All posts by Lisa Baker

News

Students on track for careers in music after taking Spanish steps to education partnership

STUDENTS are on track for careers in music following an inspirational visit to Spain.

A group of Sound Engineering learners from Coleg Cambria Deeside spent two weeks in Barcelona as part of an education and research programme.

In partnership with international careers organisation NexGen, based in the Catalan capital, the trip gave them access to experts in the sector and guidance on how to “take the next steps after college”.

Lisa Jansen from NexGen said: “We explored their skills, including what they are good at and what they enjoy doing, then they developed ideas on what the market needs before going into detail and putting together and presenting business models.

“We try to tailor every programme to the needs of the college and learning group, and we organised visits including to a local festival and to a sound engineering school, which included talks and an introduction to the industry, as well as interesting discussions on future challenges such as AI (Artificial Intelligence).”

The students also had an opportunity to go sightseeing and visit landmarks including Barcelona Zoo, the beach and to see the city from the air on a cable car ride.

Student Tash Bradshaw enjoyed the experience and said: “We came on this trip to learn more about music and gain new skills to further our careers, but it has been so much more than that and brought some of us out of our shells.

“We have also explored different cultures, and it’s had an impact on us overall as people.”

Fellow learner Cory Robinson added: “We learn a lot of technical skills in college so to look at setting ourselves up in business and how to break into the industry was very useful and will give us the knowledge to do that in the future.”

Cambria’s Curriculum Director of Technical Studies Julie Guzzo joined them in Spain and said the close links forged with NexGen and partner organisations overseas will continue to add value to the students’ educations.

She added: “As a college we are looking to provide more and more of these opportunities, to show the learners what is out there for them and that as a college our reach and place in further education in the UK and internationally is growing all the time.”

For the latest news and information on Coleg Cambria, visit the website: www.cambria.ac.uk.

Visit the website www.nexgencareers.co for more news and information from NexGen.

News

IT firm approaching 25th anniversary spearheading landmark telecommunications switch

A PROMINENT IT firm celebrating 20 years in business is calling on organisations to be ready for landmark changes to telephone and communication networks in the UK.

CATalyst Systems, based in Denbigh and Chester, is working with customers across North Wales, the North West and beyond ahead of The Big Switch Off in 2027.

The move will see the phasing out of BT’s ISDN (Integrated Services Digital Network) and Public Switch Telephone Network (PSTN) in favour of newer technology including Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP).

CATalyst Systems owner Rory McGough says this is a watershed moment for the industry, yet many people are unaware that ‘landlines’ as we know them will be a thing of the past.

Employing 11 engineers and administrative staff, the managed IT service provider is at the forefront of developments and keen to support current and prospective clients as they make the transition over the coming months.

“This is happening and it’s happening soon – even with the deadline being moved to 2027 – but the majority of businesses are completely unaware of it,” said Rory, who has worked in the sector for more than three decades.

“For long-standing public and private sector organisations where a landline is key, those that are physically on the premises, this will have a major impact as the traditional analogue systems are being completely scrapped in favour of VoIP and internet-based platforms.

“There is still time but it’s a good idea to get in touch and be prepared, make sure you upgrade existing machinery and technology to meet the deadline, which will be here before we know it.”

A member of popular Irish music combo The Weebag Band, Rory was raised in Dundalk before moving to Liverpool and later North Wales in the 1960s.

He worked for the Ministry of Agriculture in IT before taking the plunge at the turn of the century and going it alone.

One of a handful of IT partners in Wales supporting organisations as they ready themselves for the switch to IP – and a silver partner of prestigious global service provider 3CX – CATalyst Systems has gone from strength to strength.

With a team of dedicated, skilled professionals at his side, Rory supports clients across multiple arenas – including retail, law, medical and finance – and is proud of how they manage to be flexible and offer the “personal touch” while providing high-quality bilingual services.

“We are effectively our clients’ IT department, we are part of the team, and that’s very important to us and to them,” said Rory.

