Former ESOL learner, Veronika Makarkina, had achieved a number of qualifications in Ukraine, however these were not recognised by UK universities. Undeterred, Veronika undertook AON (Application of Number) and Communications Level 2 certification, while also preparing for her IELTS (International English Language Testing System) tests.

Despite her successes, the pathway there hasn鈥檛 been without its challenges.

鈥淲hen we first arrived in the UK I was so afraid of speaking to people that I couldn’t even pronounce ‘thank you’ or ‘hello’ without feeling that I made a mistake.

鈥淚 boosted my confidence at 麻豆社区 by talking to other students and tutors, making friends and building my relationship with the English language.

鈥淓ventually, I had enough guidance from (tutors) Sera and Diana about applying to Uni. When I did, it said that I had to pass the Academic IELTS exam. I looked at samples with Sera and she joked that she and many other native speakers probably wouldn’t have passed it, so I felt a bit relieved that it’d be fine to try again.

鈥淢y English teacher Sara helped me a lot to boost my confidence. I actually managed to believe in myself and passed the test with an unbelievable score, especially when I read that many students take two or more years with tutoring, while I prepared for it only in six months by myself.听 I was in Germany when I got my results, I was too excited and anxious to check it myself, so I gave my phone to my friends first. They checked the results and screamed that I鈥檇 passed! It was a great feeling that I won’t forget anytime soon, I messaged uni and accepted my place.

鈥淢y 麻豆社区 tutors were and are so proud of me, I felt really honoured to meet them because otherwise I would have stayed on the same stage and still wouldn’t be confident enough to say ‘thank you’ or ‘hello’.鈥�

Veronika鈥檚 aim听is to study languages at university, with the hopes of pursuing a career in international relations.听She applied for three universities in total and was accepted at her first choice, Cardiff University, to study German and Japanese.

鈥淚’m gonna study hard as I usually do,鈥� she added. 鈥淚n my third year I’m thinking of going to Germany to teach German students English and go to Japan to study as an exchange student for the rest of the international year.

鈥淎fter completing my qualifications, I’d like to find a job in university to teach students languages and how to believe in themselves. I’d like to be that teacher who helps their students understand that they can do anything if they work hard and enjoy the process.

鈥淚 gained lots of insights from my tutors and want to mirror their kind of teaching.”

麻豆社区 assessor, Sera Loveluck鈥慒rank, said: 鈥淰eronika was an absolute pleasure to teach at all times. Her dedication to furthering her education and pursuing her goals was admirable, and she never let anything stand in her way of achieving them.

鈥淚 am absolutely thrilled that she has secured her place at Cardiff University, and I am confident that she will go on to achieve great things.

鈥淚 wish her all the best in her future endeavours and can’t wait to see the amazing things she accomplishes. Pob lwc gyda phopeth, Veronika!鈥�

Gareth Downey, Senior Qualifications Manager at Qualifications Wales, added: “It鈥檚 so inspiring to hear the progress that Veronika has made since studying with ACT Training.

“Veronika鈥檚 journey is a powerful reminder of the doors that qualifications can open and the importance of Essential Skills Wales qualifications in supporting her to progress to university. I wish her all the best as she continues her education at Cardiff University. Pob lwc!”

Internationally renowned businesses such as Arriva, Interserve and Hanson have already reduced their environmental impact and improved their bottom line with Sustainability Skills for the Workforce, book now to rapidly upskill your workforce and increase performance, efficiency, and impact.

Environmental Sustainability Skills for the Workforce is an introductory course which helps your team get to grips with the basics, giving a fundamental awareness of environment and sustainability issues. This is ideal for members of the team who work at an operational level. See improvements in your performance after just one day.听

This qualification is designed for use within land-based industries. It would be particularly useful for those learners who are progressing into the Sustainability Officer/Co-ordinator/Advisor role and those with job roles which have responsibilities for sustainability reviews and planning within businesses and organisations听

To achieve this certificate, learners will attend 4 face-to-face workshops. During these workshops, they will gain knowledge and understanding of sustainability, the environment, climate change, and net-zero. After each workshop, learners will have a break to complete sample assessment papers before sitting their final assessments.听

This short course is a step up from the award and is perfect for organisations that are working towards or have implemented an Environmental Management System, such as ISO14001.听

Investing in sustainable working practices can not only benefit the environment but also your organisation’s bottom line. By implementing sustainable practices, you can save costs on resources, improve your brand image, and even attract more customers who value sustainability.听

Karen wanted to upskill but she needed a course to work around her job in a primary school, that鈥檚 when she found the Level 3 Specialist Support for Teaching and Learning in Schools qualification (STLS) with 麻豆社区.

