An award winning work based learning provider based in Mid Wales has been selected to deliver the Welsh Baccalaureate Qualification to students involved in food and drink manufacturing from September.

Cambrian Training Company, which is based in Welshpool and has offices in Brecon, Aberaeron, Holyhead, Fishguard and Milford Haven, is one of 27 new learning centres recently approved by the Welsh Assembly Government to deliver the second tranche of the Welsh Baccalaureate Qualification roll-out programme across Wales.

Jane Hutt. Minister for Children, Education, Lifelong Learning and Skills, has agreed to extend provision of the ground breaking qualification in schools, Further Education Institutions and Training Providers as the Welsh Assembly Government's aims to see 40 per cent of post-16 students taking part in the qualification by 2010.

From September, the Welsh Baccalaureate Qualification will be available at Advanced and Intermediate levels in over 100 post-16 centres to around 18,000 learners.

The qualification formally recognises a number of activities and achievements, including work experience, personal and social education and voluntary work. The Welsh Baccalaureate incorporates current approved qualifications like A levels, GCSEs and NVQs as 'Options' and adds breadth and balance through its core programme of activities, which includes all six Key Skills.

Welsh schools and colleges that have been delivering the qualification have said the Welsh Baccalaureate has contributed to students becoming more effective learners, improved their academic performance and equipped them with life skills that are transferable to whatever situation they find themselves in, whether that is education or employment.

Cambrian Training Company, which won the Learning Provider Award at last year's Modern Apprenticeship Awards, supported by the Welsh Assembly Government, expect to deliver the Welsh Baccalaureate Qualification at Intermediate level to 15 learners in their first year of participation.

With a workforce of 40, the company specialises in the delivery of qualifications in butchery, food and drink, customer service, hospitality, call handling, management and retail.

John Tibbott, Cambrian Training Company's operations director, said the company welcomed the opportunity to develop a Welsh Baccalaureate Qualification to support the needs of the agri-related food production and processing sectors.

"Delivery of the Welsh Baccalaureate Qualification is a natural progression for the company as we build on our experience of supporting this important sector through our work based learning provision and our Centre of Excellence for Butchery and Culinary Skills in Welshpool," he added.

"We see this as an exciting opportunity to offer a learning opportunity which supports food manufacturing and agriculture, both important industries in the region. We have the experience to encourage entrepreneurship through our strong links with the industry and the supply chain from farm to fork.

"A key feature of the Welsh Baccalaureate is the one to one support given to the learners throughout the programme and we have experience of providing this both in the workplace and during study time."

Other learning centres in Mid Wales that have recently been approved by the Welsh Assembly Government to deliver the Welsh Baccalaureate Qualification are Caereinion High School, Coleg Meirion Dwyfor, Crickhowell High School, Llanidloes High School and Ysgol Penweddig, Aberystwyth. They will join existing centres Builth Wells High School, Gwernyfed High School and Penglais High School.

Picture caption:

Cambrian Training Company's managing director Arwyn Watkins examines a lamb carcass with a trainee.

Cambrian Training Company's managing director Arwyn Watkins prepares a joint of meat at the company's Centre of Excellence for Butchery and Culinary Skills.

Ends

For more information please contact Duncan Foulkes on 01686 650818 or Eoghan Mortell on 02920 48 8778.

YOUNG CHEFS ARE WELSH HOSPITALITY SKILLS CHAMPIONS
27/03/2008

Two young chefs have emerged as Welsh skills champions and will be entered to represent their country at the WorldSkills UK heats later this year.

Chris Owen, 21, from the Castle Hotel, Conwy and Tom Middleton, 19, from Hotel Maes-y-Neuadd, Talsarnau, Harlech won the advanced and intermediate competitions respectively at the Hospitality Skills Competition Wales regional and national final at Coleg Llandrillo Cymru, Rhos on Sea last month.

Both chefs had to enter the competitions in their vocational skills section to stand a chance of becoming a Welsh skills champion.

It's a second national success for Owen, who last year won the National Junior Chef of Wales contest and is due to fly out to Dubai in May to compete in the World Association of Cooks' Societies' Junior Forum.

Whilst Middleton could now be selected for the UK squad for next year's WorldSkills Competition in Calgary, Canada, Owen is unfortunately just a couple of months too old to be considered. The WorldSkills Competition comes to London in October 2011.

To compete for a place in the UK team for the 2009 WorldSkills Competition, competitors must have been born on or after January 1, 1987.

Organised by award winning, Welshpool-based training provider Cambrian Training Company in partnership with VT Training and Coleg Llandrillo Cymru, Hospitality Skills Competition Wales received funding from the European Convergence Programme and skillscompetition Wales through the Welsh Assembly Government. The event was also supported by the Welsh Culinary Association, a member of the World Association of Chefs Societies.

Arwyn Watkins, Cambrian Training Company's managing director, said Owen and Middleton would continue to receive support and mentoring prior to the WorldSkills UK heat and would, hopefully, win through to the UK final.

"The Hospitality Skills Competition Wales was a great success," he added. "We introduced 10 new skill areas, seeking out a variety of skills that reflect the wide range of tasks set in WorldSkills competitions, and there were 331 competitors over the three days.

"With many competitors and their mentors or tutors competing for the first time, they were keen to learn what the gold standard at a World class benchmark entailed."

He explained that the Hospitality Skills Competition Wales was designed to encourage as many people as possible in the hospitality sector to enter the competitions with the ultimate goal of delivering an exceptional UK performance at WorldSkills London 2011.

The Welsh Assembly Government's Deputy Minister for Skills John Griffiths said: "If Wales is to remain competitive and prosper in the global economy it must improve its skills base to compete with emerging economies in China and India.

