Foundation Apprentice of the Year 2014, Matthew Edwards returned to his roots this week to inspire students at Castell Alun High School in Wrexham.
Matthew is part of a team of ‘Apprenticeship Ambassadors’ working with the Welsh Government’s Department for Education and Skills to tour the country encouraging young people to follow the apprenticeship pathway and take up one of a huge variety of roles available across Wales.
The 23-year-old from Wrexham,who didn’t know anything about the variety of apprenticeships available to him when he left school at 18, is now well on the way to running his own business after undertaking a series of vocational courses with Cambrian Training.
Matthew visited Castell Alun High School this week to talk to pupils about how pursuing the vocational route has helped him gain the qualifications and skills he needed to set him on a pathway to success.
Hetold the pupils how he had been enjoying working in his local butchers since he was just 15 years old, but it was only after he left school at 19 that he realised it was a career pathway he could pursue.
After undertaking a series of apprenticeships in basic and advanced butchery skills, he has now been able to progress onto the Level 3 Meat and Poultry apprenticeship in managerial and supervisory skills and is keen to set up and his own butchers shop.
He said: “I think it’s really important that young people understand all the different career options available to them when they’re in school.
“When I left school at 19 I didn’t know what I wanted to do and didn’treally understand all the options available to me.
“It was only when I was encouraged by my employer at Swan’s Farm Shop to pursue a career in butchery that I even considered it as a career. However, I soon realised that I had a real talent for it and haven’t looked back since I undertook my first apprenticeship with Jones Butchers in Llangollen four years ago.”
Matthew, who now works for Vaughan’s Butcher in Penyfforddadded, “I really enjoyed the hands-on, practical element of doing an apprenticeship. Not only have I been able to advance my skills and qualifications in butchery, I have also gained so much confidence working with customers on a daily basis.
“It is also great to know that I have a clear career path ahead of me and I know exactly what additional qualifications I need to achieve my goal of running my own butchers.”
From butchery to baking, engineering to electrical or hospitality to HR there is a huge range of apprenticeship frameworks available for young people across Wales. The Welsh Government’s ‘Apprenticeship Ambassador’ campaign aims to raise awareness of apprenticeships among secondary school pupils, while highlighting the benefits of receiving hands-on practical industry-led experience.
Deputy Minister for Skills and Technology, Julie James, said:
“There is such a huge variety of career pathways available to young people these days, particularly if they follow the vocational route, and it is more important than ever that students are presented with all the accessible options available to them in order to ensure they make informed choices about their future.
“Matthew and the other apprenticeship ambassadors are real-life role models for young people across Wales.
“They are admirable examples of just what can be achieved through a valuable combination of skills, qualifications and training. Following the vocational route of an apprenticeship can also lead to a highly rewarding and successful career.”
Matthew added “I really enjoyed meeting the students at Castell Alun.
“They have some big decisions ahead about their future over the next year so I hope that my talk has inspired them to look into the variety of apprenticeships available to them and consider following a vocational route.”
Matthew was joined by his training provider and mentor, Chris Jones, who is head of business unit for food manufacture at Cambrian Training, who spoke to the pupils about how an apprenticeship scheme works.
The apprenticeship ambassadors are visiting schools in Cardiff, Merthyr, Newbridge, Treorchy, Mold Carmarthen, Swansea and Welshpool over the next month.
The apprenticeship programme is funded by the Welsh Government with the support of the European Social Fund.
