Latest news with #PembrokeshireCollege
Business News Wales
5 days ago
- Business
- Business News Wales
Food and Drink Engineering Apprenticeship Launched to Meet Growing Demand
Pembrokeshire College, in collaboration with the Sgiliau Bwyd a Diod Cymru / Food & Drink Skills Wales programme, has launched a new Food and Drink Engineering Maintenance Apprenticeship course. The initiative derives from discussions at the Sgiliau Bwyd a Diod Cymru / Food & Drink Skills Wales programme Expert Group where skills gaps in this field were identified, and aims to meet the growing demand for skilled engineers in the food and drink manufacturing sector. Huw Irranca-Davies MS, Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Climate Change and Rural Affairs said: 'I am delighted to hear about the new Apprenticeship course at Pembrokeshire College, delivered in partnership with the Sgiliau Bwyd a Diod Cymru / Food & Drink Skills Wales programme. This initiative is a fantastic step forward in building a skilled workforce for the vital food and drink production and manufacturing sectors in Wales. By providing practical, hands-on training, this course will equip individuals with the expertise needed to thrive in these industries, ensuring a strong and sustainable future for our Welsh food and drink landscape.' The course will commence in September 2025 at the College's Haverfordwest Campus. This three-year apprenticeship offers a hands-on, industry-focused curriculum, designed to equip apprentices with the essential skills needed to maintain and optimise food and drink production machinery. Lois Pugh, Workforce Development Manager who has been at the forefront of discussions on behalf of Sgiliau Bwyd a Diod Cymru / Food & Drink Skills Wales programme, said: 'I am excited to see the launch of this course as a direct outcome of discussions at the Sgiliau Bwyd a Diod Cymru / Food & Drink Skills Wales programme Expert Group and to continue advocating for the apprenticeship opportunity, with a strong focus on encouraging businesses across South-West Wales to get involved and support this vital new initiative.' As part of the initiative, Pembrokeshire College is looking to recruit students to participate in the apprenticeships programme. Businesses will be invited to partner with the college, providing apprentices with valuable on-the-job experience. Dr Barry Walters, Principal, Pembrokeshire College said: 'Pembrokeshire College is delighted to be launching the Engineering Maintenance Apprenticeship for the Food and Drink industry this September. There's a strong demand for skilled engineers in this sector, and we are pleased to expand our current apprenticeship portfolio to better support the skills needs of our industry partners.' FDQ (Food and Drink Qualifications) will set the assignments for the course, having facilitated the key relationships and collaborations necessary for its successful inception and ensuring apprentices receive high-quality, relevant training that meets industry standards. This new apprenticeship programme reflects the Sgiliau Bwyd a Diod Cymru / Food & Drink Skills Wales programme's commitment to supporting the growth and development of the food and drink industry by nurturing the next generation of engineering professionals.
Pembrokeshire Herald
23-05-2025
- Sport
- Pembrokeshire Herald
Haverfordwest Welding apprentice set to shine at EuroSkills
A TALENTED 18-year-old apprentice from Haverfordwest is set to represent Team UK at EuroSkills 2025, Europe's largest skills competition. Taking place in Denmark this September, Team UK consists of 19 competitors from across the UK, with Wales making up an impressive 37% of the team. Their participation highlights Wales' commitment to excellence in vocational skills and underscores the nation's ability to compete at the highest level on the European stage. Currently an apprentice at Haven Engineering and a student at Pembrokeshire College, Luke Roberts began his competition journey with Skills Competition Wales, where he claimed a silver medal in the Welding competition. His talents didn't go unnoticed, with him shortly after progressing to the WorldSkills UK National Finals in Manchester, earning a Highly Commended title and catching the attention of national trainers. Following an intense round of pressure tests where candidates were scored not just on their welding skills, but also technique, time, and finish, Luke was officially selected for EuroSkills. Luke said: 'It was such a tight decision between me and another really talented welder to go to EuroSkills. We were so close in skill, but I scored slightly higher on the pressure test. 