"Skills Competition Wales provides all those wanting to compete at WorldSkills 2011 with an important framework from which to build on and prepare for competition on the world stage.

"These events are a great vehicle for highlighting the talent and skills Wales has to offer. We have to work hard and continue to push the
boundaries in all sectors to stay at the cutting edge of developments."

The WorldSkills Competition is the largest international skills competition in the world, with 48 member countries sending highly trained young people to compete for the title of 'world champion' in 40 different vocational skills. The competition happens every two years attracts over 800 competitors, who are tested against tough international standards over the four-day event.

Picture:
Chef Chris Owen in action.

Chef Tom Middleton with one of his dishes.

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Editor's Notes:

Cambrian Training Company is an award-winning, multi-national, private training business with a network of offices across the Principality. The company won the coveted Learning Provider Award at the 2007 National Training Awards for Wales.

Cambrian Training Company specialises in the delivery of qualifications in butchery, food and drink, customer service, hospitality, call handling, management and retail.

The company has a successful Centre of Excellence for Butchery and Culinary Skills and a head office in Welshpool together with offices Brecon, Aberaeron, Holyhead, Fishguard and Milford Haven.

For more information please contact Mr Arwyn Watkins, Cambrian Training Company's managing director, on 01938 555893 or Duncan Foulkes, public relations consultant, on 01686 650818.

TOURISM TRAINING FORUM FOR WALES
19/02/2008

WALES LAUNCHES RECIPE FOR SUCCESS WITH NEW CHEF AWARDS

An exciting pilot training project designed to drive up standards in the hospitality industry across Wales by improving the skills of chefs has been launched.

The project aims to guide up to 180 chefs to achieve Applied Ability Awards, known as Triple A, at either Foundation or Chef level over the next two years.

Triple A are independent qualifications for professional chefs designed and delivered by the industry to provide national benchmarks that will define, develop and promote craft skills. They are endorsed by all the major chefs' organisations in the UK and Ireland.

Funded by the Welsh Assembly Government, the project is being driven by award-winning Welshpool-based training provider Cambrian Training Company and managed by the Tourism Training Forum for Wales.

A Steering Group overseeing the project will include representatives of all three organisations together with working in partnership with the Welsh Culinary Association, People 1st, Sector Skills Councils, the National Training Federation, Fforwm and Wales Tourism Alliance.

The pilot project was launched by Grenville Jackson, head of the Welsh Assembly Government's Skills, Business and Employability Division, at the Welsh International Culinary Championships at Llandrillo College Cymru, Rhos on Sea.

Mr Jackson said: "The Triple A pilot programme is an excellent example of partnership working by all those with an interest in the Welsh tourism, hospitality, travel and leisure sector. The programme is designed to develop chef skills in Wales, which is one of the four priority areas that the Welsh Assembly Government has identified in this sector."

To support the learners, experienced chefs are being recruited and trained as mentors. They will be trained to identify learners' skill levels against the Triple A syllabus and to mentor them to develop and implement individual learning plans to address any gaps or weak areas.

All learners on the programme will be registered for People 1st's UK Skills Passport so that their future progress and ongoing learning can be tracked. They will also receive automatic membership of the Welsh Culinary Association.

The programme is aimed at those currently employed in the hospitality industry who want to have their skills professionally recognised, returners seeking to update their skills, international workers seeking a UK qualification and those with no industry experience but with an ambition to become a chef.

Following the launch, four Further Education Institutions will be established as regional examination centres for the Triple A Award.

The partners believe the Triple A qualifications will enhance current Foundation Modern Apprenticeship and Modern Apprenticeship programmes by increasing practical skills and improving the employability of learners.

All learners enrolled on the programme will have access to an online bilingual virtual chef channel to support the learning aims for developing practical skills using video streaming.

As part of the programme, an annual national conference for chefs in Wales will be organised to disseminate and share best practice.

Diana James, director of Tourism Training Forum for Wales, said: 'I am delighted that Wales is first in the UK to offer a national pilot programme to introduce Triple A to chefs in Wales. Triple A addresses the needs of both employers and head chefs, as the curriculum has been developed by chefs to give a complete range
of skills needed in the profession."

Arwyn Watkins, Cambrian Training Company's managing director, said: "This pilot programme is a massive step forward towards improving skills and standards in the hospitality industry in Wales. It's great news for chefs and those aspiring to enter the industry."

Peter Jackson, Welsh Culinary Association chairman, said: "We are delighted to be associated with the Triple A Awards, which will hopefully not only raise standards but also encourage more young people to seek a career in the hospitality industry in Wales."

Bob Cotton, British Hospitality Association's chief executive, said: "The Triple A is about chefs taking charge in the battle for craft skills and setting the standards for trainees and trainers alike. As employers are dependent on those skills we need to give them our wholehearted support and participate."

Picture captions:

Forming an A - Grenville Jackson (left), head of the Welsh Assembly Government's Skills, Business and Employability Division, Arwyn Watkins of Cambrian Training Company and programme co-ordinator Ruth Morris at the launch of the new Triple A awards in Wales.


Grenville Jackson (seated), head of the Welsh Assembly Government's Skills, Business and Employability Division, Edward Owen-Davies, Training Forum for Wales projects and communications co-ordinator, Arwyn Watkins, managing director of Cambrian Training Company and Ruth Morris, Triple A awards programme co-ordinator.

ends

For more information please contact Edward Owen-Davies, Tourism Training Forum for Wales projects and communications co-ordinator, on 029 2049 5174, Mr Arwyn Watkins, Cambrian Training Company's managing director, on 01938 555893 or Duncan Foulkes, public relations consultant, on 01686 650818.

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