Achieve your goals at Cardiff and Vale College
STUDENTS finishing their GCSEs and still contemplating their next step are being encouraged to visit Cardiff and Vale College on Wednesday, August 31 to discuss their options and claim the last remaining places on courses starting this September.
From A-levels and BTEC Extended Diplomas to career-focused courses and apprenticeships, CAVC offers the widest choice of pathways across Cardiff and the Vale, running at different levels to allow individuals to achieve their goals, whether university or a dream career.
Students have a choice of nearly 30 A-level courses including biology, English language and English literature, history, law, mathematics, media studies, photography, psychology and business, or an extensive range of career-focused courses, including aircraft engineering; hair, beauty and complementary therapies; hospitality; travel and tourism; sport and engineering, business and IT.
Demand for full-time courses is at an all-time high with more people than ever before applying to study at one of the college’s sites across Cardiff and the Vale but, as principal and chief executive Mike James explains, it’s not too late to get your place:“The appetite for full-time learners to study at CAVC is high with our A-level courses in particular receiving an unprecedented number of applications. With our new state-ofthe-art campus in the city centre and the depth and breadth of courses available across all our sites it’s an exciting time to be part of Cardiff and Vale College.
“Competition for places is high but there are still places available for some courses starting in September. Our enrolment period will provide those who’ve yet to make their final choices with the opportunity to come along, receive advice and guidance and secure their place on an appropriate course on a firstcome, first-served basis to study at CAVC.”
Student success rates at CAVC are one of the best in the country. They are above the national comparator and continue to rise with more learners achieving their main qualification each year. Last year, 82% of learners progressed to further study, university or employment within three months of leaving the college with an impressive 850 going on to university-level study.
Students looking to progress straight into employment after college are also reaping the benefits from their time at CAVC. Through its focus on employability, the college provides all students with opportunities to develop their skills through participation in work placements, national skills competitions, entrepreneurial challenges, masterclasses with business and industry, workshops and more. All this supports students to stand out from the crowd and progress.
In the last year, Cardiff and Vale College has seen many of its students embark upon impressive progression routes. For example, 19-year-old vehicle refinishing student Michael Scaccia came to college from school and has been taken on as a trainee for Aston Martin – Michael will be one of the first cohort of expert workers at its new luxury car factory in St Athan.
During her time on a business course and the college’s Career Ready programme, 19-year-old Megan Harrington’s CAVC journey took her from Barry Island to an internship in London with Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer, one of the world’s leading law firms.
“Career Ready at Cardiff and Vale College changed my life – I have really enjoyed the experience,” Megan said. “I’d always wanted to go into law but I didn’t have the confidence. College and its Career Ready programme gave me that confidence and the belief I could do it – I’m now going to the University of Greenwich to study for a degree.”
In a bid to provide its learners and the community with inspirational, state-of-the-art learning environments, CAVC has significantly invested in upgrading and transforming its sites and facilities over the last year. Its landmark £45m City Centre Campus opened in October in the heart of Cardiff, just five minutes’ walk from Cardiff Central train station with impressive teaching facilities including specialist labs, construction and automotive training centres, a fifth floor training restaurant, huge commercial salon and spa, art and design studios, IT suites as well as its own cafe, convenience store, Subway and coffee shop for students.
This year, Wales’ national athletics stadium also became the home and centre of excellence for CAVC’s sport provision – renamed Cardiff International Sports Campus – a fantastic dedicated place for those wishing to train for a future career in sport. This underpins an already well-established sports provision at the college including several successful sports academies such as rugby and football. This year will also see investment in equipment at a range of sites including the college’s International Centre for Aerospace Training in the Vale.
Open enrolment for places on Cardiff and Vale College’s wide range of courses takes place on Wednesday, August 31 at its Cardiff City Centre Campus and Barry Colcot Road Campus from 10am to 7.30pm.