'I was buzzing when I found out I was heading to Denmark. It'll be my first time on a plane, and I get to go with my training manager, Carl. It's amazing the places you get to travel with skills competitions. If I'm lucky enough to qualify for WorldSkills International competitions, I'll get to go to Shanghai!' Luke's journey has already taken him far, personally and professionally, by helping him believe in his abilities and develop in his industry. He continued: 'Competing has helped my confidence massively. You meet loads of new people, learn to weld using different processes like TIG, aluminum and stainless, and it's a huge boost to your CV. It makes you stand out.' Now preparing for EuroSkills in Herning, Denmark, Luke is training alongside his national teammates and forging friendships across the UK. He said: 'The networking opportunities throughout my skills competition journey have been endless. I'm currently working alongside a guy from Grimsby for EuroSkills who I'd never met before, but we get on like we've known each other for years. While he admits the reality of EuroSkills 'hasn't quite hit', Luke is excited to be part of something so big. He continued: 'In Manchester I put a lot of pressure on myself, but this time I just want to enjoy it, stay calm, and do my best. I've already learned so much about myself through this.' Luke credits his college lecturers and training mentors for helping him progress. 'My employer has been brilliant and allowed me to do additional training in work hours. College and work have been a huge support, and we've had such a laugh along the way.' 'I'd definitely encourage others to give it a go. It's been a great experience, I've got to travel, make new friends, be more qualified in my skill and also have boosted my CV too. It's so worthwhile.' Competitions in Wales are delivered by Inspiring Skills, a Welsh Government-funded initiative dedicated to promoting vocational excellence. Through Skills Competition Wales and international training support, it helps young people develop world-class skills, gain confidence, and represent Wales on a global stage. Looking ahead to the future, Luke is focused on giving his all at EuroSkills Herning 2025, with the ultimate goal of a place at the global WorldSkills Shanghai 2026, often dubbed the 'skills Olympics'. He hopes his journey will inspire more young people in Wales to believe in their capabilities and enroll in skills competitions. To start your skills competition in Wales and for more information on how you can get involved as a competitor, employer or skills champion, go to:
Western Telegraph
13-05-2025
- Business
- Western Telegraph
Pembrokeshire woman wins marine energy sector award
Hayley Williams, Pembrokeshire College's curriculum development manager, was announced as the winner of the second-ever Ysbryd Y Môr award at the annual Marine Energy Wales conference in Cardiff. Accepting her award at the conference's networking dinner at the Parkgate Hotel, Ms Williams said: "When it comes to good projects and trying to inspire people, I don't do this on my own, I rely heavily on many others: Arwyn Williams and Kadi Berry of Pembrokeshire College, the lovely Holly Skyrme from PCF, and the rest of you guys. "Thank you very much." Ms Williams has been instrumental in launching initiatives such as the Destination Renewables programme and the Maritime Pre-Cadetship during her time at Pembrokeshire College. She is also credited for the creation of the SPARC Alliance, established to tackle the issue of the gender disparity in STEM and energy sectors. A colleague said of her work: "When she stepped into her curriculum development role, it was completely new. "New for the college, and new for her. "But she shaped it from the ground up, drawing on her experience in international education and marketing. "Because of that, she's not just building courses – she's building futures. "For the students of Pembrokeshire, and for the renewable sector as a whole." The SPARC Alliance had significant impacts in its first year. A total of 172 female learners signed up, and more than 880 students across seven secondary schools in Pembrokeshire have engaged in the initiative, securing real-world exposure to industries they might never have considered. The Destination Renewables project she spearheaded is a two-year programme that connects 16-18-year-olds with Wales's green energy sector whilst the Maritime Pre-Cadetship is an initiative that projects pathways into blue careers. Tom Hill, programme manager at Marine Energy Wales, said: "Hayley's passion and persistence to help carve new paths for the industry is truly inspirational to us all at MEW. "Her unwavering efforts and achievements, and what she's made possible for so many others is quietly, steadily and powerfully shaping the future of our sector. "We want to recognise that spark, that courage to say yes, and that ability to bring people together to make the impossible seem quite normal, actually." After working in advertising in London, Ms Williams returned to Wales, originally working in marketing and recruitment before moving into a curriculum development role. Now recognised with the Ysbryd Y Môr award, a testament to her dedication to Wales's marine energy sector, she continues to innovate and impact the sector positively.
