Category: College News

Stoke on Trent College T Level learner Aaron Mollart is planning a career in surveying in construction once he finishes studying.

Construction has always been a part of Aaron’s life from an early age, so it was an easy decision to apply for the T Level in Design, Surveying and Planning for Construction, after finishing at Endon High School.

“This course stood out to me because it provides both the theoretical knowledge and the practical skills needed to work in construction,” Aaron said.

The course appealed to Aaron due to the range of topics it covers, including; building technology, health and safety plus science and design.

“I like that we explore the commercial business aspect, as well as project management as you get to learn how buildings are made plus intricate business decisions that are made around them every day,” he said.

“The highlights of the course are the design elements, especially taking physical drawings that we have made in class, or design briefs and connecting into CAD drawings as it shows how a simple idea can evolve into a detailed digital plan used to guide construction, showing the precision and details which is required from a design, which is essential for successful construction projects. Combining this with the project management aspect really helps you to visualise how a project will pan out.”

As part of the T Level, Aaron also undertakes a placement at Seddon Construction which is helping him to gain real world experience, plus learning from construction professionals and building his own network.

“My industry placement at Seddon Construction has been a great experience so far. They have been incredibly accommodating, providing me with opportunities to learn both on and off site. I’ve been able to get involved in various aspects of the construction process, which has given me valuable insights into how the industry operates day-to-day, allowing me to apply the skills that I have learnt in class and helping me grow my knowledge and skillset,” Aaron explained.

After completing his T Level, Aaron is looking to pursue an apprenticeship as a Surveyor in construction.

“I am eager to continue building my skills and getting hands-on experience while learning from professionals,” he said.

“An apprenticeship allows me to deepen my understanding of the industry and continue to refine my practical skills developed during my T Level course and the industry placement.”

Aaron has recommended the T Level in Design, Surveying and Planning for Construction for anyone who is eager to pursue a career in the construction industry.

“I would definitely recommend this course because you learn practically when you are on industry placement plus the academic skills in the classroom. It’s a perfect blend of two different ways of learning, and you can choose to move onto further education, an apprenticeship or full-time employment,” Aaron concluded.

Nicola Hodkinson, owner and director at Seddon, said:

“Hands-on industry experience is essential for young people like Aaron. Construction placements offer a real opportunity to develop practical skills and give the next generation of workers a genuine insight into what a career in the sector could look like. We would encourage more employers to offer work experience to T-Level students, as it is a rewarding investment for both sides. Aaron has shown real talent in his role, and we have been thoroughly impressed by his progress and enthusiasm.”

Hassan Rizvi, Principal & CEO at Stoke on Trent College said:

“Aaron is a shining example of how the style of learning with a T-Level can help a learner to thrive.

“The feedback the College has received from Seddon has been excellent. The combination of classroom-based learning with a placement, ensures Aaron and other T-Level learners are skills ready, future ready.”

To find out more about T-Level courses at Stoke on Trent College please visit – https://stokecoll.ac.uk/t-levels/.

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Notes to Editors

• Stoke on Trent College serves up to 9000 students a year including young people, adults and apprentices. Working with a wide range of employers in key growth areas of the economy such as Digital, Construction, Engineering, STEM and Health and Social Care and more.
• The College also work with young adults who may have a special educational or additional need.
• A wide range of flexible and distance learning is provided by the College to individuals and businesses.

For all media enquiries, please contact marketing@stokecoll.ac.uk  

To celebrate the Centenary of Stoke-on-Trent, Stoke on Trent College will be hosting a special 100 Years of Skills In The Park Open Event on Saturday 10 May 2025 at the Cauldon campus.

Visitors will be able to speak to course teams and take part and witness live demonstrations from different courses from our four specialist skills hubs; Construction and Green technologies, Engineering and STEM, Digital and Creative, and Health and Social Care.

Keeping with the Centenary theme, our Brickwork team will be building a brick wall that spells out the number 100.

We will be showcasing how skills and technology has evolved over time, with a VR drone flying activity from our Construction team.