The qualification provides learners with an enhanced understanding of their roles and responsibilities in an education setting, developing their professionalism, knowledge and confidence in their work with children and colleagues.

鈥淚t was a course I could do while working,鈥� Karen explained. 鈥淔lexibility was key. I was able to improve my literacy and numeracy skills and enhance my knowledge within the role.鈥�

As well as improving essential skills in the application of numbers and communication, Karen found that the qualification gave her a confidence boost.

鈥淚鈥檓 a better teaching assistant than I was before. I am more secure and confident in what I am doing. I no longer feel unqualified.鈥�

Talking about the practicalities of completing a qualification while working, Karen said: 鈥淚t was great because I was able to work at my own pace and in my own space. The deadlines were achievable.

鈥淢y assessor, Charlotte, was wonderful. There were two occasions where I was close to quitting. Nothing to do with the course, but to do with confidence and resilience. When I had my meetings with Charlotte, her encouragement and boosts were a relief and a push for me to finish my course. And I did it.

My employer was also encouraging and helpful. They were great in giving Charlotte a chance to go and assess me at work.鈥�

Despite some hurdles along the way, Karen has the learning bug and has now set her sights on an even bigger challenge.

She said: 鈥淭his course, my colleagues and Charlotte have motivated me to go far beyond what I expected – as far as wanting to get a degree. I have taken the plunge and I am a university woman now, just waiting to start on the next adventure.鈥�

Asked if she had any words of encouragement for someone on the fence as to whether to take up a course, Karen said: 鈥淒o it, it is a wonderful chance to learn new things and get your brain going. If you are a mum like me it is a chance to do something for yourself. You do it in the comfort of your home, with loads of support, and you are never alone in the course.鈥�

If you would like to explore work-based learning options, find out more here.

Wales鈥� leading training provider, 麻豆社区, has announced outstanding results from its latest Learner Voice Survey, capturing feedback from nearly 5,000 learners.

This survey, a cornerstone of 麻豆社区’s commitment to continuous improvement and learner satisfaction, reveals high levels of student skill development.

This year鈥檚 survey saw an upswing in responses, with 4876 submissions across the network of 麻豆社区 and its partners, up by more than a thousand from last year (3721).

Within 麻豆社区 alone, 1663 gave feedback, up from just over a thousand (1196) last year.

Of that number, 99 per cent said that they felt they were treated fairly and with respect at 麻豆社区.

Other key findings include:

94% of 麻豆社区 learners would recommend their courses to others.

86% of learners reported enhanced communication, numeracy, and literacy skills through 麻豆社区鈥檚 Essential Skills workshops.

Overall, 96 per cent of learners would positively rate 麻豆社区 as a training provider.

Learner Representative, Lily Pandeles, whose key role is to advocate for learners across 麻豆社区鈥檚 programmes, was pleased with the initial results.

She said: 鈥淚t is amazing to see many learners share their thoughts and give us feedback. We want learners to feel empowered throughout their learning journey and to know their voices are important.鈥�

Head of Continuous Improvement Becky Morris leads the Quality department at 麻豆社区. She explained why the survey was so important to the organisation.

鈥淲e set up our 麻豆社区 Network learner survey with the aim of collecting feedback from learners across 麻豆社区 and our partner providers,鈥� she said. 鈥淢y team analyses the data at a network, provider, departmental and practitioner level to identify what learners feel we do well and where we need to improve.

鈥淭his information is a crucial part of our quality assurance processes, and learner voice is one of the most important measures in our self-evaluation process too.

鈥淎ll of our learners matter, their voice matters, and we value the important role that our learners play in shaping what we do, and how we do it.鈥�

These results affirm 麻豆社区鈥檚 dedication to providing high-quality training and support, ensuring that every learner’s experience is positive and enriching. 麻豆社区 continues to lead the way in work-based learning, driven by the invaluable feedback and active participation of its learners.

