FEARLESS fundraisers are about to take on their biggest ever feat for a transformative children’s charity.

A group of lecturers and staff led by Karl Jackson, Assistant Principal for the Institute of Technology at Coleg Cambria’s Bersham Road site in Wrexham, are aiming to complete the Skye is the Limit Challenge next month (May).

Over recent years they have taken on the Welsh Three Peaks and the Crazy 7 for Stepping Stones North Wales and collected more than £1,000 for Menstrual Health Project (MHP) by completing the Cairngorm 4000s, a three-day hike across 4,000ft+ mountains in Scotland’s eastern highlands.

Karl and lecturer Paul Standring also conquered the four-day Freezing Fingers expedition in bleak, wintry conditions over the Rhinogydd mountain range in Snowdonia.

This time the team is raising money for Hope House/Tŷ Gobaith children’s hospices and targeting another £1,000 by overcoming their greatest adventure yet.

“We will be driving for more than 12 hours in a minibus through the night before arriving at Skye and then walking for more than three days across the island, with no accommodation,” said Karl.

“Everything we have will be packed in 20 kilo bags on our backs – including tents, food and water – so it’s an incredibly tough challenge but one we will be ready for.”

He added: “The walk is not marked out and the terrain will be very difficult but as usual, we will train hard and prepare well. This is the most difficult and uncompromising task we’ve ever given ourselves, so the stakes are higher than ever.

“We are already receiving donations and are so grateful for the support; hopefully our amazing industry partners and local businesses will get behind us and help to raise as much as we possibly can for this incredible charity.”

Hope House/Tŷ Gobaith area fundraiser for Wrexham Bethan Young thanked Coleg Cambria for its unwavering support over past years.

“We are so grateful to Karl and the team from Bersham Road for taking on this incredible feat up in Skye, it takes real commitment, and they are very brave,” she said.

“We will be thinking of them every step of the way and know they will do brilliantly.”

Bethan added: “Every penny they raise will go directly to the care and support of seriously ill local children and their families – good luck!”

The organisation provides vital care and support for children with life-threatening conditions and has two hospices and 15 shops across Shropshire, Cheshire, Mid and North Wales helping to raise the £7.5 million needed to fund care for every child in need.

To sponsor Karl and the team please visit their JustGiving page: Karl Jackson is fundraising for Hope House & Ty Gobaith (justgiving.com).

Visit www.hopehouse.org.uk for the latest news and information from Hope House/ Tŷ Gobaith children’s hospices.

COLEG CAMBRIA has retained its position as a leader in cyber security education.

The college – based in Deeside, Llysfasi, Wrexham and Northop – received a gold award from the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) as part of its CyberFirst initiative, which aims to address the UK’s cyber skills gap.

Cambria is one of only eight institutions in Wales to achieve this benchmark.

The good news comes as interest grows in the college’s popular Digital Degree Apprenticeship in Applied Cyber Security, aimed at prospective learners pursuing a career in IT, software development and engineering, or those already in a relevant position and looking to upskill.

The course includes modules on Local Area Network Essentials, Security and Data Ethics, Web Servers and Authentication, Business and Enterprise Programming, Software Engineering, and Penetration Testing.

Cambria’s Director of Business Solutions Nigel Holloway said maintaining the gold accreditation is a “major USP” for the college’s suite of digital and IT qualifications.

“Given the emphasis and strategic importance of combatting cybercrime on the international stage, for Coleg Cambria to be among only a select number of organisations nationwide to hold this standard is a significant milestone,” he added.

“It gives our learners confidence in the courses we run and demonstrates to our industry partners that we are at the forefront of advances in this sector.

“The programmes we deliver – notably the fully funded Digital Degree Apprenticeships – hold even more weight as a result.

“A big thank you to all of our team for their hard work in not only reaching this standard but going above and beyond it, year after year.”

The Digital Degree Apprenticeship in Applied Cyber Security – in partnership with Bangor University – runs for three years and consists of nine hours of in-person and online delivery per week, split over one six-hour day and one three-hour evening session. For more information, visit the website: www.cambria.ac.uk/our-courses.

CyberFirst covers a broad range of activities including thousands of free places on CyberFirst courses at UK universities and colleges. Each activity is designed to seek out diverse people with potential, offering the support, skills, experience, and exposure needed to be the future first line of defence in our CyberFirst world. Visit www.ncsc.gov.uk/cyberfirst to find out more.