Our Carpentry and Joinery team will be demonstrating their woodwork skills with a self-assemble kit.

See Engineering in a whole different light, with our special Lego engineering demonstration, or you can come and see our Hair & Beauty team who will be demonstrating various hairstyles that students would work on whilst studying.

If you’re looking for more Creativity, you can have a go at some clay modelling, a scanning activity with iPads, or see a stop motion demonstration using miniatures with our Media team.

You will be able to see our student-run, award-winning Hammersley restaurant as well as demonstrations of Indian and bakery dishes from our Hospitality and Catering team.

Visit our recently opened Health and Social Care ward, and witness demonstrations using our interactive patient dummies, such as performing pulse and blood tests. Our Childcare team will be also be hosting a nappy changing activity, plus other creative childcare tasks.

Our Science team will be hosting a DNA challenge using gummy bears and strawberry laces to make strands of DNA. Visitors will be able to take part and also take away their gummy bears and strawberry laces to eat later.

If you want a snack while you learn, you can take part in our Jaffa cake experiment with our Business team, and decide which is the branded or non-branded version.

There will be a BBQ hosted by our Hospitality & Catering team, plus live music, with a DJ from Stoke-on-Trent City Centre BID, with our Enrichment team running Parachute games and Swing Ball in Cauldon Park, based behind the college’s Cauldon campus.

College partners from Stoke City FC, Staffordshire Police, Port Vale FC and Brighter Futures will also have awareness stands at the open event.

Hassan Rizvi, Principal & CEO at Stoke on Trent College said:

“We’re really excited to be supporting the Centenary celebrations for Stoke-on-Trent, with our 100 Years of Skills in the Park Open Event. Stoke on Trent College is one of the institutional pillars of the community, and this promises to be an unforgettable event for the whole family.

“This is your opportunity to sample what’s it like to study at Stoke on Trent College. You will be able to see first-hand some of the courses we offer at our both our campuses for young people, adults and apprentices.

“Course teams will also be on hand in case you have any questions or would like to apply for a course in September.”

Find out more about open events at Stoke on Trent College here – https://stokecoll.ac.uk/open-events/

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Notes to Editors

• Stoke on Trent College serves up to 9000 students a year including young people, adults and apprentices. Working with a wide range of employers in key growth areas of the economy such as Digital, Construction, Engineering, STEM and Health and Social Care and more.
• The College also work with young adults who may have a special educational or additional need.
• A wide range of flexible and distance learning is provided by the College to individuals and businesses.

For all media enquiries, please contact marketing@stokecoll.ac.uk  

Gower College Swansea is celebrating after 11 students from its Level 4 Professional Diploma in Performance course were accepted at specialist drama schools across the UK.

“This is a fantastic result for our Level 4 students,” says Curriculum Leader Wyn Richards. “To have so many firm offers and recalls within one cohort is fantastic news and we are all so proud.

“Competition to gain entry into these specialist drama schools is intense and these students worked incredibly hard throughout the whole process, juggling preparation for interviews and auditions with their ongoing studies, and also getting ready for their final major productions at the College. We can’t wait to see what the future holds in store for this talented group!”

The students are:

Alex Barnett: accepted at East 15 Acting School, the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama, and Rose Bruford College of Theatre and Performance. Alex also made the reserve list at the Liverpool Institute of Performing Arts; and was recalled at Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts

Cai Brown: accepted at Drama Studio London; made the reserve list at the Liverpool Institute of Performing Arts; and was recalled at Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts, Arts Educational School London, East 15 Acting School, and Italia Conti

Rebecca Cole: accepted at Drama Studio London, East 15 Acting School, and Bristol School of Acting; was recalled at GSA Conservatoire

Joshua De-Gruchy: accepted at East 15 Acting School, and Bristol School of Acting; was recalled at Italia Conti

Cai Francis: accepted at MPAA

Evan Gilmore: accepted at Drama Studio London, and the University of Falmouth; was recalled at East 15 Acting School

Harry Harkness: was recalled at East 15 Acting School

Ioan Jenkins: accepted at East 15 Acting School and Rose Bruford College of Theatre and Performance; was recalled at the Liverpool Institute of Performing Arts, and Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts

