During National Apprenticeship Week, the Coleg Cymraeg Cenedlaethol is proud to announce the names of 18 new Apprenticeship Ambassadors.
The ambassadors have been appointed across Wales and their role over the next year is to promote the importance of bilingualism in the workplace, and to encourage others to pursue an apprenticeship bilingually.
One of the ambassadors who is delighted to be pursuing her apprenticeship through the medium of Welsh is 18-year-old Teleri Evans. Teleri is following a Clinical Healthcare Support apprenticeship with Pembrokeshire College at Glangwili Hospital, Carmarthen. Teleri said,
"Pursuing an apprenticeship was a path that appealed to me because it allowed me to gain experience in the workplace, study, train, and earn a salary at the same time."
Teleri started her apprenticeship in 2024 and is very proud of her decision to pursue her apprenticeship through the medium of Welsh. Teleri added,
"I've seen with my own eyes how important the Welsh language is in the health and care sector, especially in this area of Wales.
"I start every conversation with 'Shwmae', and I can see from their response how much that means to the patients.
"Communication is a key part of my work, and following an apprenticeship through the medium of Welsh has given me the skills to communicate with patients and colleagues in the most effective way."
Manon Parker from Dyffryn Nantlle works as a Media Creation and Production apprentice with BBC Radio Cymru in Bangor. As an aspiring young musician, she appreciates the opportunity to continue to study and work through the medium of Welsh in a creative atmosphere.
Manon said,
"I love music and the Welsh language, so working with the BBC Radio Cymru team has been an invaluable experience to learn more about the industry.
"It's a privilege to have the opportunity to follow an apprenticeship at BBC Radio Cymru, and to have the opportunity to talk to artists and musicians. It’s been very inspirational.
"As an ambassador for the Coleg, I would certainly encourage others to pursue an apprenticeship because you benefit from having real-life experiences, and can appreciate the importance of the Welsh language in the workplace.”
The ambassadors' work will include sharing messages about the benefits of using Welsh in training and in the workplace, as well as creating diverse content on social media to influence their peers to pursue an apprenticeship.
Elin Williams, the Coleg's Marketing Manager, said:
"The Coleg's Apprenticeship Ambassador Scheme was established in 2020, and has now grown and become very popular across Wales.
"The apprentices gain many new skills and experiences from being an ambassador and their work influencing others to understand the benefits of the Welsh language in the world of work is extremely valuable.
"We're looking forward to collaborating with the new crew this year."
Follow the Coleg Cymraeg social media accounts on Instagram, Tik Tok, Facebook, Linked In and Bluesky to read about the new apprenticeship ambassadors. For more information about the benefits of the Welsh language in the workplace, visit colegcymraeg.ac.uk.