Cymoedd’s investment equips future engineers

Coleg y Cymoedd has seen a significant increase in the number of learners and the academic qualifications of its Engineering learners following continued investment at its campuses.

The latest project at the Rhondda campus follows a £3.1 million investment in a Railway Training Centre of Excellence at the Nantgarw campus, designed to deliver high quality training and £260,000 in workshop equipment for its Nantgarw workshop.

The £230,000 investment of the Engineering Workshop at the Rhondda is part of the college’s ambitious Capital Programme and was highlighted as a priority to address the skills shortage in the sector.

The new facility is equipped with industry standard machines to provide the learners with experience and employability skills to seek employment on completion of their course.

The workshop boasts 9 new Lathes and 6 Milling machines which enhanced the learning environment making it more conducive to learning, this allowed the students to work independently gaining skills and progressing their individual engineering skills.

The new workshop is a welcomed addition to the engineering facilities.  Each year the college trains around 500 full-time and part time engineering learners, which includes around 120 apprentices, across its four campuses at Aberdare, Nantgarw, Rhondda and Ystrad Mynach.

John Williams, Engineering lecturer at the Rhondda campus said, “The new facilities at the campus have played an important part in helping the learners to achieve their full potential and gain excellent qualifications. We have been able to train the learners on the fundamental skills required in today’s industry through to the more complex techniques, providing hands on experience in milling, turning and bench fitting.

Many of the learners enrolled on the Foundation course at the Rhondda campus and over a three -year period have progressed to the Level 3 qualification. This year the Engineering staff at the Rhondda campus are delighted with the 100% pass rate of its learners with EAL and VRQ qualifications.  Seven of the Level 1 learners studying the VRQ in Engineering Technologies achieved Distinction, from the cohort of Level 2 learners, 14 achieved Distinction and 10 Merit and from the Level 3 Course 9 learners achieved Distinction and 3 Merit grades.

The tutors are so proud of all the learners and their achievements both academically and socially. Their results are testament to their hard work and commitment, a motivated staff and well- equipped workshop. It makes a great difference to be provided with the correct resources to enhance and develop the young engineers of the future…the results say it all”.

Engineering is a major growth sector in the Rhondda Cynon Taf and Caerphilly area, with the potential of exciting career opportunities for our learners. As a college, we work closely with employers to ensure our curriculum meets the needs of the industry. The college has been at the forefront of apprenticeship training for GE Aircraft Maintenance for over 20 years and recently British Airways Maintenance division and Axiom Manufacturing Services have worked with the college to train their apprentices. Many of our apprentices have gone on to complete their HNC and Degree qualifications in Engineering and Aerospace Engineering and secured employment in exciting organisations.

Cymoedd are still accepting applications to join Engineering courses for September 2019, for more information and to apply, visit www.cymoedd.ac.uk  

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