“We have grown together and remained at the cutting edge of advances in technology and sustainability – including our revamped website and journey to becoming net zero – which is vital for CATalyst and its customers.”

He added: “For many, the big switch-off is huge, it could be seen as concerning and confusing, but it’s a simple process if businesses anticipate rather than react at the last minute.

“We are already helping companies make the changes necessary, migrating them onto modern cloud-based systems in place of the outdated PSTN technology.

“We are here for help, advice, and guidance, so get in touch to find out more.”

News

Dedication of Deeside students celebrated with family and friends at top college

THE dedication of Deeside students was marked at a celebratory gathering with families and staff at Coleg Cambria.

Learners came together at the college’s Sixth Form Centre in Connah’s Quay to celebrate this year’s A Level results.

Among those moving on to a higher education was Rin Sutton, who will study Medicine at Cardiff University having secured an A* in Maths, and As in Biology, Chemistry and the Welsh Baccalaureate.

Ruby Wilson described choosing Cambria as the “best decision” she had made after achieving As in Law, Welsh Baccalaureate and Psychology, and a B in English Literature.

She plans to begin a degree in Law at the University of Leeds, with the aim of one day becoming a barrister.

“Coming to Deeside Sixth has been the best decision for me,” said Ruby.

“The support from the staff and progress coaches has been incredible, as was the opportunity to study Law at A Level, which really solidified my choice of career – thank you all.”

Meanwhile, Emma Leach received Bs in Biology and Chemistry, and a C in Maths, which gained her a place at the University of Nottingham, where she will study Veterinary Medicine and Surgery.

Emma enjoyed her time at Cambria – notably the “supportive and happy environment” – which was echoed by Harley Noble, who “could not have hoped for a better sixth form and carers”.

Harley is heading to Edge Hill University after gaining a B for the Welsh Baccalaureate, a C in Business, and Ds in Computer Science, and Media.

Visit www.cambria.ac.uk for more on A Level and BTEC results and the latest news and information from Coleg Cambria.

News

Education secretary celebrates with North Wales students following £14m health build tour

WELSH Education Secretary Lynne Neagle joined students celebrating outstanding A Level results at Coleg Cambria Yale.

The Torfaen MS met with learners in Wrexham as they received their grades, alongside Cambria’s chief executive, Yana Williams.

Among those to achieve their dream marks was Rhian Jones, who secured A*s in Chemistry and Biology, and an A in Maths.

Following her “excellent” two years at the college, she will now study Natural Sciences at University College London.

Meanwhile, Samuel Childs received A*s in Maths and Further Maths, an A in Physics and a B for the Welsh Baccalaureate qualification.

He is off to Lancaster University to begin a degree in Theoretical Physics.

“I owe so much to the staff and all my lecturers, they are absolutely incredible people, and I cannot thank them enough,” he said.

Also heading to a higher education were Matt Smart, a former Darland High School pupil who achieved As in Maths, Computer Science and Welsh Baccalaureate, and a B in Physics, confirming his place at the University of York to study Physics with Astrophysics; and Chester University and a degree in English Literature and History beckons for Ellis Eccleston after he garnered an A* in History and As for English Literature and Film Studies.

Final praise goes to Freya Owen, who progressed from GCSEs with Wrexham Pupil Referral Services (Haulfan) to achieve amazing results and a place at Oxford University to study History of Art.

Freya, from Wrexham, received an A* in Geography, an A in Religious Studies, and an A in Classics.

Admitting she felt “sick to her stomach” ahead of opening her results, she said: “I am so very happy and am so thankful to my sister, my family and friends and everyone at the college for helping me to get here.”

During her visit, Mrs Neagle was also given a tour of the new £14m health and wellbeing complex currently under construction at Yale.

Visit www.cambria.ac.uk for more on A Level and BTEC results and the latest news and information from Coleg Cambria.

News

Student on the road to caring career after overcoming adversity

ZOE BAYLEY-JONES is on the road to a caring career after overcoming adversity to secure top A Level results.

The Coleg Cambria learner – Yale Sixth Form’s Student of the Year – plans to become a Children’s Nurse in the future.

