Baccalaureate sees colossal 228% rise in completion rate

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FE colleges in Wales are celebrating a monumental success ““ after ffworm has revealed that the percentage of those students successfully completing the Welsh Baccalaureate has risen by 228%.

Furthermore, the majority of college students undertaking the Welsh Baccalaureate Intermediate Diploma (WBID) completed their two-year courses in just one year.

ffworm, the association of colleges and institutions in Wales, were pleased to report excellent student achievement over the past year. 100% of Motor Vehicle Studies students at Deeside College achieved their Diploma; 87% of Beauty Therapy, and Health and Social Care Students at Coleg Menai College achieved the full diploma, and 78% of Travel & Tourism students on the WBID programme at Coleg Llandrillo Cymru achieved the Intermediate Certificate, against the national average of 64%.

Chief Executive of fforwm, John Graystone, said: “I am delighted to be able to congratulate the double achievement of all those students who have managed to add the Intermediate Diploma to their CV’s in just one year”.

Lesley Tipping, Coleg Menai’s Faculty Director of Services Industries, said: “We”re very proud of these young people’s achievements. It shows that the vocational route is a way to real success and opens the door of opportunity to jobs and higher qualifications”.

“It is of great delight to note that all of the students on the WBID programme at Coleg Menai this year have enjoyed the experience so much that they have signed up for level three programmes starting in September”, he continued.

Principal of Coleg Llandrillo Cymru, Huw Evans, looked to the future: “Coleg Llandrillo Cymru has been chosen to take part in piloting the Foundation Level of the Welsh Baccalaureate, which will be delivered in Travel & Tourism and Hairdressing. This award will aid learners to gain essential skills to enable them to complete their chosen vocational routes whilst enhancing their life skills, in order to progress to intermediate levels of study or gain employment.”

Mr Graystone effused: “This qualification has broadened and enriched their studies and boosted their chances of getting the jobs they most want. I also wish the best of luck to the more than 200 students who are hoping to complete their Intermediate Diploma next year”.

Vijay Pattni.

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