Aberdare Campus Rhondda Campus Where Wellington Street, Aberdare, Llwynypia, , CF44 8EN Rhondda Cynon Taf, CF40 2TQ we are... Tel: 01685 887500 Tel: 01443 663202 Your future

Nantgarw Campus Mynach Campus Heol y Coleg, Parc Nantgarw Twyn Road, Ystrad Mynach Cardiff, CF15 7QX Hengoed, CF82 7XR starts here... Tel: 01443 662800 Tel: 01443 816888 hello!

"Croesawn alwadau yn y Gymraeg” “We welcome calls in Welsh" Planning your future is both exciting and a little daunting. There‘s a lot to think about - what career path to take, where to study, what course to do. Here at CYC, we’re here to help you to make the right choice. Applying to College Whether you already know what you want to do, or are still working it Applications are taken from 1st November each out, we’re here to help you on the next part of your journey. year. The easiest way to apply is online, but you can We’ve got a huge range of subjects on offer and exceptional people call us or pop in at any time for advice on courses teaching them. We put your success at the heart of everything we do, and studying at the college. We start interviewing in and that means providing you with the best opportunities to gain the January, and many of our courses fill up quickly, so skills, knowledge and qualifications you need to succeed. please apply as soon as possible. We hope you will find this guide useful when you’re exploring your options, learning what college life is all about and finding out how you can achieve your goals and ambitions. Open Events Open Days are your opportunity to visit the college, find out more about our courses and meet with our staff. It’s a great way to get a feel for college life, What parents say... and we will answer any questions you may have. There is no need to book, just pop along on the day. “I want to say a huge thank you to Coleg y Cymoedd for the support given to my daughter Meg over the last two years. Check out our website for dates and times www.cymoedd.ac.uk/open Since she was a small child, Meg has been driven and focussed, and the college has complemented this with the fantastic support they provided - I will be forever grateful. Meg’s results are more than we could have wished for and we are all very Our vision is to be an excellent college focused on learner success excited to see what the future holds for her.” Coleg y Cymoedd takes every effort to ensure the information in this publication is accurate at the time of printing. Coleg y Cymoedd reserves the right to make changes or Allison McCarthy (whose daughter won a place at Oxford University to study Law) withdraw without notice any of the courses, course facilities or support described. The website www.cymoedd.ac.uk will always contain the most up to date information. Parent Information Reasons to study at Deciding to go to college and continue in education is a big decision for both you and your parents. Coleg y Cymoedd At Coleg y Cymoedd we‘ll do all we can to make sure that: • the transition is as smooth as possible for both of you CHOICE LEARNING FOR A PURPOSE • you and your parents are supported throughout your over 400 vocational courses and A- a stepping stone to university, an course Levels apprenticeship or employment.

We’ll also provide: • well qualified, experienced and dedicated staff PROGRESS REVIEWS EXPERTISE regular tutorials to ensure that you are • exemplary standards of teaching & learning accomplished teachers, determined to on track and coping with the course. help you achieve. • additional learning support when required What parents say: • a structured tutorial system including regular 1:1 reviews “We would describe Coleg y Cymoedd as a college that SUCCESS • support for applying to university takes pride in its students and is therefore dedicated we will expect you to work hard but we and passionately committed to helping develop their SUPPORT • support for progressing to employment will also work hard with you to help you potential to perform to the best of their ability. dedicated support staff whenever you • a superb, high-tech learning environment with industry need them. achieve your potential. standard facilities and resources The college has well-qualified, experienced, dedicated staff members, who were always there for our son, • excellent links to industry encouraging both his academic and sporting career. WORK EXPERIENCE • personal tutors for each learner – offering guidance, They made it possible for him to achieve the highest PARTNERSHIPS participate in work experience support and encouragement. possible grades which has enabled him to pursue his excellent links with employers and placements with employers, or in our career in Medicine, whilst also being Captain of the • progress/parents’ evenings for most courses universities across the UK. onsite professional salons and U18s Welsh squad, achieving four Welsh Rugby restaurants. • access to your personal tutor at any time for both you and International caps. your parents As a result he is now studying Biomedical Science at Imperial College London. We commend Coleg y FACILITIES ENRICHMENT PROGRAMME We provide that essential stepping stone to work or Cymoedd for its excellence and invaluable support.” first-class learning facilities across all learning should also be fun. Every campuses. university Adam & Linda Haggett campus offers extra-curricular activities as well as your course. Support Additional We are here to help you succeed! Support

