Latest news with #CAVC
Business News Wales
25-07-2025
- Business
- Business News Wales
Cardiff and Vale College Sends Record Number of Competitors to the WorldSkills UK Finals
More learners and apprentices from Cardiff and Vale College (CAVC) than ever before will be taking part in this year's WorldSkills UK Finals. A record 16 learners and apprentices from the college will compete in a range of disciplines when the WorldSkills UK Finals come to Wales in November, and the college will be hosting some of the heats. CAVC will also compete in Beauty Therapist and Accounting Technician for the first time. The learners and apprentices will compete against regional winners of skills contests from across the UK in their discipline. Winners at the WorldSkills UK Finals then stand a chance of representing the UK at 'the Skills Olympics' – the international WorldSkills Finals 2028 in Japan. The CAVC Finalists are: Nicola Smith – Accounting Technician Alison Ling – Accounting Technician Ruby Edwards – Aircraft Maintenance David Morgan – Aircraft Maintenance David Morgan – Aircraft Maintenance Belal Al Haka – Automotive Body Repair Owen Thomas – Automotive Body Repair Logan Sweet – Automotive Refinishing Anisa Abdin – Beauty Therapist Dominic Walker – Foundation Skills: Restaurant Services Oliver Thomas – Heavy Vehicle Technology Austin Peacock – Heavy Vehicle technology Daniel Pitman – IT Support Technician Daniel James – Network Infrastructure Technician Travis Huntley – Wall and Floor Tiling Alex Ainley – Wall and Floor Tiling Joseph Burgess – Wall and Floor Tiling Cardiff and Vale College Principal Sharon James-Evans said: 'We wish the very best of luck to the 16 of our learners and apprentices who will be taking part in the WorldSkills UK National Finals in November. We are all extremely proud of you. 'At Cardiff and Vale College we passionately believe in the importance of skills competitions such as WorldSkills UK and the role they play in inspiring people to develop high level skills. Skills are vital for businesses of all sectors and sizes, and for economies across the world. High level skills make businesses better, more capable and efficient, attracting customers and contributing to more prosperous communities and economies. 'That is why WorldSkills UK is so important. It brings these messages together and highlights them on a UK-wide scale, showing employers and governments that investing in skills is investing in the future.'
Business News Wales
24-07-2025
- Business
- Business News Wales
Cardiff and Vale College's Supported Interns Celebrate Graduation Ceremonies
Cardiff and Vale College's On-SITE Supported Interns with Cardiff University, Dow Silicones UK and The Parkgate Hotel have had their graduation ceremonies. This year 23 interns graduated across the three flagship programmes. The internships offer accessible but inclusive opportunities for young people with additional learning needs (ALN) and to date has an employment rate of 60%, compared to the national figure of 5.1% of people with ALN being in paid employment. The On-SITE Supported Internship programme began in 2016 with a pilot at Cardiff University, in partnership with Learning Disability Wales and Elite Employment Support Agency. Built on the Engage to Change framework, it quickly grew into a nationally recognised model for inclusive employability. Following its success, a second programme launched at Dow Silicones UK Ltd in 2019 — the first private sector supported internship in Wales. In 2024, CAVC expanded the model again, partnering with The Parkgate Hotel to introduce Wales' first hotel-based supported internship. All three host businesses provide real-life, high-quality work placements that help bridge the gap between education and employment. To date, more than 150 young people have completed the programme, with a 98% completion rate and 60% securing sustainable employment. Cardiff and Vale College Principal Sharon James-Evans said: 'This initiative continues to be inclusive, inspiring, and influential — perfectly aligned with our college's values. We are committed to supporting young people with ALN in their journey toward meaningful employment.' CAVC Deputy Principal James Scorey added: 'Our partnerships with the host businesses are truly invaluable. The immersive opportunities offered by Cardiff University, Dow Silicones, and The Parkgate Hotel prepare learners not just for work, but for life.' The Parkgate Hotel's General Manager Damien Martin said: 'This has been the best programme we've ever engaged with. The foundation has now been set for a long-term partnership with CAVC, and we are excited to continue offering meaningful internships.' Sally Ann-Efstathiou from Cardiff University said: 'Now in its ninth year, the programme continues to grow, providing interns with an inspiring and diverse range of experiences across the university.'
Business News Wales
05-06-2025
- Business
- Business News Wales
Cardiff and Vale College Retains Prestigious Leaders in Diversity Gold Status
Cardiff and Vale College has been re-accredited for the prestigious Leaders in Diversity gold status. The award reflects the work it does to promote Fairness, Respect, Equality, Diversity, Inclusivity and Engagement (FREDIE) within the communities it serves. The re-accreditation report by the National Centre for Diversity identified the college's work undertaken to advance inclusivity reaching beyond its walls, influencing work across Wales and beyond. It noted that this work has achieved national recognition, including by the Association of Colleges (AoC) in relation to CAVC's work on Race Equality and support in this area for the Further Education sector. It concluded that FREDIE is clearly embedded into the college across both staff and learner provision, and in outreach work. The inspection report also found that the college's positive influence spans not just further education, but with Higher Education and ongoing partnership work with the Welsh Government. It added that the college has extensive community and business links and uses its expertise and knowledge to 'influence and cascade across the wider landscape'. Last year the college moved from third to second place in the Leaders in Diversity Top 100 Inclusive Employers Index. CAVC represents one of the most vibrant and diverse communities in Wales. It is also the largest provider of English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) course in Wales, making it well placed to reach out to Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic communities across the Capital Region and beyond. CAVC Group Chief Executive Mike James is Chair of the Colleges Wales Equality and Diversity Group and in 2022 the college became the first college in Wales to become affiliated with the Black Leadership Group. In 2022 CAVC also won an AoC UK-wide Beacon Award for its innovative work to embrace equality and inclusion, and a WorldSkills UK Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Ambassador Award. ESOL Cancer Awareness, a partnership between CAVC and Velindre Cancer Centre, was the UK's first Health and Cancer Awareness resource for Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic communities when it launched in 2018. More recently, CAVC has been working with the Welsh Government, leading on a project to develop of anti-racist curriculum modules in the FE sector. The curriculum is in the form of a metaverse, providing an accessible and immersive learning experience developed and produced in collaboration with minority ethnic experts from schools, colleges, universities and third parties. Cardiff and Vale College Principal Sharon James-Evans said: 'We are absolutely delighted to retained National Centre for Diversity's prestigious gold status. 'As the college that serves one of the most diverse and vibrant communities in Wales, we are hugely proud of this result. It means a lot to us because we believe ourselves to be at the heart of the communities we serve and that all students and college colleagues are part of the CAVC Community. 'This is a testament to the people right across the college who work so hard to ensure that CAVC takes an ell-encompassing approach to managing equality, diversion and inclusion across all we do and I'd like to thank them all for that.'