Emily Jones: accepted at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama, Trinity LABAN, Performers College, MPAA, and the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire; made the reserve list at Italia Conti; had recalls at Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts, the Liverpool Institute of Performing Arts, GSA Conservatoire, and Bristol School of Acting

Dan Paterson: accepted at Leeds Conservatoire; recalled at Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts

Jordan White: accepted at Drama Studio London

The Level 4 Professional Diploma in Performance is accredited by UAL: University of the Arts, London and students on the course can choose to take an acting or musical theatre pathway. The course is designed for students aged 18+ who aspire to study acting at a specialist drama schools or university.

Students from IT, health and social care and Science have collaborated with leading health and social care app specialists Bitjam; to design an app to help deal with anxiety in young people.

The project which lasted four weeks, saw students work in groups to develop an app that could be used by young people, with a brief to include an emotion tracker.

Two groups presented to Carl Plant and Andrew White from Bitjam Limited, showcasing their understanding and interpretations of the design brief and a preview of the app using Figma app building software.

Irwin McNaught who is studying T Level Software Coding, enjoyed collaborating with students from different courses, saying,

“I enjoyed working with students from different courses. Our group had a mix of students from Software Coding and Health and Social Care.

“This was the first time I’d used the Figma software, so this was a good learning experience for me.”

Carl Plant, CEO at Bitjam Limited, worked as a Mental Health Nurse for many years, and has used his extensive experience when setting up Bitjam. The company specialises in software development and apps, primarily within the health and social care sector.

Speaking about the healthcare app and working with students, he said:

“We’ve found the co-production model of working with people with lived experience ultimately benefits when developing new software to improve people’s lives.

“It was fascinating to hear the pitches from the students and the different ways they would engage with the target audience and the features they would include.

“As a company this type of project was the best way we could give students a rich work experience which will help their future prospects. We have seen first-hand the digital shift within the healthcare sector, so having a mix of students collaborating allowed for a lot of creativity.”

Hassan Rizvi, Principal & CEO at Stoke on Trent College said:

“We are delighted to collaborate with Bitjam Limited, for this innovative project which allows our learners to really get their teeth into a live design brief. We’re always looking for ways to give our learners meaningful and varied encounters and experiences with employers and the workplace.

“The feedback provided to all of our learners will only enhance their career prospects when looking for careers in Health and Social Care, Science and IT.”

If your company would be interested in working with Stoke on Trent College, please email business@stokecoll.ac.uk in the first instance or call on 01782 603603.

 

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Picture caption – Stoke on Trent College students Hannah Thornett, Ben Screen, Irwin McNaught with BitJam’s Carl Plant and Andrew White

Notes to Editors

• Stoke on Trent College serves up to 9000 students a year including young people, adults and apprentices. Working with a wide range of employers in key growth areas of the economy such as Digital, Construction, Engineering, STEM and Health and Social Care and more.
• The College also work with young adults who may have a special educational or additional need.
• A wide range of flexible and distance learning is provided by the College to individuals and businesses.

For all media enquiries, please contact marketing@stokecoll.ac.uk  

Over 40 key external stakeholders joined Stoke on Trent College for a special Employer Gala Dinner, as part of our celebrations for Staffordshire Day.

Future Skills Pledge partners and other key external stakeholders, from both the business community and education came together at the College’s Hammersley restaurant for a three-course meal, prepared and served by Hospitality and Catering students.

They were welcomed by Principal & CEO, Hassan Rizvi, who spoke about the importance of working together to achieve young people of Stoke-on Trent and wider Staffordshire’s goals but also deliver on skills needs identified in the Local Skills Improvement Plan coupled with an agile and robust curriculum.

Staffordshire Chamber of Commerce CEO, Rachel Laver, delivered a ‘key note’ for attendees, speaking about the importance of building the workforce of the future to support the wider local economy and how collaborative working between the Staffordshire Chambers of Commerce, Stoke on Trent College and businesses was key to overcoming the challenges and have already produced meaningful outcomes for all stakeholders.

