PolicyPod

Yn y bennod hon mae Prif Weithredwr ColegauCymru Iestyn Davies yn cynnal trafodaeth ynghylch ein chweched thema, ‘Dyfodol addysg bellach a her y Gymraeg’. Yn ymuno ag ef y mae Prif Weithredwr Grŵp Llandrillo Menai, Dafydd Evans a Rheolwr Academaidd Y Coleg Cymraeg Cenedlaethol, Dr Lowri Morgans.

Fel rhan allweddol o fywyd Cymru, mae ystyriaethau o'r Gymraeg yn rhedeg drwy bob un o bum thema bolisi ColegauCymru. Amlygir yr agwedd Gymraeg o bob thema, a sut y gall Llywodraeth nesaf Cymru gefnogi'r sector addysg bellach i barhau i ddarparu darpariaeth a chymorth drwy gyfrwng y Gymraeg. 

In this Podcast episode, Iestyn Davies, Chief Executive of ColegauCymru holds a discussion around our sixth theme, ‘The future of further education and the Welsh language challenge’ with Chief Executive of Grwp Llandrillo Menai, Dafydd Evans and Academic Manager at Y Coleg Cymraeg Cenedlaethol, Dr Lowri Morgans.

As a key part of Welsh life, considerations of the Welsh language run through all five of ColegauCymru’s policy themes. Highlighted is the Welsh language aspect from each theme, and how the next Welsh Government can support the further education sector to continue to deliver provision and support through the medium of Welsh. 

In our final episode of the series, Kelly Edwards, Director of Development at ColegauCymru holds a discussion around an FE workforce that is fit for the future.

Joining us to discuss this further is Yana Williams, Chief Executive of Coleg Cambria, Mark Dacey, Group CEO of NPTC Group and Andrew Cornish, Principal and CEO of Coleg Sir Gar and Coleg Ceredigion. 

We're calling on the next Welsh Government to think about a variety of issues including the approach to professional learning in Further Education, looking at the professional standards and qualifications for teaching in FE, how a version of qualified teacher status could work for FE, the future role of the Education Workforce Council and how we could enhance the dual professional system.  For the full text of our Policy Asks, please visit our website Colegau.Cymru.  

In this Podcast episode, Iestyn Davies, Chief Executive of ColegauCymru holds a discussion around our fourth theme, Better skills and business engagement with Principal of Pembrokeshire College Barry Walters, Chief Executive of Grwp Llandrillo Menai Dafydd Evans and Coleg y Cymoedd Chief Executive, Karen Phillips.

We're calling on the next Welsh Government to ensure that companies’ skills planning and business support are more consistently linked and coordinated in both physical and virtual environments, improve the skills element of the Business Wales service by building closer links with FE, establish a Centre for Vocational Education and Training to enhance dual professionalism, strengthen collaboration between business and FEIs and support the practical application of innovation and reassess the impact of Regional Skills Partnerships, the Apprenticeship Advisory Board and the Wales Employment and Skills Board.

In our third episode of the series, Rachel Bowen, Director of Policy and Public Affairs at ColegauCymru holds a discussion around the entitlement to wellbeing for learners and staff.

Joining us to discuss this further is ColegauCymru Vice Chair and Principal and Chief Executive of Bridgend College, Simon Pirotte along with Principal and Chief Executive of The College Merthyr Tydfil, Lisa Thomas.

ColegauCymru is calling for a number of different actions to help make mental and physical health core priorities in the further education sector. A ‘whole college approach’ will ensure everyone has access to high quality support and that best practice can be shared properly. We want to build an emotionally and physically resilient college community where everyone is encouraged to be physically active and where long-term funding supports this. We’re also asking the next Welsh Government to make sure that funding for mental health covers the whole of the education sector, including work-based learning. And lastly, we want to keep the good parts of online learning and working wherever we can, in the best interests of learners and staff.

For the full text of our Policy Asks, please visit our website Colegau.Cymru

In this episode, Iestyn Davies, Chief Executive of ColegauCymru holds a discussion around our second theme, a coherent and connected system that includes flexible and valued qualifications. 

Joining us to discuss this further is Coleg Cambria Chief Executive Yana Williams and Gower College Principal, Mark Jones.

We're calling on the next Welsh Government to develop a coherent post-16 vision and a system, use existing powers to develop a means to deliver and regulate Level 4 and Level 5 qualifications, carry out a review of Qualifications Wales and its responsibilities, provide access to student finance for Level 4 and Level 5 programmes, introduce a more flexible system of learning and qualifications that is not based on variations of 35 week/1 or 2 year programmes,  and make it easier for smaller units of learning, rather than full qualifications, to be recognised, portable, and for learners to be able to build these over time.

For the full text of our Policy Asks, please visit our website Colegau.Cymru 

Mae ein Argymhellion Polisi ar gyfer llywodraeth nesaf Cymru yn nodi sut y gallai ymyriadau cyraeddadwy ac wedi'u targedu trawsnewid darpariaeth dysgu o un ar bymtheg oed ymlaen, gan roi dinasyddion wrth galon polisi cymdeithasol ac economaidd. Efallai y bydd angen deddfwriaeth ar rai o'r ymyriadau arfaethedig hyn ond lle bynnag y bo hynny'n bosibl dylid newid trwy ddiwygio'r ddeddfwriaeth bresennol.

Our Policy Asks for the next Welsh Government sets out how achievable and targeted interventions could transform provision of learning from the age of sixteen onwards, placing citizens at the heart of social and economic policy. Some of these proposed interventions may require legislation but wherever possible change should be undertaken by amending existing legislation.

In the first episode, Rachel Bowen, Director of Policy and Public Affairs at ColegauCymru holds a discussion around the first theme which looks at an Expanding citizens’ entitlement and engagement with education.

Joining us to discuss this further is ColegauCymru Chair and Chief Executive of Coleg Gwent, Guy Lacey and Chief Executive of Addysg Oedolion Cymru / Adult Learning Wales – The National Community College - Kathryn Robson.

We’re calling for a variety of actions such as making sure everyone is funded to get their first level 3 qualification, starting with under 25s and then extending this. We want young people to have to engage with training or education until they are 18. We also want to build on the new Curriculum Bill to allow learners aged 14-16 to have better access to vocational and technical pathways.  Digital inclusion has been a big issue so we want all learners in Wales to have access to devices for digital learning, the right software and high-speed internet access. And lastly, we’re asking for a commitment to deliver a 3 year FE budget to enable more effective planning.

For the full text of our Policy Asks, please visit our website Colegau.Cymru.