Urdd Gobaith Cymru celebrates a decade of empowering 1,000 learners through its Apprenticeship Department

This week (w/c 23 September 2024) Wales’ largest youth organisation celebrates the 10th anniversary of its Apprenticeship Department, and a decade of empowering 1,000 young people and adult learners across Wales.

Urdd Gobaith Cymru’s Apprenticeship Department is a leading provider of apprenticeships within the post-16 education sector in Wales, specialising in Welsh and bilingual apprenticeships in sport, leisure, outdoor education, childcare, education and youth sectors.

Since 2014 the department has been committed to bridging the gap between education and employment and has helped over 1,000 individuals to gain hands-on experience and acquire industry-recognised qualifications.

Key achievements over the past decade include:

• The training of over 600 apprentices: The department has facilitated the training and education of more than 600 apprentices in a variety of sectors, from sport and outdoor education, to childcare and the youth sectors.
• A 400% increase in Apprenticeships places since 2018 (from 35 to 180).
• Working in partnership with over 80 employers on a yearly basis.
• Enabling 400 individuals to acquire Essential Skills Qualifications: The department has established its own Essential Skills Hub to ensure that learners across Wales have the option of developing and updating their Communication, Numeracy and Digital Literacy skills through tailored support, mentorship and achievement of Essential Skill Qualifications. The HWB works in partnership with training providers and colleges across Wales, ensuring access to Welsh medium and bilingual education for all.

“We are incredibly proud of the impact our Apprenticeship Department has had over the past ten years,” said Siân Lewis, Chief Executive of the Urdd.

“The department’s commitment to inspiring individual’s career journeys, supporting employers to develop qualified staff and meet the need for a Welsh-medium workforce remains at the core of what they do.

“This anniversary is a testament to the hard work and dedication of our team, our partners, and, most importantly, the apprentices and learners themselves. We now look to the next ten years of provision and continuing to nurture Wales’ future workforce.”

Matt Burnett, Head of Operations at ACT Training, added: “It’s been fantastic to work on the apprenticeship scheme with the Urdd and to see it develop over the years, branching out across a vast range of sectors throughout our network.

“Offering Welsh medium apprenticeships to learners has always been a priority for us at ACT as we strive to engage a diverse array of communities across Wales. We are grateful to the Urdd for their continued partnership.”

To celebrate this significant milestone, the Urdd is hosting a networking event in Llandudno (in partnership with Cyngor Gwynedd Council) and Swansea this week to share the success stories of the last decade as well as the future strategy for the Apprenticeship Department in the company of past and present apprentices, various employers and key stakeholders.

For more information about Urdd Gobaith Cymru’s Apprenticeship Department visit urdd.cymru/apprenticeships