A MEN’S suicide prevention charity will launch a new peer-to-peer support group in North Wales.

Already welcoming more than 50 people to its free weekly meetings at the Yellow and Blue Hub in Wrexham, Andy’s Man Club (AMC) has added Coleg Cambria Deeside to its growing list of sites UK-wide.

The organisation has signed an MoU (Memorandum of Understanding) with the college and will meet at its conference centre on Kelsterton Road, Connah’s Quay, every Monday from 7pm-9pm, beginning on April 22.

Dan Rowe, AMC’s Regional Area Lead for the West of England and Wales, says the partnership will enable them to reach even more men struggling with myriad issues – storms affecting their lives – including anxiety, depression, loss and loneliness, in Flintshire and beyond.

Hailing from Mynydd Isa, he hopes to see the charity grow even stronger in the months ahead, having won a prestigious S4C Dathlu Dewrder (Celebrating Bravery) Award in December for helping break down barriers and remove stigmas around mental health.

“We’ve been in Wrexham for two years and the numbers attending have increased week on week, so to be able to now help more men in the Deeside area is fantastic,” said Dan.

“Andy’s Man Club has over 180 groups nationwide supporting upwards of 4,500 men, yet we only had one meeting place in North Wales to this point, so this is a step in the right direction.

“We are thankful to Coleg Cambria for making their facilities available to us and for their generosity and backing of our vision to have an Andy’s Man Club in every town and city in the UK, where friendships are built and a group of men of different ages, and from different backgrounds, come together in a warm, welcoming environment.

“We want to continue the conversation, to get men talking in a safe space where they feel comfortable opening up and sharing their experiences, in a room free of judgement.”

The MoU reads: “Coleg Cambria is committed to working in partnership to strengthen links with the local community; particularly on projects that directly support our residents and learners – past, present, and future.

“We are in a position to support Andy’s Man Club in their drive to offer free-to-attend peer-to-peer support groups across the UK.”

Cambria’s Chief Executive Yana Williams added: “As a college we have a responsibility to not only our learners but their families, friends and our communities in north east Wales.

“We are pleased to be able to help in some small way and hope anyone experiencing mental health issues gets in touch with Andy’s Man Club, attends a meeting and embraces the incredible work they do in bringing about positive change for men across the country, one conversation at a time.”

On average one man every two hours takes his life in the UK. It’s often said a factor is that men don’t talk. That’s why Andy’s Man Club was born. For more information, visit Andy’s Man Club | #ITSOKAYTOTALK | Andy’s Man Club (andysmanclub.co.uk) and follow the Deeside group on Facebook.

For the latest news and information from Coleg Cambria, visit www.cambria.ac.uk.

SIGNIFICANT investment in technology is driving advances in precision agriculture and student numbers at a leading land-based college.

New machinery and equipment coincided with a surge in learners at Coleg Cambria’s Llysfasi campus, with enrolment up by more than 80% this academic year.

These developments come as work continues on a £10m redevelopment project at the Denbighshire site, featuring a state-of-the-art, 1095 square metre carbon-neutral education complex that will open in September and include classroom and meeting spaces, a coffee shop, HE centre, wellbeing hub and more.

With a funding contribution from the Welsh Government Small Grants Efficiency capital scheme – designed to increase on-farm investment, technical performance and enhance the use of innovation in agriculture – the college purchased more than £80,000 of machinery including an automatic calf feeder, automatic cattle weighing machine, and an automatic sheep handling and drenching system.

Head of Llysfasi Elin Roberts said this series of improvements and focus on the quality of agricultural academic programmes has led to a wave of positivity among learners and staff.

“Our courses in Agriculture, Agricultural Engineering and Forestry and Countryside Management have been particularly successful, with a rise of more than 80% students this year,” she said.

“The technology has helped meet the extra demand and also aligns with the raft of net zero initiatives unveiled here in past years such as the biofactory, which has been supporting farmers in reducing greenhouse gas emissions.”

Curriculum Director Joe Mault says the college’s position as a pioneer in net zero farming will benefit both the farming community and learners as the industry becomes more sustainable.

Hailing from Bryneglwys, the former NFU adviser and ex-player of Ruthin RFC (Rugby Football Club) is enjoying the role and says it’s an exciting time to have joined the college as it takes its place at the forefront of precision agriculture in Wales.