Continuing the theme of partnerships with a purpose, guests were given a showcase from one of the leading freight providers in the UK, DB Cargo, which explained a discreet provision provided by the College linked to curriculum design and execution.

Guests also heard from T Level Media, Broadcast and Production learner, Mitchell Wright, who spoke about his highly engaged experience on the course which combines college learning with a work placement at Centre Space Arts.

Attendees included representatives from all of the sectors that encompass our four Skills Hubs; Construction and Green Technologies, Digital and Creative, Engineering and STEM, and Health and Social Care – who have worked with the College to support full time learners and apprentices.

Hassan Rizvi, Principal & CEO at Stoke on Trent College said:

“Here at Stoke on Trent College we are firm believers in partnerships with a purpose. We work with a host of partners on all pathways including apprenticeships, T-Levels, 16-18 Study Programmes and Adult provision. College partners contribute in shaping our curriculum to suit the needs of the local and regional economy and ensure learners are skills ready, future ready.’

“The Employer Gala Dinner was our opportunity firstly to say thank you for their ongoing support and keep them updated about everything going on at the College and hear inspirational stories from apprentices and T-Level learners while enjoying a high-quality meal in our Hammersley restaurant.

“This is the first of series of Employer Gala Dinners with partners showcasing the College’s continued commitment to collaboration.”

Businesses and organisations who are interested in working with Stoke on Trent College, are encouraged to contact our Business Support team on 01782 603603 or by emailing business@stokecoll.ac.uk.

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Notes to Editors

• Stoke on Trent College serves up to 9000 students a year including young people, adults and apprentices. Working with a wide range of employers in key growth areas of the economy such as Digital, Construction, Engineering, STEM and Health and Social Care and more.
• The College also work with young adults who may have a special educational or additional need.
• A wide range of flexible and distance learning is provided by the College to individuals and businesses.

For all media enquiries, please contact marketing@stokecoll.ac.uk  

Recently, HSDC’s South Downs Campus has become the only FE College to offer apprenticeships in funeralcare nationally. HSDC is committed to using its courses to fill skill gaps in industry, both in the local community and nationally. 

Local, regional, and national businesses are all encouraged to get into contact with HSDC’s apprenticeship team if they would like to get involved with the programme. 

The driving force behind this course has been Claire Richards, a Work Based Trainer at South Downs. The course originated when Southern Co-Op, one of HSDC’s primary business partners, reached out to Claire to inquire if the College could deliver Apprenticeships in Funeralcare. 

Since then, Claire has managed to expand the Apprenticeship scheme to deliver two distinct courses: a Funeral Team Member Apprenticeship (Level 2), and a Funeral Director Apprenticeship (Level 3). Speaking about the importance of these brand new courses, Claire said:

“I am beyond proud to be able to work for a college that has enabled this qualification to be part of our offering. It really highlights HSDC’s dedication to filling skills gaps at a local, regional, and even national level. Offering the Funeralcare Apprenticeships nationally truly is an incredible thing for HSDC to achieve, and I hope to see these courses strengthened further in the future!”

Southern Co-Op Funeralcare Paulsgrove is a business that has been crucial in ensuring the smooth rollout of these courses. Danielle is a Level 2 Funeral Team Member Apprentice with HSDC, employed by Paulsgrove, and praised the value of these new courses:

“This course has helped to open my eyes to the diverse reality of Funeralcare. I have delved deeper into the availability of funeralcare providers and gotten a close glimpse into the behind-the-scenes workings of these. My favourite part of the course so far has been starting the podcast with other apprentices, as this is something else that has never been done before. The apprenticeship has given me the tools to move forward into the industry with confidence and gusto, and a recognised certification that I am working above and beyond the industry standard!”

HSDC is incredibly proud of its commitment to businesses, both in the local area and around the country, with the introduction of the Funeralcare courses highlighting this dedication to filling skills gaps in industry. 