Need some help? Young Carers Free Meals The Learner Services team can also help if you have caring Starting college is one of the most exciting things you can do. You could receive a meal allowance Making new friends, studying something new, and making your responsibilities for a family member and are worried it might to spend on campus if your own decisions are all positive experiences, but if you feel you impact on your college work. Talk to us about your need some advice or information, we’re here to help. circumstances, and we'll let you know what help and support you parents/carers receive certain types can get. of income related benefits. Your first stop should be our Learner Services team. They provide day to day assistance and support on practical issues such as If you have any questions or want more information about grants and travel. additional support, a member of the Learner Services team will Travel be happy to speak to you. If you're under 19 and satisfy Additional Learning Support qualifying criteria, you may be able to Student Welfare and Wellbeing The Learner Services team also provide support if you have a get subsidised travel from either your disability or additional learning needs. Let us know what your If you’re experiencing personal or emotional problems, you can local council or the college Financial needs are during the application process, and we will put together contact our Student Welfare and Wellbeing Officers. They can Contingency Fund. a support package to suit your individual requirements. provide you with confidential support or refer you to other professionals if necessary.

Looked after or Care Leaver Financial Support If you have been in or are leaving care and would like some support either while you are in college or to prepare for further Depending on your circumstances, you may be eligible for study or work, then let the Learner Services team know. We can financial support to help with the cost of going to college. provide a dedicated person for you to speak to during your time If you're between 16 and 18, you may be eligible for an at the college. Educational Maintenance Allowance (EMA). Or you can apply for help from the Financial Contingency Fund (FCF) to help to pay for nursery fees, examinations, kits and safety equipment for Visit our website practical courses. www.cymoedd.ac.uk/financial for more information on financial support that may be available to you. Vocational Courses at Coleg y Cymoedd

Vocational courses are designed to help you get a practical qualification for a specific job or career. For example, if you want to be a hairdresser, a vocational course will include cutting and colouring hair. If you want to get into IT Development, then you’ll learn how to write code. They can help you get the skills you need to start a job or progress in your career, through a mixture of theory and practical work. You’ll also gain a qualification in your chosen subject. We’ve developed our vocational courses in partnership with local businesses. We consult with them regularly to ensure the skills we train you in are what employers want and need. Over 600 of our learners apply to university each year. A vocational course is a good option for someone who knows what career they want to go into, as they link directly to a particular job to your chosen career. or industry. Tutors with industry experience, making your course relevant

Superb industryfeaturing standard state-of-art workshops equipment. and facilities, many

