Earlier this week (5 November), ColegauCymru’s associate member, The Coleg Cymraeg Cenedlaethol, met with representatives from the further education and apprenticeship sectors, as well as employers to establish its Post-16 Strategic Board.
The aim of the new strategic board is to drive the Welsh language and bilingual further education and apprenticeships agenda forward.
Those on the Board include all FE Colleges; apprenticeship providers; NTFW; ColegauCymru; the Regional Partnership Boards as well as learner representatives.
This strategic board is an example of the work that is needed to help achieve Welsh Government’s target of 1 million Welsh speakers by 2050. The former Welsh Language Commissioner, now the chair of the new Post-16 Strategic Board, Meri Huws reminded that skills are key to achieving the goal saying,
“Developing a workforce that is able to operate bilingually is essential. Establishing this Strategic Board is a real opportunity to celebrate the fact that we are embarking on that exciting journey. Indeed, embarking on this work is not a sprint but a marathon, but one which we are all ready to take part in.”
According to Dr Dafydd Trystan, Registrar of Coleg Cymraed Cenedlaethol,
“The experience and expertise of the board’s membership is vital in terms of supporting the Coleg as we work with partners to put the Welsh Medium Further Education and Apprenticeship Action Plan into action. It is an ambitious and innovative plan which sets a clear vision towards increasing Welsh language and bilingual provision in the post-16 sector over the next five years."
Having attended the first meeting Iestyn Davies, representing ColegauCymru said,
“With appropriate resources and support there is an opportunity for further education colleges to make a significant contribution to the Government’s aim of creating a million Welsh speakers by 2050.”