If you’re part of a local business and want to find out more about the Apprenticeships on offer for Funeralcare at HSDC, please visit:

Funeral Team Member (Level 2)

Funeral Director (Level 3)

Gold Bloom for Shipley College at Harrogate Flower Show

Shipley College is celebrating a blossoming success after scooping a series of prestigious awards at this year’s Harrogate Flower Show – including a coveted Gold in the live floristry competition.

Led by a talented team of part-time Floristry students, the College showcased a dazzling display of colour, scent,6 and creativity. Weeks of preparation paid off as the group wowed judges and visitors alike with their imaginative arrangements and technical brilliance.

Among the stars of the show was Rebekka Kill – both a student and member of staff – who took home a Gold award in the fiercely competitive live floristry challenge. Her beautifully constructed display captured the attention of judges and highlighted the calibre of talent nurtured at Shipley College.

This floral triumph is just one example of the incredible work happening across the College’s wide range of courses. From part-time and full-time options in Floristry to Health & Social Care, Photography, Art & Design, Digital, Business and more – Shipley College is proud to support learners of all ages in gaining the skills they need to flourish in their careers.

Stoke on Trent College is continuing to invest in creating the best learning environments for students, after being awarded £990,329 from The Further Education College Condition Allocation from the government.

Funding will be invested in the college’s planned maintenance program, which ensures all facilities across both campuses offer state of the art facilities in buildings which are up to date with the latest technology and are fit for purpose.

With three consecutive year-on-year record enrolment numbers, Stoke on Trent College has now invested over £20 million of government funding in new facilities. This includes the Connect Building at the Cauldon campus and a new build at the Burslem campus as well as the upcoming Advanced Green Skills Hub, which will also be based at the Burslem campus.

Over the past 12 months, the college has launched a brand-new Broadcast Media Suite, a Health and Social Care Science Ward and revamped the Hair & Beauty facilities to provide an amazing learning environment for our learners.

The funding from The Further Education College Condition Allocation complements all of these major capital investments and will ensure Stoke on Trent College remains the technical college of choice for Stoke-on-Trent and North Staffordshire.

Hassan Rizvi, Principal & CEO at Stoke on Trent College said:

“We are grateful to receive funding from the Department of Education’s Further Education College Condition Allocation.

“Here at Stoke on Trent College, we are continually exploring ways to enhance the learner experience, and with the funding from the DfE we will look to maintain our established properties while we prepare to welcome brand-new facilities at both our Cauldon and Burslem campuses. Investment into ongoing maintenance is vitally important, and ensures all of our buildings and facilities are the best quality, giving our learners the best environment to achieve their goals.”

The college is enjoying unprecedented growth in learner numbers and applications for next year’s courses. and to build on this success the Estates Strategy is being continually updated. The estates strategy is being updated to ensure that both the Cauldon and Burslem campus sites offer learners the best environments to learn and progress. 

Skills Minister Jacqui Smith said: “FE colleges are vital to our mission to grow the economy under our Plan for Change. They are at the heart of training the next generation of skilled workers.”

“This funding addresses these issues, allowing colleges to focus on what they do best: breaking down barriers to opportunity by teaching the next generation in buildings fit for purpose.”

Funding was distributed across 179 college groups in England, and needs to be spent by March 2028.

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Notes to Editors

• Stoke on Trent College serves up to 9000 students a year including young people, adults and apprentices. Working with a wide range of employers in key growth areas of the economy such as Digital, Construction, Engineering, STEM and Health and Social Care and more.
• The College also work with young adults who may have a special educational or additional need.
• A wide range of flexible and distance learning is provided by the College to individuals and businesses.

For all media enquiries, please contact marketing@stokecoll.ac.uk  

Over 3,000 people from Stoke-on-Trent have benefited from free courses aimed at tackling numeracy confidence.

Stoke By Numbers, is part of the government-funded Multiply programme, which since 2022, has provided free and flexible training to over 3000 adults across Stoke-on-Trent.

The programme has been led by Stoke-on-Trent City Council with Stoke on Trent College managing the marketing campaign. Delivery partners have included – Potteries Money Wise, Acacia Training, Landau, Acorn Training, the City Council Adult Community Learning team and Stoke on Trent College.