Over 1,000 learners studying on our Apprenticeship We offer a wide range of vocational courses at Coleg y Creative Industries - Art, Music, Performing Arts, Digital programme with 27 pathways to choose from. Cymoedd such as: Media, Photography, Fashion, TV & Film (Media, Make-up, Special Effects, Prop Making, Technical Production) Apprenticeships - Various routes Engineering - Aeronautical, Electronics, Engineering, Business - Business Studies, IT Applications, Accountancy Mechanical, Motor Vehicle, Rail Care - Health & Social Care, Childhood Studies, Counselling Foundation Learning - Entry Level Coleg y Cymoedd has excellent links with industry and works closely with a number of organisations: Catering - Catering, Hospitality, Patisserie Hairdressing - Beauty Therapy, Hairdressing, Nail Technology Computing - Information Technology, System Support, Public Services Computer Maintenance, Creative IT Science Construction - Brickwork, Carpentry, Electrical, Painting & Decorating, Plastering, Plumbing Sport - Football, Rugby League, Rugby Union, Netball Travel - Air Cabin Crew, Travel, Tourism Vocational Success Coleg y Cymoedd are very successful at Where do I go next? When you complete your studies with us, you’ll have a wide range of skills, such as: providing a stepping stone to your future career • Job or career-specific training • Numeracy and literacy • IT proficiency • Research capabilities Course: National Diploma in Applied Sciences Employment: CERN, Switzerland • Organisation and time keeping Victoria Griffiths enrolled on the BTEC National Diploma in Applied Sciences at Coleg y Cymoedd. After • Interpersonal skills completing her course she secured the position of Laboratory Technician apprentice at the college. Whilst working at the college, Victoria joined staff and learners on a visit to CERN in Switzerland and was There will be a number of options open to you. If you want to go to university, many vocational qualifications are recognised as completely blown away and inspired. During the visit they were informed that CERN was actually in need of entry qualifications, and any work experience you may have completed can strengthen your university application. more technicians. On her return she researched CERN jobs, came across the TTE (Technical Training Group Ltd), applied and was successful in securing employment. You may want to get a job or start your own business, and you can draw on what you’ve learnt to hit the ground running. You’ve At school, Victoria struggled to concentrate and didn’t know what she wanted to do – but she did know that she already got the skills valued by employers and can concentrate on expanding your knowledge. wanted it to be physical. Now she helps to create near-perfect vacuum conditions, so the Large Hadron Collider’s particle beam can travel close to the speed of light. Victoria’s advice is “Never doubt yourself and never think that something is out of reach. I mean, I’m from South , I didn’t go to university and I work at CERN. I think it’s important that people don’t box themselves in and that they are brave enough to try. If they don’t try, they will never know where they could end up, and if they fail they fail, they can always try something else!” Course: Level 2 Professional Cookery and Level 3 Patisserie Employment: Vale of Glamorgan Resort & Cocorico Patisserie Alys Evans, 20 from studied Level 2 Professional Cookery and Level 3 Patisserie at Coleg y Cymoedd. During her time at college, Alys setup her own successful cake business, Alys’ Cakes & Cupcakes; specialising in artisan style cupcakes. Course: BTEC Level 3 and NVQ Level 3 Aeronautical Engineering Maintenance She also took part in a number of Skills competitions, achieving numerous awards, including: City & Employment: British Airways Maintenance Cardiff (BAMC) Guilds Gold Medal of Excellence. Gold, silver, bronze and Best in Class at the Welsh Culinary Championships and gold and Best in Class at Cake International in London. Her success at these Gareth Jarvis enrolled on an Apprenticeship with British Airways, studying a BTEC Level 3 Diploma competitions has resulted in being a finalist in the WorldSkills competition going head to head with another and NVQ Level 3 in Aeronautical Engineering at Coleg y Cymoedd. On completion of his 3-year competitor to represent the UK in Russia. apprenticeship he won Apprentice of the Year and secured his dream job as an aircraft mechanic at BAMC; working on aircraft such as Boeing 747, 777 and 787. Alys also won the Vocational Qualification Award, as a result she was invited to be a member of the Culinary Association of Wales (a group that advises the Catering industry) and is making her debut with Gareth commented; “My 3-year apprenticeship with British Airways Maintenance Cardiff went by them at the Culinary World Cup in Luxembourg. very quickly and equipped me with vital skills that allow me to complete my day-to-day job with British Airways; to a professional standard. All of this would not have been possible without the She joined