“These new automatic and electronic systems are vital to the sector and mean we can monitor animals even more closely, which will inevitably lead to financial savings as we can pinpoint areas and be more detailed, rather than taking a more blanket approach to things like drenching,” he added.

“That will make a big difference to farmers in the future and gives our learners the most up to date experience with state-of-the-art technology that will play a major role in achieving net zero targets, here and nationwide.”

Visit www.cambria.ac.uk for more news and information from Coleg Cambria Llysfasi.

A BUSINESS lecturer will take the plunge for a transformative children’s charity.

Anne Williams, a tutor at Coleg Cambria Yale in Wrexham, is to participate in the epic Aquasphere Chillswim Coniston End to End Swim this summer.

The 5.2-mile challenge takes place on Coniston water in the Lake District on Saturday June 22.

Anne, from Cefn Mawr, is hoping to raise more than £250 for Level Water, an organisation which provides affordable and expert one-to-one swimming lessons for children with physical, visual and hearing impairments.

A former RAF senior aircraftwoman, she swam for the military before competing in several Masters’ events in recent years.

Training hard for the event at Hanmer Lake, Park in the Past, Hope, and Alderford Lake in Whitchurch, she said: “My Dad was in the Navy, and I was in the RAF for seven years before going to university and becoming a lecturer, so I swam for them when I was younger.

“I’ve always been comfortable in the water, especially outdoors, and while this is a huge task I am looking forward to it and hoping people get behind what I’m doing.

“I love swimming and love a challenge! Training in extremely cold water over the winter was tough but it’s left me well prepared for what’s ahead.”

Anne added: “Level Water is an amazing charity supporting children with disabilities to enjoy and experience more independent lives, so please give generously.

“And I must thank Alderford Lake Watersports and Aqua Park who gave me a free pass so I can train there – it is very much appreciated.”

To sponsor Anne, please visit her JustGiving page: Anne Williams is fundraising for Level Water (justgiving.com)

For more on the challenge ahead, visit: Aquasphere Chillswim Coniston 5.25 Miles End to End – 22nd June 2024

For the latest news and information from Coleg Cambria, visit www.cambria.ac.uk.

COLEG CAMBRIA and its industry partners achieved more individual medals than ever before at this year’s prestigious Skills Competition Wales.

Across 16 categories, the college – based in Wrexham, Northop, Deeside and Llysfasi – secured an outstanding 24 top three places. This included five golds, eight silvers and 11 bronze medals.

Receiving gold medals were Leo Jones (Lloyd Morris Electrical Ltd – Electrical Installation), Robert Jones (Airbus – Aeronautical Engineering), Dylan Rosedale-Blackwell (Deeside – Inclusive Skills: Automotive Technology), Mark Wright (International Crusher Solutions Ltd – Construction Metalwork), and Rodrigo Da Silva (Yale – IT Support Technician).

Learner Experience and Enterprise Manager Rona Griffiths praised the learners for their commitment in balancing preparation for the competition with their work and studies.

“I am especially thrilled for our for Inclusive Skills medal winners, Foundation students who have really excelled in three different categories,” said Rona.

“Every year we are so proud to have a skilled, dedicated group of apprentices and students who represent Coleg Cambria with pride and passion.

“On behalf of the college and their employers, thank you and congratulations – these results, as always, are incredible.”

Competitions were held throughout January and February, with experts evaluating participants based on industry standards and criteria.

The celebration event was held last night (Thursday) at the International Convention Centre (ICC) in Newport, with virtual ‘watch parties’ taking place at satellite sites across the country.

This year saw record numbers of interest and registrations for Skills Competition Wales, with over 1,400 competitors across 64 competitions being represented by more than 75 different organisations across Wales, including colleges, employers, and training providers.

“We are immensely proud of all the participants who showcased their talents and skills,” said Emma Banfield, Project Manager at Inspiring Skills Wales.

“The ceremony was a proud occasion for us to celebrate their achievements and honour the dedication they have shown in their respective fields.

“We believe in the power of skills to transform lives and drive economic growth in Wales. Skills Competition Wales is a testament to the incredible talent we have in our nation, and we are committed to nurturing and supporting these talents for a brighter future.”