Having studied Psychology, English and the Welsh Baccalaureate, she will now move on to a degree in Children’s Nursing at the University of York.

Zoe, 19, from Wrexham, reflected on the “challenges’ of learning post-pandemic and thanked staff at Cambria for their support, notably progress coach, Natalie Kaye.

“My time at college has been so up and down but I’m thankful to have had people to help me get me through my downs and the difficulties I faced to grow into the person I am now,” said the former Ysgol Bryn Alyn pupil.

“The wellbeing team supported my journey, alongside my amazing English teachers Liz and Helen and my progress coach Natalie, who helped me through things in college that I thought I could never overcome – I’m so grateful to have had her by my side.”

She added: “I realised through my college journey that completing A Levels wasn’t simple or easy and was instead a mountain of obstacles.

“But I went from believing I couldn’t make it through this time of my life to coming back, trying again and getting offers from universities.”

Zoe’s dedication and determination also led to that Student of the Year title, which came as a surprise but was well deserved after all her hard work.

“I am so proud of myself to have been named Student of the Year, it’s something I never thought would have happened!” she said.

“I’m so grateful to everyone that supported me in and out of college these past few years and looking forward to the next chapter of my life.”

Visit www.cambria.ac.uk for the latest news and information from Coleg Cambria.

News

Star bakers on the rise with double award nomination

A PAIR of talented bakers are on the rise.

Naomi Spaven, lead baker and patisserie chef at Coleg Cambria’s Iâl Restaurant in Wrexham, and baker and pastry chef Ella Muddiman, who also works at the Hafod venue, have been nominated for the Rising Star accolade at this year’s BIA (Baking Industry Awards) ceremony.

The news comes after Naomi, from Mold – whose popular LittleWelshFoodie social media account encourages young people to take up baking – won the Fruit Cake category in Britain’s Best Cake competition, where she was joined by judge Daryl Stephenson, a Cambria work-based learning assessor.

Congratulating the skilled duo – they are two of only three finalists in the category – he said: “I’m incredibly proud of Ella and Naomi for reaching the finals of the Baking Industry Awards and feel truly privileged to have been part of their exciting career journey so far.”

Maria Stevens, Head of Commercial Operations at Coleg Cambria Yale, added: “After opening our Iâl Restaurant with Ella just three years ago we never thought we would have had the success we have had so far, but none of this would have been possible without our dedicated, hard-working team who have developed the brand and gone from strength to strength.

“Having recently introduced Iâl Bakery and welcomed onboard our very own Little Welsh Foodie we couldn’t be prouder than to have two of our Welsh star bakers in the running for the Rising Star Awards.

“On behalf of myself and everyone at Coleg Cambria, a massive congratulations and good luck to you both.”

A Rising Star finalist in 2023, Naomi gained experience over the last 12 months with a week at the School of Artisan Food and another at the Richemont Centre of Excellence in Lucerne, Switzerland.

Judges said her “passion shines so brightly” and lauded her technical and problem-solving ability.

Meanwhile, Ella – the college’s Food Manufacturing Work-based Learner of the Year for 2024 – has gone from strength to strength after starting out as a hobby baker and is determined to help others as a “beacon for positive mental health”.

She has turned her passion into a career with Cambria and recently completed a Level 2 Diploma in Proficiency in Baking Industry Skills. She is due to start Level 3 in September.

The Awards are run by British Baker, a leading publication for the baking industry.

Amy North, Editor of British Baker, said: “The Baking Industry Awards celebrate the people, products, and businesses that make the sector such an incredible one – from artisanal sourdough loaves and the bakers who handcraft them to the manufacturers helping to keep the nation happy and fed, and everyone in between.

“The Rising Star Award is an incredibly competitive category, and our three finalists exemplify excellence, proving themselves to be talented and passionate individuals. They set a great example for their peers and the wider industry.”

For more on the Baking Industry Awards, visit the website: Baking Industry Awards 2024 – Homepage (bakeryawards.co.uk) and https://bakeryinfo.co.uk/events/meet-the-rising-star-award-finalists-for-2024/693829.article.

