Minister for Economy visits college careers and enterprise hub
20/10/2022
Today the Minister for Economy, Vaughan Gething MS visited Bridgend College to explore one of the Employment and Enterprise Bureaus, funded by the Welsh Government, as part of the Young Person’s Guarantee. The guarantee is a key Welsh Government commitment to everyone under the age of 25, living in Wales, to provide them with support to gain a place in education or training, help to get into work or become self-employed.
Launched in 2018, ‘Cyfleoedd’ meaning opportunities in Welsh, is the College’s in-house service providing careers, employment and enterprise advice and support. Students are able to access a breadth of opportunities to enhance and build core skills and engage with employers through work placements, masterclasses, visits and one-to-one mentoring. In 2020, the college achieved the Careers Wales Mark in recognition of its commitment to ensuring that all students receive access to quality careers education, advice and support and this was further highlighted as a strength of the college in its most recent inspection in March, by Estyn, His Majesty’s inspectors for education and training in Wales.
The college currently works with more than 250 employers, ranging from small and medium-size businesses (SMEs), to larger regional and national employers, ensuring that its curriculum, training and apprenticeship offer meets regional skills and business needs.
In addition to the campus-based careers and enterprise hubs, the college is set to open a temporary careers ‘pop-up shop’ in Bridgend town centre later this month, providing exciting opportunities to engage with and support the wider community with careers information, support and guidance.
The Minister’s visit also coincides with both Adult Learners’ Week and ‘Love Our Colleges’ Week – a national campaign led by the Association of Colleges, aimed at highlighting the vital role and contribution colleges play in supporting learners, communities and businesses.
Vice Principal Work Based Learning and Commercial Activity, Matthew Williams said:
“We were delighted to welcome the Minister to meet with staff and learners today as part of his visit to Cyfleoedd, our careers and enterprise hub. The college has a strong track record of working with local, regional and national employers to support talent pipelines and ensure that the curriculum we offer meets the needs of our communities and employers.
The college continues to build on the support provided to both learners and businesses – our new careers ‘pop-up’ shop opening in the heart of Bridgend town centre later this month provides another exciting opportunity to enable people to explore opportunities, develop new skills and access support”
