’s apprenticeship programme gives individuals the opportunity to work and train in the sports and outdoor sector through NVQ training, following the Level 2 in Activity Leadership in the first year and Sports Development Level 3 in the second.
Now the organisation has been shortlisted for this year’s Apprenticeship Awards Cymru. It will be competing to become Large Employer of the Year at the Celtic Manor Resort, Newport on November 9.
The annual awards are designed to showcase and celebrate the achievements of learners, employers, tutors and assessors who have excelled in contributing to the development of the Welsh Government’s traineeships and apprenticeship programmes.
Jointly organised by the Welsh Government and the National Training Federation for Wales (NTfW), the awards are supported by media partner Media Wales.
The apprenticeship programme is funded by the Welsh Government with support from the European Social Fund.
As a subcontractor to ACT Limited, Urdd Gobaith Cymru is both employer and learning provider, with 34 apprentices currently on its books, which includes 24 internal apprentices and 10 following the external facilitated apprenticeships it provides. More than 68 have been recruited since the scheme was launched five years ago.
“We are already reaping the benefits, with our young apprentices being able to engage strongly with the youngsters within their own communities,” said Gary Lewis, Urdd’s sports and apprenticeship director. “For example, in the six months since our apprentice started working in the Anglesey area, the number of children involved with our weekly clubs there has risen by 100%.
“Nationally, we have over 8,000 children active weekly and our apprenticeship programme has been pivotal in reaching this number of children and young people.”
The Urdd has also set a target of developing its workforce for the future, with a clear vision for 100 apprentices by the year 2022 to mark its centenary. An apprenticeship strategy has been created to guide and develop apprenticeships into new sectors across the organisation.
Minister for Welsh Language and Lifelong Learning Eluned Morgan said: “Apprenticeship Awards Cymru showcase the success of the Welsh Government’s apprenticeships and traineeships programmes and the achievements of our star apprentices, employers, learning providers and trainees.
“Apprenticeships are a great way for individuals to gain valuable skills and experience while earning a wage and for employers to ensure their workforce has the skills to futureproof a business.
“Increasing higher-level skills and developing skills pathways that benefit the whole of Wales have never been more important.”