Wales Online
26-05-2025
- Business
- Wales Online
The free NatWest workshops empowering you to take control of your finances
Most of us will remember the excitement of a visit from the tooth fairy, or the thrill of cash in a birthday card as a child. Our relationship with money starts at a young age and becomes more important than ever when we are adults. From getting your morning coffee on the way to work, to saving up to buy your own home, understanding the importance of finance and how it plays a part in your everyday life is essential. And it's never too late to put the right foundations in place or build on your existing knowledge. Learning doesn't have to stop - even if the birthday card money usually does. According to research conducted by the Money and Pensions Service , millions of people struggle with money management and face financial difficulties on a daily basis. Around 45% of adults don't feel confident managing their money, 1 in 6 have no savings, and 4 in 10 18–25-year-olds need debt advice. NatWest supports more than 19 million customers throughout the UK, whether they are buying a home, setting up a business, scaling one, or investing their money. More than just a place to withdraw and deposit cash, the banking group aims to build everyone's money confidence and security, focussing on growing with customers as a trusted partner who can meet their changing needs. As one of the UK's biggest banks for business, NatWest helps businesses of all sizes to grow and thrive through a range of programmes and services, including its free Financial Foundations workshops which cover topics ranging from first payslips to protection from fraud and scams. Money worries are the biggest cause of stress for UK workers with 8 in 10 employees taking their concerns to work, which can negatively impact attendance, productivity and performance. Available for businesses, organisations, and community groups, NatWest's Financial Foundations workshops are designed to build financial resilience and empower adults to take control of their money and future. There's helpful, impartial guidance and content for everyone who is earning or managing money, no matter what stage they're at and regardless of their current financial knowledge. 'We wanted to empower them with essential life skills' More than 600 training workshops have taken place across the UK to date, with over 12,000 adults benefitting from the free guidance and insights. One organisation that chose to take part in the workshops is Cardiff and Vale College (CAVC), which offered the training to its adult learners. One of the largest colleges in Wales, CAVC provides a wide range of courses, apprenticeships, and training opportunities to students of all ages. Understanding the need for students to be well-equipped in the world of money, the college decided to participate in the NatWest Financial Foundations workshops. Speaking about the decision to reach out to NatWest, Valeria Gyurovicsova, CAVC progress coach coordinator, said: "We are committed to delivering high-quality education that equips students with the skills and knowledge needed for further study, employment, and life beyond college. "Our diverse and inclusive environment fosters personal and professional growth, ensuring students are well-prepared for future careers. "Our relationship with NatWest started through our engagement in financial education initiatives. While we are not banking customers in a traditional sense, we value NatWest's expertise and resources in financial literacy. Their support in delivering workshops and resources has been instrumental in helping our students develop essential money management skills. "We were introduced to Financial Foundations by our business development manager, who connected us with NatWest's regional director in January. After learning about the programme, we saw a great opportunity to provide our students with essential financial skills to support their transition into work or further education. "The programme aligned perfectly with our commitment to equipping students with practical life skills." (Image: NatWest) Hoping that the workshops could provide students with better financial knowledge to use in everyday life, Valeria continued: "Our main goal was to provide our students with fundamental financial knowledge, including budgeting, banking, and understanding payslips. "We wanted to empower them with essential life skills to help them manage their finances effectively, make informed financial decisions, and build confidence in handling money - whether they are entering apprenticeships, employment, or higher education. "We plan to integrate the knowledge gained from the workshop into our tutorial sessions and student support services. Our tutors will reinforce key financial concepts through discussions, activities, and real-life scenarios to ensure students can apply what they've learned. "We also hope students will take these lessons forward by developing good financial habits, becoming more financially independent, and feeling more prepared for their future careers." The workshops cover all areas of finance, from money basics such as borrowing and budgeting, to how to avoid potential scams and protect against fraud. When asked if the college would recommend the NatWest Financial Foundations workshops to others, Valeria said: "Financial literacy is a crucial life skill that is often overlooked in traditional education. "The Financial Foundations programme delivers practical, engaging, and accessible financial education that equips students with the tools they need to manage their money confidently. It's an invaluable resource for both students and educators. "I would say that financial education is not just about numbers - it's about empowering individuals to make informed decisions that will impact their future. "The Financial Foundations workshop provides essential knowledge in an engaging and practical way, making it a worthwhile investment in the long-term success of students, employees, or community members." To find out more about Financial Foundations, please contact or visit NatWest's website.