Visit www.cambria.ac.uk for the latest news and information from Coleg Cambria.

News

Largest provider of carer services in Wales moves to new 6,000 sq ft Flintshire HQ after doubling workforce

THE largest provider of carer services in Wales unveiled new headquarters following a surge in demand.

The move comes after NEWCIS (North East Wales Carers Information Service) doubled its workforce post-pandemic while receiving more than 100 carer referrals a week from Wrexham, Flintshire and Denbighshire.

The organisation has moved to a nearly 6,000 square foot premises in Mold High Street – formerly Barclay’s Bank – and completely renovated the building to include a shop, offices, meeting rooms, disabled access and a pop-up space for community and health groups to utilise.

NEWCIS was supported by local businesses, notably St Asaph-based FFP Solutions, which helped them secure the funding to acquire the property, and Cilcain’s DC Wolfe Construction Ltd.

CEO Claire Sullivan – approaching 25 years with NEWCIS – said they also received a series of grants, including a Town Centre Property Improvement Grant, which helped the organisation take the “natural next step” and bring all its operations under one roof.

Now employing more than 50 staff and representing up to 24,000 carers in Wales, Claire says NEWCIS will continue to go from strength to strength.

“We are delighted to finally open; the process has been a real labour of love, but we are here and proud to be at the heart of Mold’s busy high street,” she said.

“Having such a large space and being on the ground floor makes us even more accessible, which is vital as we have carers who work with people living with dementia and disabilities, many of whom struggled to utilise some of our other bases.

“This location is perfect and gives us the opportunity to move things around when needed for events or larger training groups, and there is also an outdoor area we will look to develop for health and wellbeing projects.

“We hope our presence will be well received, especially the shop as it’s a real blank canvas, the footfall and passing traffic are unlike anything we’ve seen so we want to catch the eye and entice customers in to support us.”

Long-term plans also include a drop-in banking facility and the hosting of classes and workshops, including sewing and crafts, and parent and child sessions.

Claire is confident the move will create additional revenue streams and have a positive impact for years to come, and thanked FFP Solutions for helping them to achieve their vision.

“I would also like to thank Flintshire County Council, Mold Town Council and our amazing volunteers and board of trustees for their support throughout this process,” she said.

“It has taken a lot of time and effort to get to this point and there is more to come as we are going to do this step by step and in phases, but this is the perfect platform for us to do that and achieve our goals.”

Claire added: “We are receiving more than 100 referrals a week and that number is rising all the time, not just in north east Wales but in South Wales, where we are also supporting carers.

“This looks set to continue, especially following the pandemic as so many community and day centres closed for good.

“We will still be working across communities and are looking at opening other hubs in this region to bolster our outreach services, given the demand we are seeing, but for now we want to settle into our new home and continue delivering training, counselling, financial assistance, and advocacy to the tens of thousands of carers and families who need our help.”

FFP Solutions Director Richard Lloyd-Jones congratulated them on the redevelopment and said: “We were happy to play our part in helping NEWCIS acquire this property, it is perfect for their needs and I’m sure will be of great value to the community and their growing network of carers.

“Assisting organisations and businesses of all sizes in securing funding is one of our strengths, and this is another example where our services have been used to realise long-term ambitions – anyone else in that position should definitely get in touch to find out how we can help.”

For more news and information or to support NEWCIS, visit the website www.newcis.org.uk and follow them on social media.

Visit the website www.ffp-solutions.co.uk or email admin@ffp-solutions.co.uk for more information on FFP Solutions.

News

Caring learners support Cambodian children on emotional education adventure

CARING learners supported communities in South East Asia on a “very emotional” education adventure.

Twenty students from Coleg Cambria experienced the trip of a lifetime to Cambodia, where they taught English skills to children at a Supplementary Education Centre.

The group – from Media, and Health and Social Care courses – also delivered five hours of workshops on ICT and media skills to 75 secondary school students at a partner institution with Khmer New Generation Organization (KNGO).

