Celebrating VQ Day today

As Wales’ leading vocational training provider we are very excited about this year’s VQ Day – a day where the whole of the nation celebrates Vocational Qualifications.

Hundreds of thousands of people achieve VQs each year and yet largely their achievements go unrecognised, so today is aimed at bridging that gap. 

The celebrations are taking place at Coleg y Cymoedd Nantgarw Campus and ACT are there, along with a range of other learning providers, showcasing what we offer. We’ve got a great stand lined up where you can gather information about our great opportunities, grab some ACT goodies and have fun with our ‘mystery boxes’. Come along and say hello or check out our Facebook page and join in online.

As well as showcasing what we offer, we want to give a massive ACT-style congratulations to every learner that has come through our doors over the past 12 months, particularly those that were nominated for a VQ Award. You have all made some amazing achievements from overcoming personal barriers, progressing from Traineeships to Apprenticeships, or completing your Apprenticeship and becoming employed full-time with a top company in Wales.

Curtis Williams is one of nine ACT learners that was nominated for a VQ Award this year.

Curtis Williams, who is 19 and from Cardiff is now employed as a full-time apprentice after a Traineeship with ACT led him to study engineering and manufacturing through the work-based scheme with Cyrus Engineering in Cardiff.

Last August Curtis lived independently in a hostel in Cardiff and although his home life wasn’t conventional, he still made sure he attended training every day and on time. Curtis has demonstrated that he was eager to become self-sufficient and to get a steady income so he could get a place of his own and to pay for his rent. Curtis is now doing really well for himself. He has always remained professional and came to training or placement with a smile on his face, when it could have been easier for him to create barriers and to claim benefits.

Joanne Davies, ACT Tutor who nominated Curtis for Learner of the Year said: “Throughout the time Curtis spent with ACT on the Traineeship programme, Curtis always remained completely focussed and determined to succeed in gaining an Apprenticeship no matter what barriers he had to overcome.  Although an early start on the work placement, Curtis ensured that he arrived early before the start of his shift. He worked well on placement and proved reliable and capable of progressing onto his Apprenticeship and is currently working on an Improving Operational Performance qualification and in September will commence the Performing Engineering Operations LV2 Apprenticeship.”

ACT Managing director Andrew Cooksley said: “To witness the range of success stories from our learners is a great delight to ACT Training staff who work hard to provide learners across Wales with the pathways they need to succeed.”