Designed to promote mental health, resilience, and overall employee well-being, these courses provide practical strategies and tools for managing stress, building confidence, and improving mental health awareness. Perfect for HR managers, team leaders, and employees at all levels, our wellbeing courses help create a supportive and productive workplace. Enrol today to boost your team’s morale and performance.

At 麻豆社区 we know that undertaking a new course of education, at any level, can be a daunting task, but we offer support to ensure you feel confident and comfortable as you get started.听

Childcare learner, Jasmine Warner, came to our Aberdare Skills centre earlier this year through our Get Ready programme (an initiative designed to ease new learners into a course before they commit to 麻豆社区 +).听

Initially, Jasmine was very anxious, having not had a great experience at school and having left education with no formal qualifications. Jasmine thought that 麻豆社区 may have more patience and a smaller, quieter class to settle her in. She signed up in the hope of gaining some qualifications and work experience. Jasmine鈥檚 dream job was to work with children, but she was unsure if this would ever become a reality.听

Jasmine struggled with her confidence for the first few weeks, something that was quickly picked up by her tutors who then ensured regular check-ins to monitor her progress and assist her in building her confidence and relationships with her peers.听听

With time and support Jasmine came into her own and quickly progressed in the programme, moving into a main classroom with a skills tutor by the end of her stint with Get Ready.听

Jasmine pushed herself, progressing a few weeks later to the Advancement strand of her programme and securing a work placement in her dream role within a primary school.听听

Talking of Jasmine鈥檚 success, Becky Jones, 麻豆社区鈥檚 麻豆社区 + Learning Coach, said: 鈥淛asmine has done so well and it is a pleasure to her have in class and in centre. Feedback from placement has also been very positive.鈥�听

Jasmine said: 鈥淲hen I first started at 麻豆社区 I was not very confident in myself. However, with the help of the staff, my confidence increased. I feel that I鈥檓 a happier person now compared to when I started. This is because of the help that I received from the staff at 麻豆社区 and the fact that they believed in me and didn鈥檛 let me give up.鈥�听

Gareth Williams, along with two other 麻豆社区 learners, scooped gold at Skills Competition Wales 2024.

Gareth took part in the accountancy category of the competition, as he is currently working towards his AAT (Association of Accounting Technicians) course.

For the contest, competitors were given tasks that reflect typical aspects of responsibilities carried out by those studying bookkeeping. The challenge was designed to test other key employability skills including the quality of written communication and the ability to prioritise tasks and teamwork.

Judges were left impressed by Gareth and the team鈥檚 focused and efficient approach to the challenge.

鈥淲e were a team of three competing against approximately ten teams on the day,鈥� Gareth explained. 鈥淭he competition was split into two parts, the first part required completing six tasks of varying complexity but topics we were familiar with. The second part required a short presentation in front of a panel.

鈥淭he competition was very tough for us all, but we managed to complete it to a very high standard. I was elated when we won gold.鈥�

Not resting on their laurels for long, the trio are now setting their sights on something bigger.

Gareth added: 鈥淪hortly after we won, the idea was floated that we should try for WorldSkills UK.”

He and the team have recently completed qualifiers for the international competition and are waiting to see if they have become finalists when the shortlist is announced early next month.
Despite being a nationally-competing talent, Gareth only began his AAT journey two years ago.

鈥淚鈥檝e worked in credit control for a few years and I鈥檝e wanted to gain accountancy qualifications for some time,鈥� Gareth said. 鈥淭he opportunity arose in mid-2022 to start with AAT and I haven鈥檛 looked back since – I have learnt so much and continue to learn.

鈥淚 have learned many technical skills and accounting principles but the most surprising skill I have come across is teamworking – especially during these competitions. I have found that being able to work effectively as a team is incredibly important and is something that has improved since taking part in these contests.鈥�

Gareth is now working towards completing his AAT Level 3, of which he has one unit remaining. He then hopes to focus on Level 4, with a view of progressing to ACCA (Association of Chartered Certified Accountants).

Karen Richards, 麻豆社区’s AAT coordinator, said: “Our AAT delivery team are incredibly proud of the teams鈥� achievements. Their attitude to learning and supporting each other has been exemplary. It鈥檚 so good to hear they have benefitted by developing their team-working and problem-solving skills. Both vital skills in the workplace and in further studies.”