Courses were tailored to raise awareness of numbers in everyday life, providing learners with ways to manage money plus improve their career prospects by being more number confident, help children with homework or budget for special occasions like holidays and Christmas.

Stoke By Numbers has also seen 27 National Numeracy Champions complete training to be numeracy ambassadors and encourage people to get confident with numbers, ensuring the legacy of the programme will continue for years to come.

Other highlights of the campaign include the Stoke By Numbers Roadshow whereby the fully branded Stoke by Numbers bus toured the city – offering local residents the opportunity to find out more about numeracy courses on offer and complete some on-site learning.

Someone who has benefited from Stoke By Numbers is Jamee Ann Fisher, who felt her struggles with numeracy were holding her back from pursuing a career in Accounting plus helping her children with school work.

Since completing numeracy courses on offer, Jamee has since been accepted onto a further pathway to further enhance her skills, she said:

“My number confidence has grown dramatically. I learnt so much on how I can now support my children with their homework, as the numeracy approach has changed so much since I was at school.”

Hassan Rizvi, Principal and CEO at Stoke on Trent College said:

“Stoke on Trent College is proud to have led the marketing campaign for Stoke By Numbers and also be a delivery partner. Throughout the project, ourselves and the other delivery partners have provided people from Stoke-on-Trent with a platform to improve their numeracy skills, which will benefit them in all walks of life.

“We’ve shown that a lack of confidence with numbers is nothing to be ashamed of, and with the courses offered we can improve outcomes for adults in the city.

“According to participant feedback, over a third will progress now to a formal accredited maths course to continue to develop their skills.”

Councillor Sarah Jane Colclough, cabinet member for education and anti-poverty at Stoke-on-Trent City Council, said:

“It’s pleasing to see so many residents benefitting from Stoke by Numbers and getting on the path to increasing their confidence in numeracy.

 “These skills are vital when completing daily tasks – whether it’s DIY, cooking, shopping or budgeting, maths is used in so many aspects of everyday life.

 “To hear that so many people have been overcoming these barriers and becoming more confident with their numeracy is a resounding success that will only improve outcomes across Stoke-on-Trent.”

To find out more about Stoke By Numbers, please visit www.stokebynumbers.co.uk.

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Notes to Editors

 Picture caption – All partners from Stoke By Numbers attend a celebration event for the program at Middleport Pottery.

Stoke by Numbers, part of the government’s new £560 million national programme, Multiply, which aims to transform the lives of hundreds of thousands of adults across the UK.

The programme is a partnership across the city by Stoke on Trent College and Stoke-on-Trent City Council, with training courses being delivered by six learning providers across the city.

Partners include: Stoke on Trent College, Acacia Training, Acorn Training, Pathway Group, Potteries Moneywise and Adult Community Learning (ACL) at Stoke-on-Trent City Council.

Stoke on Trent College serves up to 9000 students a year including young people, adults and apprentices. Working with a wide range of employers in key growth areas of the economy such as Digital, Construction, Engineering, STEM and Health and Social Care and more.

For more information, contact Paul Downey, PR & Communications Officer at Stoke on Trent College on pdown1sc@stokecoll.ac.uk.

The first ever apprenticeship course focusing on putting people at the centre of the design of digital public services is celebrating the successful graduation of its three students.

The User Centred Design apprenticeship was developed by the Centre for Digital Public Services (CDPS) in partnership with Gower College Swansea (GCS).

The 18-month course is the first of its kind in the UK and provided on job training with CDPS around service design, user research and content development, as well as a formal qualification from Gower College Swansea.

The aim of the apprenticeship was to build digital skills and capability to ensure that services are sustainable, accessible, inclusive and designed to meet the needs of the people who use them.

All three apprentices have not only successfully completed the Agored Cymru accredited course but have also been offered full time employment with CDPS.

Ruth Garner, Sarah Floyd and Alexandra Wagstaff are now Junior User Centred Design Officers and will be working on content design and user research supporting public sector services in Wales.