They played games and activities and focused on spelling, colours and numbers, with an emphasis on fun and enjoyment.

The visit was organised in partnership with Challenges Abroad, which delivers and leads ethical adventures for young people all over the world, and Future Sense Cambodia.

Cambria’s Curriculum Director of Technical Studies Julie Guzzo praised the students for their commitment and passion to helping others during the programme, as they also helped clean up plastic and litter from the sides of roads and learnt Cambodian words and phrases.

“During their time they were able to work on their final major projects, produce short films, vlogs, develop photography skills and immerse themselves into a diverse culture and environment,” she said.

“They also kept in touch with everyone back home with daily updates on social media and produced an inspiring promotional video Colours of Cambodia with footage from the trip.

“It was an unbelievable experience for all of us, and another example of the value of our growing partnership with Challenges Abroad, which really makes a big difference all over the world.”

Learners described the visit as “very emotional” and said they were “the most beautiful, kind children you could ever work with”, a “truly humbling experience” which was “completely out of our comfort zone”.

The college – which has sites in Wrexham, Deeside, Llysfasi and Northop – has also organised educational expeditions to Spain, Vietnam and Italy in past months.

Visit www.cambria.ac.uk for the latest news and information from Coleg Cambria.

For more on Challenges Abroad, visit www.challengesabroad.co.uk.

Watch Colours of Cambodia here, on YouTube: Colours of Cambodia | A student documentary (youtube.com).

News

School pupils enjoy day of animal magic at North Wales college

MORE than 50 schoolchildren enjoyed a skills day amidst the creature comforts of Coleg Cambria Northop.

Pupils from Ysgol Owen Jones, based in the Flintshire village, took part in a range of activities centred on Maths, English and Digital Literacy.

They also had the opportunity to view and handle some of the wide range of species at the site’s Small Animal Centre, which houses more than 200 types from reptiles, fish and amphibians to mammals, birds and invertebrates.

Cambria lecturer Paul Williams hopes the skills day will become an annual event.

“It was great to have pupils with us from Years 4, 5 and 6 to showcase what is on offer here at Northop, the amazing facilities, and to work together as two key stakeholders in the local area,” said Paul.

“The pupils created power-points, designed presentations, displayed their skills and most importantly, had fun as well.”

Gareth Caughter, headteacher at Ysgol Owen Jones, added: “It’s been a really great day and an opportunity for the children to develop their skills in English, Maths and Digital Literacy.

“Also, for us to strengthen our links with the college, something we hope to do more of in the future.”

For more news and information from Coleg Cambria, visit the website www.cambria.ac.uk and follow them on social media.

News

College launches online summer support service for prospective HE students

A NEW online advice service will support prospective HE students in north east Wales this summer.

Coleg Cambria University Centre has organised sessions for learners via a new booking portal, offering guidance to anyone interested in studying for a higher education (HE) qualification, including advice on degree options, course recommendations, applications, funding and finance and more.

They take place across August and September with Cambria’s HE Partnerships and Compliance Manager Donna Pritchard, and Emma Hurst, Dean of HE and Access to HE.

Reflecting on the University Centre advice booking service, Mrs Hurst said: “This is a new option for prospective HE learners.

“Choosing the right course and navigating the application process can feel overwhelming so this takes some of that burden and worry away and gives direct access to expertise and advice ahead of the next academic year.

“Donna and I will be on hand to discuss any issues related to higher education at Coleg Cambria and are happy to answer questions on everything from student loans to course recommendations for anyone wanting to explore different careers or take the next step in their learning journey.”

Donna added: “We think the service will be especially valuable for anyone wanting to go through Clearing or planning to start a course this September but unsure which qualification will align with their aspirations.

“We work in partnership with leading universities and are plugged into industry across Wales and beyond so whatever it is you are looking for we will be able to help.”

Visit University Centre Advice Booking Service < Coleg Cambria for more information on the University Centre advice booking service and to book a slot on one of the upcoming sessions.