Telegraph
05-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Telegraph
‘I'm 18 and I'm a town crier': Meet the youngsters keeping up ancient British traditions
Many people view the likes of town crying and Morris dancing as dying British traditions, uniquely performed by bearded men of a certain age. If most of us are asked to picture a Morris dancer, an image of an older gentleman dressed head-to-toe in white, bells jingling as he waves two handkerchiefs around with abandon, may spring to mind. Not so much a 12-year-old schoolgirl wielding a stick with attitude. Yet, far from dying out, a new generation is taking up the baton to keep our ancient traditions alive. The medieval village blacksmith has been reinvented as a social-media-savvy student selling his wares internationally, while a town crier, once used to spread breaking news to townsfolk, now conveys a message of empowerment to young women. Here, we speak to three young people about their unusual pastimes. The teenage town crier There are a few key skills a good town crier should possess: an outgoing personality, confidence to speak in front of a crowd and, of course, a great set of lungs. Luckily for the people of Tenby, Erin Morgan has these skills in spades. 'I'm a performing arts student, so I'm very used to performing in front of large crowds, and I can project my voice quite easily,' she explains. 'I thought it's an excellent way to bring the community together, and by having a young person in the role, it changes the view of what a town crier is.' Last year, Erin became the first female and the youngest person ever to take on the ceremonial role in the Welsh town, aged just 17. Her appointment was met with surprise, but overwhelming positivity. She said: 'I did get comments from people, but they were all positive. 'My friends were a bit shocked, to say the least, and there's been continuous banter about it, but there's always going to be. They have been really supportive and always want to know what I am up to.' Town crying has been around since at least 1066, with two bellmen depicted in the Bayeux Tapestry. Traditionally, their job was to inform the townspeople of the latest news, proclamations and bylaws – a little like a medieval version of X. Now, town criers primarily perform ceremonial duties at civic functions and events. Although she is used to performing, Erin's first engagement was a baptism of fire as she led one of the most important events in the calendar: Tenby's VE Day commemorations. 'It was only two days after I had got the role, so I was extremely nervous. It was outdoors and there were a lot of people there, so I was given a microphone,' she said. 'But I grew more comfortable as I got into it, and by the end of the evening I loved it.' The first year has been a busy one, with Erin turning out in her ceremonial robes to everything from the town's Christmas lights switch-on, to the annual RNLI pancake race. Erin has had to juggle her engagements with her studies at Pembrokeshire College. As a performing arts student, Erin takes part in two major shows a year in the summer and at Christmas – peak seasons for a town crier. Erin is also a leader for Tenby Guides and Rangers and hopes her role will inspire the girls and young women in the unit to engage with their community. 'The best thing is seeing people's reaction when they realise the town crier is an 18-year-old woman. It changes their perspective on it and what it can be,' she said. 'It's important to get the next generation to engage with traditions like these. I would love people my age or even younger to get involved.' The social-media-savvy blacksmith Most teenage boys would probably want to find the latest PlayStation waiting for them under the Christmas tree. For 14-year-old Ben Perkins, his favourite present was something rather more low-tech: a blacksmith's anvil. The gift was a sign of his family's support for his new hobby, which eventually grew into a fully fledged business, with Ben selling his creations across the globe. In the Middle Ages, every village had a blacksmith, but the craft almost disappeared after the Second World War with the advent of mechanisation on the land. But thanks to young people like Ben, blacksmithing has survived into the 21st century. Growing up, Ben had always enjoyed DIY with his father, but when he reached his teenage years, he wanted to try something new. Ben, now 21, says: 'Making things has always been a passion of mine. I loved bushcraft, and when I was 14, I thought it would be fun to make a bushcraft knife.' After watching some tutorials on YouTube, Ben successfully made his first knife. He says: 'It was very rudimentary and nothing to shout about, but hammering some red-hot metal was a lot of fun.' Ben constructed a makeshift forge at the bottom of the garden at the family home in Guildford, Surrey, using whatever equipment he could lay his hands on. He says: 'I started using my mum's old hairdryer, a hole in the ground and some coal. And that was enough to create a forge, which is essentially where you put the metal in to get it red hot. I had to use an old fence post as an anvil, because anvils are quite expensive to buy. 'As time went on, I got the anvil for Christmas, and tools for my birthday, meaning I had a proper setup, rather than using things that aren't actually that safe when you're playing around with metal that's over 1,000 degrees.' After a few more YouTube videos, and a bucketful of failed projects, Ben started to create useful items such as coat hooks and bottle openers, and decorative whales and snails. He was sharing his creations on Instagram, Facebook and Reddit, looking for feedback, when someone asked if they were for sale. It was a lightbulb moment for Ben. 'I hadn't even thought about selling products; I was just having fun making them,' he says. 