Reflecting on her experience, former teaching assistant Ruth from Cardiff said, “I was nervous to leave my familiar job, but this apprenticeship has exceeded my expectations and fully prepared me for a career in this field. I completely understand the importance of user-centred design as it literally has the capability to make or break a service. I’m excited to continue developing my skills and applying what I have learned in future CDPS projects to create services that meet peoples’ needs and make a real difference across Wales.”

Centre for Digital Public Services Head of Skills and Capability Peter Thomas said, “We launched the apprenticeship scheme to begin to address the critical shortage of digital skills in Wales. Our goal was to create practical pathways into digital careers, particularly for public services, and to build a pipeline of skilled professionals.

“The success of this scheme, marked by the graduation of our first-ever apprentices, is a testament to the hard work, creativity, and commitment of everyone involved. Our pioneering apprentices, Ruth, Alexandra, and Sarah have set a high bar for future participants and the scheme has laid the foundation for meaningful change in digital public services in Wales.”

Bruce Fellowes, Head of GCS Training helped to develop the course and is inspired by the achievements and learning of the first three apprentices.

He said, “I am delighted with the success Gower College Swansea has had with the User Centred Design learners from the Centre for Digital Public Services. From the planning stages right through to the completion of the apprenticeship framework, the managers and apprentices have been fully engaged with the programme. The managers have supported the apprentices with time to carry out their studies, given relevant roles and responsibilities to gather the necessary evidence for the course, and looked to promote the apprenticeship both internally and externally. I look forward to working with CDPS for many years to come.”

Eight other organisations from across Wales are already accessing the course, with 15 apprentices currently learning vital digital skills.

Welsh Government Minister for Culture, Skills and Social Partnership, Jack Sargeant, said, “Digital skills are the foundation of a modern public service, and this pioneering apprenticeship demonstrates Wales’ commitment to developing homegrown talent. It’s great to see Ruth, Sarah and Alexandra graduating as our first cohort of specialists, bringing vital skills that will help transform how we deliver public services. By investing in digital skills and focusing on user needs, we’re building a stronger, more responsive public sector that works for everyone whilst creating valuable career opportunities for local talent.”

Case Study

From digital learning to digital working: the Apprentices’ journey

A passion for helping people was the key reason all three of the apprentices signed up to the inaugural User Centred Design course.

Sarah Floyd from Swansea joined after a 21-year career teaching pupils with additional learning needs, bringing with her an empathy for creating public services that are truly inclusive for the people who use them.

She said, “Putting users first and making services that fit the needs of those users attracted me and I’m grateful to CDPS for championing this apprenticeship which enabled me to gain hands-on experience as well as completing college modules. Although I no longer work with children and young people, developing better public services will help create a future in Wales that’s fit for purpose for those youngsters I once taught.”

Ruth Garner also has a background in education, having worked as learning support assistant in a primary school in Cardiff. Her enthusiasm for digital communication had inspired her to pursue a Certificate in Professional Digital Marketing and the apprenticeship was the next step to developing her career.

She said, “This experience has reinforced how content design plays a crucial role in making digital services more inclusive and user-friendly. In today’s world digital communication plays a vital role in bringing people and communities together and I hope the skills I have developed will help me to design accessible public services within Wales.”

Alexandra Wagstaff, from Barry, was inspired to sign up to the apprenticeship after working in clinical research and seeing the value of including patients in the process.

She said, “Having seen the value of patients’ views to ensure the focus remains on outcomes and wellbeing, I was keen to learn about user voices driving service design. We are living in the digital age, and there is so much to be done to make the most of the digital tools we have! It’s exciting to think my future contributions could help people all over Wales.”

***

The Centre for Digital Public Services (CDPS) was set up by Welsh Government to help public sector organisations in Wales deliver better, user-centred digital services. They provide guidance, support, and tools to build digital capabilities across the public sector. 

Gower College Swansea is one of the largest providers of apprenticeships in Wales offering a diverse range of training programmes supporting small private companies, large multi-national organisations and the public sector. Some of its programmes are also offered in England.