For more information about Skills Competition Wales and upcoming events, visit the website inspiringskills.gov.wales/skills-competition-wales or follow @ISEinWales on Twitter and Instagram.

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

COLEG CAMBRIA and Read Construction are laying the foundations for future generations of workers in the building sector.

The award-winning Wrexham-based developer has supported the first cohort of BTEC Level 3 Technical Construction and Built Environment learners as part of its Placement Enhanced Programme, funded via the Welsh Government’s Innovation Fund.

Among them were Lois Jones and Josh Jones, who spent time on the college’s £10m Llysfasi development and at Read’s headquarters over a period of months.

Lois, from Wrexham, says the experience confirmed her future lies in the construction industry.

“My dad works in the plastering trade, so I’ve grown up in that world and always been around it,” said the 17 year-old former St Joseph’s High School pupil, who last year won a gold award for Enterprise at Skills Competition Wales.

“I wanted to follow in his footsteps and after achieving a Level 2 and now a Level 3 at Bersham Road, I know this is what I want to do with my career.

“My aim now is to try and secure an apprenticeship in design or architecture, as that’s where I see myself.

“I’ve enjoyed every minute, it’s has been brilliant to see the different aspects of how construction works, and how the company operates, so I’m really thankful to Coleg Cambria and Read Construction for the opportunity.”

Read Construction’s Improvement and Engagement Manager Kasia Williamson said they were “delighted” to have supported the initial trial of the Placement Enhanced Programme and have plans to welcome new learners from Cambria this year.

“At Read, we believe it is important to provide a platform that will inspire the next generation of workers and support people in their transition from education into the world of work,” she added.

“Opportunities like this ensure students are best placed to start their careers, whilst also addressing the skills shortage.

“It was fantastic to have Lois and Josh join the Read team for their placements as part of this new programme, and we are looking forward to welcoming more students in the future.”

Backed with more than £5.9m from the Welsh Government’s Sustainable Communities for Learning Programme, the new Llysfasi development will include a state-of-the-art, 1095 square metre carbon-neutral education complex complete with classroom and meeting spaces, a coffee shop, HE centre, wellbeing hub and more.

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

For more on Read Construction, visit the website: www.readconstruction.co.uk.

INDUSTRY leaders are signing up to a bitesize course that demystifies the revolutionary world of artificial intelligence (AI).

Coleg Cambria’s new sector-driven Generative AI for Business programme is a comprehensive three-hour introduction to the groundbreaking AI tools that can generate quality text, images and relevant content based on inputted data and information.

Cambria’s Director of Business Solutions Nigel Holloway says the training is flexible, bespoke and is already gaining a positive response in north east Wales and beyond.

“We can deliver the course anywhere and have already done so on-site at several companies in this region, who found it interesting and informative,” said Nigel.

“As it’s only three hours we can demonstrate the technology and they can replicate it, so this is a very interactive offering and we go in with all the equipment needed for small and large groups, which is an attractive proposition from the feedback we’ve had so far.”

Trainers will delve into the essentials of generative Large Language Models (LLMs) like ChatGPT and give examples of AI, the impact it can have on operations and trade, and how to stay at the forefront of advances in the technology.

Themes include practical business applications, from content creation to data analysis, while also addressing the strengths, limitations, and ethics relevant to AI deployments.

The course concludes with insights on effective implementation strategies and a glimpse into the future of generative AI in the business landscape.

Cambria – which has sites in Wrexham, Llysfasi, Northop and Deeside – will be introducing a part-time version of the programme at its Yale college from September.

The cost of the three-hour course is £299 or Employer Skills North Wales funding is available for relevant organisations, a grant scheme allowing employers in Anglesey, Gwynedd, Conwy, Flintshire, and Wrexham to access cutting edge skills, and shorter, specialist training programmes.

“AI is very high profile, but a lot of people are still a little unsure on some of the detail and how it can benefit them, so we can help bridge those gaps and show what value it can bring to multiple industries,” said Nigel.

“Funding is available which means this will be free to many businesses – we hope they will capitalise on the opportunity and it’s a simple accessible gateway to exploring how AI can help them, now and in the future.”

Meanwhile, the college has been announced a recipient of a CyberFirst School and College Award for its continued dedication to Computing and Cyber Education.

To register your interest in the Generative AI for Business programme, email nigel.holloway@cambria.ac.uk, or call 0300 30 30 007.

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