the Vale of Glamorgan Resort, as a Full Time Pastry Chef and worked for Cocorico Patisserie, a invaluable support from staff at Coleg y Cymoedd, especially my NVQ assessor Steve. I’m also premier patisserie based in Cardiff. Alys has aspirations to work in a Michelin Star restaurant in the future. grateful for the support received from the staff across various departments at British Airways Alys said “I am forever grateful to Coleg y Cymoedd. The experience I gained from working in the college’s Maintenance Cardiff. If I were to give advice to somebody looking to succeed in an apprenticeship, it commercial Nant Restaurant has really served me well. My tutors were highly experienced and I learnt a would be to take advantage of every opportunity that is put before you. It has allowed me to gain great deal from them. I’d highly recommend Coleg y Cymoedd to anyone”. work experience in various areas of my business, as well as taken me all over the world”. Coleg y Cymoedd A Level Success With a fantastic 98% pass rate in 2018, many of our learners are following in the footsteps of past learners and attending top ‘Russell Group’ universities such as Oxford, Cambridge, King’s College London, Exeter, Cardiff, Manchester and Durham. A-Level Centre A-Level Subjects: Art & Design French Photography The A-Level Centre at Coleg y Cymoedd offers the choice of over 20 AS/A-Level Business Geography Physics University: Imperial College London subjects and 7 Level 3 Certificate/Diploma options. Our tutors are subject-matter Biology History Psychology experts who pride themselves on providing the best education and learning Former A-Level learner, Calum Haggett, is opportunities. The centre is located in our award-winning Nantgarw Campus. currently in his final year of a Biomedical Science Chemistry Law Religious Studies degree at Imperial College London, specialising in Drama Mathematics Sociology Neuroscience and Mental Health, having What can you study with us? achieved A* A A A in his STEM subject A-Levels. English Language and Literature Further Mathematics Welsh (2nd Language) The programme enables you to study three or four AS-Levels plus the Welsh After graduating later this year, Callum has been Film Studies Media Studies Advanced Welsh Baccalaureate Baccalaureate (Advanced) in your AS year. Once you get the required AS results, offered a postgraduate place at Magdalen College, Oxford to read Medicine you will then progress to study at A2-Level, including the Welsh Baccalaureate. You Level 3 Certificate/Diploma Subjects: can widen your choices by choosing a combined course of one or two AS subjects, Calum said “I really can’t thank Coleg y Cymoedd along with BTEC choices. We’ll talk to you about your options during the application enough for their support. They really went the Criminology - WJEC Level 3 Health & Social Care - BTEC IT – BTEC Certificate leading process. extra mile to make sure I got the results I needed, Certificate leading to Diploma Certificate leading to Subsidiary Diploma to Subsidiary Diploma from organising additional tutoring to helping me Applied Science – BTEC Certificate Sports and Exercise Science - with my university placement. My A-Level results leading to Subsidiary Diploma BTEC Level 3 Subsidiary Diploma Stretch & Challenge programme were such a relief and is a real testament to the work I put in whilst in college and the support the Business - BTEC Certificate Law - BTEC Certificate leading Working with some of the leading Universities in the UK, the Welsh Government and staff gave me.” leading to Subsidiary Diploma to Subsidiary Diploma local Seren Hub Networks, our Stretch and Challenge programme aims to help our A-Level Centre learners achieve their full potential. Coleg y Cymoedd reserves the right to make changes or withdraw without notice any of the courses described. From one-to-one support with UCAS applications, to summer school activities at The website www.cymoedd.ac.uk will always contain the most up to date information. Oxbridge and other leading Universities, the programme will Over 80% of our A-Level really push you to be the very learners progress to ate at A Level best you can. We’ll talk to you university each year 98% pass r about your eligibility to University: Oxford University in 2018, higher than the participate in the programme RCT and CBC average Shannon Britton, who studied at our A-Level Centre was our first learner to achieve a place at once you have been accepted to Oxbridge. Shannon graduated in English from Oxford University last summer. She has had a study at Coleg y Cymoedd. long-standing ambition to work in the film industry and, with a group of friends, recently released her first short film - 'Fish Bowl' - set in her home-town of Ferndale. Shannon is currently working in development for a young documentary company called Monster Films, writing pitches for commissioners. In February, she will be undertaking a Script Trainee Scheme with Doctor Who, with the ultimate aim of working in a script department. Outstanding Facilities

