VTCT Skills is delighted to announce that it has been approved to deliver new Vocational Certificate of Secondary Education (VCSE) and Wales-Related Foundation (WRF) qualifications in both Hair and Beauty and Hospitality and Catering as part of the ongoing reforms to 14–16 qualifications in Wales.
The approval marks an important milestone in the development of Wales’ new qualifications framework, which has been designed to provide learners with engaging, practical and industry-relevant pathways alongside traditional academic study.
VCSE qualifications are a key component of the National 14–16 Qualifications offer in Wales. Developed to provide learners with a broad introduction to occupational sectors, the qualifications combine practical learning with industry knowledge, helping young people develop the skills, confidence and understanding needed to progress into further study, training or employment.
VTCT Skills has successfully secured approval to deliver qualifications in two sectors where it has long-standing expertise and strong industry recognition: Hair and Beauty and Hospitality and Catering. The approval reflects the organisation’s commitment to supporting learners, schools and colleges with high-quality vocational education that meets the needs of both industry and the Welsh curriculum.
The new qualifications have been developed as part of Qualifications Wales’ ambitious reform programme, which aims to create a more coherent and future-focused qualifications landscape for learners aged 14 to 16. VCSEs are designed to sit alongside GCSEs and provide practical, work-related learning opportunities that can broaden curriculum choice and support learner engagement.
Angharad Beynon, Head of Policy and Sales in Wales said;
“”We are delighted to have been approved to deliver these new qualifications in Wales. This approval reflects our expertise in Hair and Beauty and Hospitality and Catering, and our commitment to providing high-quality vocational qualifications that support learners, educators and employers. We look forward to working with centres across Wales as these qualifications are introduced.”
VTCT Skills already plays a leading role in supporting learners across Wales, currently certificating more than 71% of all Hair and Beauty learners, including 90.8% of Beauty Therapy and Beauty Aesthetics learners and 62.2% of Hairdressing and Barbering learners. As VTCT Skills progresses through the Qualifications Wales approval process for the new suite of post-16 Hospitality and Catering qualifications, the introduction of its VCSE qualifications in both Hair and Beauty and Hospitality and Catering will help create a coherent progression pathway for learners, supporting progression from pre-16 study through to post-16 education and future employment.
Schools, colleges and training providers across Wales will now be able to benefit from qualifications developed by sector experts and underpinned by VTCT Skills’ extensive experience in vocational education and skills development.
Further information about the new qualifications and their implementation will be shared with centres as development work progresses and qualification specifications become available.
For more information about qualification reform in Wales and the new VCSE qualifications, visit Qualifications Wales or contact the VTCT Skills team.
Mae’n bleser gan VTCT Skills gyhoeddi ei fod wedi’i gymeradwyo i ddarparu cymwysterau Tystysgrif Alwedigaethol Addysg Uwchradd (TAAU) a Sylfaen Cysylltiedig â Gwaith (SCG) newydd mewn Gwallt a Harddwch a Lletygarwch ac Arlwyo fel rhan o’r diwygiadau parhaus i gymwysterau 14–16 yng Nghymru.
Mae’r gymeradwyaeth yn garreg filltir bwysig yn natblygiad fframwaith cymwysterau newydd Cymru, sydd wedi’i gynllunio i ddarparu llwybrau diddorol, ymarferol a pherthnasol i’r diwydiant i ddysgwyr ochr yn ochr ag astudiaeth academaidd draddodiadol.
Mae cymwysterau TAAU yn elfen allweddol o’r cynnig Cymwysterau Cenedlaethol 14–16 yng Nghymru. Wedi’u datblygu i ddarparu cyflwyniad eang i ddysgwyr i sectorau galwedigaethol, mae’r cymwysterau yn cyfuno dysgu ymarferol â gwybodaeth am y diwydiant, gan helpu pobl ifanc i ddatblygu’r sgiliau, yr hyder a’r ddealltwriaeth sydd eu hangen i symud ymlaen i astudiaethau pellach, hyfforddiant neu gyflogaeth.
Mae VTCT Skills wedi llwyddo i sicrhau cymeradwyaeth i ddarparu cymwysterau mewn dau sector lle mae ganddo arbenigedd hirsefydlog a chydnabyddiaeth gref yn y diwydiant: Gwallt a Harddwch a Lletygarwch ac Arlwyo. Mae’r gymeradwyaeth yn adlewyrchu ymrwymiad y sefydliad i gefnogi dysgwyr, ysgolion a cholegau gydag addysg alwedigaethol o ansawdd uchel sy’n diwallu anghenion diwydiant a chwricwlwm Cymru.
Mae’r cymwysterau newydd wedi’u datblygu fel rhan o raglen ddiwygio uchelgeisiol Cymwysterau Cymru, sy’n anelu at greu tirwedd cymwysterau mwy cydlynol sy’n canolbwyntio ar y dyfodol ar gyfer dysgwyr rhwng 14 ac 16 oed. Mae TAAU wedi’u cynllunio i eistedd ochr yn ochr â TGAU a darparu cyfleoedd dysgu ymarferol sy’n gysylltiedig â gwaith a all ehangu dewis cwricwlwm a chefnogi ymgysylltiad dysgwyr.
Dywedodd Angharad Beynon, Pennaeth Polisi a Gwerthiant yng Nghymru;
“Rydym yn falch iawn o fod wedi cael ein cymeradwyo i ddarparu’r cymwysterau newydd hyn yng Nghymru. Mae’r gymeradwyaeth hon yn adlewyrchu ein harbenigedd mewn Gwallt a Harddwch a Lletygarwch ac Arlwyo, a’n hymrwymiad i ddarparu cymwysterau galwedigaethol dwyieithog o ansawdd uchel sy’n cefnogi dysgwyr, addysgwyr a chyflogwyr. Edrychwn ymlaen at weithio gyda chanolfannau ledled Cymru wrth i’r cymwysterau hyn gael eu cyflwyno.”
Mae VTCT Skills eisoes yn chwarae rôl flaenllaw wrth gefnogi dysgwyr ledled Cymru, gan ardystio mwy na 71% o’r holl ddysgwyr Gwallt a Harddwch ar hyn o bryd, gan gynnwys 90.8% o ddysgwyr Therapi Harddwch ac Estheteg Harddwch a 62.2% o ddysgwyr Trin Gwallt a Barbwr. Wrth i VTCT Skills symud ymlaen drwy broses gymeradwyo Cymwysterau Cymru ar gyfer y gyfres newydd o gymwysterau Lletygarwch ac Arlwyo ôl-16, bydd cyflwyno ei gymwysterau TAAU mewn Gwallt a Harddwch a Lletygarwch ac Arlwyo yn helpu i greu llwybr dilyniant cydlynol i ddysgwyr, gan gefnogi dilyniant o astudiaeth cyn 16 i addysg ôl-16 a chyflogaeth yn y dyfodol.
Bydd ysgolion, colegau a darparwyr hyfforddiant ledled Cymru nawr yn gallu elwa o gymwysterau a ddatblygwyd gan arbenigwyr yn y sector ac wedi’u hategu gan brofiad helaeth VTCT Skills mewn addysg alwedigaethol a datblygu sgiliau.
Bydd rhagor o wybodaeth am y cymwysterau newydd yn cael ei rhannu â chanolfannau wrth i’r gwaith ddatblygu a phan fydd manylebau cymwysterau ar gael.
I gael rhagor o wybodaeth am y cymwysterau yng Nghymru a’r cymwysterau TAAU newydd, ewch i wefan Cymwysterau Cymru neu cysylltwch â’r tîm yn VTCT Skills.