'When I realised I could sell them, I was quite excited, as I was spending a fair bit of my savings. Now I could actually cover the cost of my hobby.' Ben's first sale came aged 16, when someone in the United States purchased a snail for £25 via Reddit. A second sale to Germany quickly followed before Ben's business, Ben Makes, took off in the UK. Now studying business and digital marketing at Falmouth University, Ben continues to enjoy blacksmithing during his university holidays. But the entrepreneur has branched out into jewellery making and crafts luxury pieces in his student accommodation. His creations include rings and necklaces containing gold flakes, crushed opal and Cornish sand as a romantic memento, while others incorporate ashes and fur from customers' pets. After university, Ben plans to scale up his business. 'I've been slowly doing more social media marketing and looking at business collaborations as well. It's exciting to see where it might go,' he says. The tween folk dancer The arrival of May Day heralds the start of a busy time of year for 12-year-old Morris dancer Charlotte Lindsay. To get ready, Charlotte, a member of the National Youth Folklore Troupe of England (NYFTE), spent a week of her Easter holidays at an intensive residential training camp at Denstone College in Uttoxeter, Staffordshire. There, she joined a group of young people aged between 10 and 18 with a passion for English traditional song, music and dance in learning and perfecting new routines to take out on the road to folk festivals across the country this summer. 'The training can be quite tiring, but we have a lot of breaks for cake,' smiles Charlotte. The origins of Morris dancing are debated, but it is believed to have started in England sometime in the 15th century. Historically, the dance may have been a fertility ritual, and it has even been linked to pagan worship, although there is limited evidence to support this. Charlotte discovered a passion for folk dancing when she started going with her family to monthly cèilidhs in her home village of Kennington, Oxfordshire. This inspired her 16-year-old sister Bella to join NYFTE, while a then 10-year-old Charlotte went on the waiting list. In the meantime, Charlotte began to hone her skills with Cry Havoc, a Cotswold Morris dance side based in Botley, Oxford. 'I'm the youngest dancer there, but everyone else is very friendly, so I don't really mind at all,' Charlotte says. 'It's very relaxed. We practise during the winter, and then in the summer, we go to different pubs and sometimes festivals, like the Oxford Folk Festival.' Charlotte is dancing with Cry Havoc at the Appleton Fair on Bank Holiday Monday. The group also performed at the May Morning celebration in Oxford on May 1, with dancing starting in the botanical gardens at 5am. Unfortunately for Charlotte, a 4am start isn't really compatible with a full day at school, so she had to give this particular event a miss. Despite young Morris newcomers like Charlotte, the 2023 Morris Census shows that the age distribution of UK Morris dancers is still skewed towards older age groups. Just 9 per cent are aged under 30. Groups such as NYFTE are bringing folk to young people in a bid to keep traditional dances, including stave, clog and broom dances, alive. NYFTE dancers come from across England, from Devon to Durham, and perform at festivals all over the country, which means a busy summer for their families. Charlotte's mother, Rachel, says: 'All the families camp together, so we have to pack the car with tents, sleeping bags and all the camping gear, and then get to wherever it is and put the tent up – often in the middle of the night by the car headlights.' Despite the early starts, hours of travelling, and the amount of time Charlotte's hobby consumes, Rachel says it has benefited the whole family, adding: 'We were never really a 'folky' family, but we have discovered folk festivals, found new music, tried new dances and had lots of fun.' Speaking about Charlotte's hobby, Rachel says: 'I wouldn't have expected it when she was younger, but since she had to come along to NYFTE events before she could join because we were all going with Bella, she saw what fun they had and was keen to get involved. As a parent, I think it's a really nice thing to get into.'
Yahoo
02-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
The future's in focus for Jake as he launches his own media company in Pembrokeshire
A former Pembrokeshire College media student is now the proud owner of his own creative business. Jake Aldred has been capturing important moments from weddings and sporting and musical events since successfully launching Jake Aldred Media. Jake's vision was not to progress to university after college, but to work as a freelance, and it was thanks to his tutor that he was able to realise this ambition. "I'm incredibly excited to take this next step and build something of my own," he said. "I studied Creative Media Production Level 3 at Pembrokeshire College - the course really helped me develop a lot of my basic skills for being a videographer and photographer and I started to do some social media work for local businesses and then this allowed me to progress in capturing my first wedding while studying. 'A big help was from my tutor Denys, who understood I did not want to go onto university and instead knew I wanted to become a freelancer and build connections. 'Denys also helped me connect with the right people in the college, such the Enterprise Team where they put me in contact with the local council and helped me secure some funding for my business.' For more information on Jake Aldred Media and to book services, visit To find out more about the creative courses offered at Pembrokeshire College, visit: Jake's particular focus is on the wedding industry, but his portfolio has extended way beyond that, thanks to his coverage of events such as Ironman competitions, the Pembrokeshire County Show, SaundersFest, and high-profile promotional material with the Dame Kelly Holmes Trust, the Cardiff Dragons Women's Netball Team and S4C. He also provides videography and photography services for live music events.