Our facilities are second to none. You will be studying your chosen course in one of our four campuses, each equipped with specialised equipment and training facilities specifically designed to help you prepare for your chosen career.

We also provide a range of café’s, restaurants, fitness and wellbeing studios, hair and beauty salons to enhance your college experience.

Like what you’ve seen so far?

Why not visit ourwww.cymoedd.ac.uk website or pop in for a prospectus The Added Dimension Mentoring Scheme

The college offers an amazing enrichment programme in addition A mentoring scheme is available where learners can be mentored by to your course. "Boost" has a wide range of activities including:- professionals from a range of backgrounds who will support learners to develop career-related skills and goals. A mentor will act as a confidential Sport: Choose from a variety of sporting options including netball, sounding board, and you’ll be able to discuss your career aspirations and zumba, football, roller disco, street dance, gym membership and personal development with them. Together you’ll put together an action plan to team events. enable you to reach your goals. Sian Davies, founder of the mentoring scheme Hobbies: Join a club, or why not start your own! It doesn’t matter told us: what you’re into, be it star gazing or sewing, gardening or gaming, “As a Diversity & Community Relations Judge (DCRJ), I have been a guest If you are interested in starting or you can connect with kindred spirits who share your passion, or speaker for the A level learners at the college for a number of years. When I currently have your own business, we can help you find them. was studying A levels, I had never met a lawyer before and had little idea of you can get expert advice from our Culture: Photography, films, animation, designing your own app, what careers were available to me. Being a DCRJ gives me an opportunity to Entrepreneur in Residence, Peter music, even debating & reviewing. dispel some misconceptions about who judges are and inform learners about Wright. Peter was appointed in 2017, You: Get clued up on everything you need to know about the next our role in society. I was delighted when the college agreed to set up the and his was the first such stage of your life. Be the person you want to be. mentoring scheme, to provide more targeted encouragement for learners. Our appointment in a Jobs: Set yourself apart; make sure your CV is full of things mentors come from all sorts of professional backgrounds, not just law, and Institution in the UK. His previous employers want to see...work placements; volunteering; learning they provide dedicated support for students at a crucial stage in their roles include 10 years as Group from role models; fund raising etc. education. As a mentor, my aim is to support students’ confidence and to Investment Director at Finance Wales encourage them to consider a wide variety of legal careers. Knowing someone and 40 years in the financial services Qualifications: Either in the area you are studying or a completely who performs a role, helps it seem like a realistic career prospect; perhaps Sector, he has a vast experience in new area of interest; it might get you that part time job. one day my mentees will be judges too”. Employment Judge Sian Davies helping and mentoring start-up enterprises. His role is to support and encourage learners who want to start their own businesses after leaving the college. Peter commented: “The college is one Megan Howells former learner at the college of the most dynamic and forward said “The mentoring scheme run by the college thinking that I have encountered and it Work Experience and trips has given me the opportunity to consider career is a real privilege to work with them At Coleg y Cymoedd many courses include work placement and paths I had previously not thought possible. I and help their Learners achieve their trips (both in the UK and abroad). plan to pursue the Bar but had next to no potential business goals and ambitions”. Katie Price 20, spent two weeks working at a local nursey and connections in the legal profession, meaning primary school in the North Italian town of Castelfranco Veneto. that I felt like I had no chance of success. “Working in Italy was an absolutely amazing experience that I However, thanks to Coleg y Cymoedd I have will never forget, I have learnt a lot on the trip that I will definitely already completed my first mini-pupillage and take back to the classroom with me when I qualify as a plan to do more over the coming year. I am in teacher”. my second year studying for a Law degree at Oxford University and feel well-equipped to pursue the career I have always wanted”. Bywyd Coleg Mae’n College Life is fun too! Hwyl Hefyd