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Focus: ITA - Monday and Education - Tuesday.
Practitioners from the Adult Guidance Network, which includes over 100 organisations involved in adult education and careers advice, comprised of Training Providers, Community Education, Support Agencies, the Voluntary Sector, Higher Education, Job Centres and the Library Service were invited to day one of the conference. School/College Careers Coordinators and Careers Advisers were invited to attend the second day.

Everyone had the opportunity to select four workshops to attend. Visits to ‘Hints’ resource exhibition were encouraged.

The keynote speakers were Meri Huws, Chair of the Welsh Language Board on day one, and Christine Chapman AM, Deputy Minister in the Welsh Assembly Government, on day two.

Meri gave a really interesting speech on the use of Welsh in education and the workplace. Christine Chapman spoke with enthusiasm about the innovative Learning Pathways initiative.

Reports from a selection of workshops:

Specific learning difficulties
Sharon Drew, who facilitated this workshop, is a qualified Occupational Therapist who has worked for many years with children/ adults at the Discovery Centre in Cardiff. Using her enthusiasm, experience, and knowledge, in a short period of time, in a very interactive workshop she was able give an overview of the types of SLD, the impact on the individual, practical ways to support them and where further help can be obtained.

14 – 19 Learning Pathways
This workshop, on a topic which potentially will have a huge impact on the 14 – 19 client, proved to be extremely popular and received very positive feedback. Marcia Vale, 14 – 19 Network Coordinator and Senior Advisor from Swansea facilitated the workshop and after giving an overview of 14 – 19 Learning Pathways described how it has been interpreted for Swansea Schools and their plans for the future.

Entrepreneurship
Dylan Jones-Evans, one of the authors of the Wales GEM report (Global Entrepreneurship Monitor), gave an interesting and richly factual description of the state of entrepreneurship in the Welsh economy.

Currently at the Business Studies Faculty at Cardiff University, Dylan’s expert presentation showed very clearly that entrepreneurship in economies of a similar size and type to Wales.

Dylan Jones-Evans, one of the authors of the Wales GEM report (Global Entrepreneurship Monitor), gave an interesting and richly factual description of the state of entrepreneurship in the Welsh economy.

Currently at the Business Studies Faculty at Cardiff University, Dylan’s expert presentation showed very clearly that entrepreneurship in economies of a similar size and type to Wales.

The Open University in Wales
Beatrix Bown, currently manager of the Open University in Wales Student Services and the Advisory Services, along with her colleague Ceri Phillips, now Welsh Language Officer at the OU, gave an update to delegates on recent developments in the courses and activities on offer in Wales and throughout the rest of the country. Beatrix spoke in particular about the Young Applicants in School Scheme, (YaSS) which has seen interest grow in schools and colleges in Wales in recent years. Ceri spoke interestingly about the use of Welsh in the OU.