Cian selected for Farming Connect Junior Academy

Coleg Glynllifon student Cian Rhys has been selected for the Farming Connect Junior Academy.

He is one of 12 successful candidates from across Wales chosen for the Academy, which supports young people working towards a career in agriculture.

The 17-year-old from Bethesda studies Level 3 Agriculture at Coleg Glynllifon. He balances his education with working on his family’s 120-acre beef cattle farm in Nantporth, Bangor, and at a farm in Hendy, Caernarfon.

The Farming Connect Junior Academy provides work experience, training, mentoring and networking opportunities for people aged 16-21 in Wales who want to carve out a career or set up a business in the food or farming industries.

This year’s 12 successful candidates met at The Royal Welsh Show in July, and will attend various trips over the next few months, including a visit to Norway to observe how the country’s agriculture sector is using green energy.

On being selected for the Academy, Cian said: “I applied because I saw it as an interesting opportunity to learn new skills, and learn about different opportunities in the sector and different ways to do things.

“Also I’m hoping to make new friends and make connections with people across Wales. Hopefully it will develop me as a person.”

Einir Davies, head of skills for Farming Connect and one of the judges in this year’s selection process, said: “Despite being one of the youngest candidates we interviewed this year, Cian performed particularly well, demonstrating maturity and responding to the questions in a calm, meaningful and humble way.”

Cian is club secretary for Dyffryn Ogwen Young Farmers Club, plays rugby for Bethesda under-18s and sings in Eisteddfods and other local competitions.

He aspires to be a livestock auctioneer, and has previously organised his own auction at the Dyffryn Ogwen speed-shearing charity event, as well gaining experience through work placements.

As he prepares to start the second year of his studies at Coleg Glynllifon, Cian said the course is helping him in his ambitions.

“It’s going really well, I’m enjoying it,” he said. “The course opens your horizons, teaching different ways of doing things.

“I’ve met new people, learned a lot of new things, such as how agriculture changes and particularly the business side of it. Learning about the structures of companies and how different companies are run, that helps a lot with what I want to do in the future.”