Workshops 2025


English | Cymraeg

Session 1

1. How can inspection and thematic review support your own self-improvement?

Mark Evans, HMI Estyn
Jassa Scott, Strategic Director Estyn
Mark Campion, Assistant Director Estyn
A reflection on the impact of inspection on the quality of apprenticeship provision in recent years and the chance to shape future inspection arrangements. We’re close to completing our inspections of the current apprenticeship cycle. We’ll be working with you to explore how inspection can build from and support effective self-evaluation for improvement and what we should change in the future.

2. Navigating the Future of Assessment in Wales

Robert Nitsch, Chief Executive Officer Federation of Awarding Bodies
Jo Creeden, Deputy Chief Executive and Responsible Officer Agored Cymru
Angharad Lloyd Beynon, Senior Policy, Stakeholder and Partnerships Manager (Nations and Ireland), City & Guilds
This Workshop has been arranged by the Federation of Awarding Bodies (FAB) in Wales, and it will be delivered by the Co-Chairs in Wales and experts from Agored Cymru.

Participants will be updated on the Qualifications Wales Modernising Assessment Project and there will be explanations of what this means for training providers and learners, so that they can test current thinking and prepare for the future. Views expressed by participants will be taken back into the Project by FAB and Agored Cymru and the workshop will include a VR demonstration by Agored Cymru and discussion of AI.

3. Essential Skills Wales Reform – the Future of Digital Literacy

Honor Taylor, Qualifications Manager Qualifications Wales
Nathan Evans, Qualifications Manager Qualifications Wales
Trudie Jones, Qualifications Officer Qualifications Wales
The development of apprentices’ essential skills is crucial for both the economy and employees, ensuring a skilled and adaptable workforce in Wales. This workshop by Qualifications Wales will provide an overview of the ongoing review and reform of the Essential Skills Wales qualifications. Delegates will have the opportunity to discuss and contribute to the specific work in reforming the Digital Literacy qualifications.

4. AI in Apprenticeships: Enhancing Learning and Assessment

Ros Protheroe, Training Director Panda Education & Training
AI is rapidly transforming education. For apprenticeship assessors, understanding and integrating AI into teaching, learning, and assessment is no longer optional, it is essential. This session explores how AI can streamline assessment, boost productivity, and enhance learning. Discover AI-powered tools that support us as educators and help us to prepare apprentices for an AI-driven workforce. Join us for hands-on insights into safe, ethical and practical AI applications in work-based learning.

Session 2

5. Beyond the Strategy – planning the Welsh language skills journey for the learner

Lisa O’Connor, Academic Manager Coleg Cymraeg Cenedlaethol
This interactive session explores effective strategies for supporting learners on their Welsh language skills journey. Participants will share good practices, discover valuable resources, and discuss ways to embed the Welsh language into learning pathways.

6. Get Wales Working

Josh Miles, Director for Wales Learning and Work Institute
The UK Government recently published its ‘Get Britain Working’ White Paper, which included a number of reforms to employment support across the UK. In this session, we’ll look through the latest labour market trends in Wales, understand how the White Paper and its proposed devolution to Welsh Government of employment programmes will fit with existing policy around health, work and skills.

7. Recruitment, retention and workforce development

Hayden Llewellyn, Chief Executive, Education Workforce Council
Work-based learning (WBL) practitioners have been required by law to register with the EWC since 2017. Recruiting and retaining practitioners of sufficient quality and quantity is a challenge. With the next Senedd election on the horizon, this session will begin by presenting the latest workforce data in Wales and invite discussion on what might be done to improve the current picture.

It will then proceed with further exploration of a number of workforce regulatory matters:

  • Recent WBL fitness to practise cases heard by the EWC
  • Why there are differences in fitness to practise case types involving WBL practitioners compared to FE lecturers and school teachers
  • The public consultation on a revised Code of Professional Conduct & Practice and the limited use of the professional standards by WBL practitioners
  • Calls for improvements in the workforce regulatory model for WBL practitioners, such as the development of minimum qualifications to practise and mandatory in-service professional learning

8. Ignite Your Future: Empowering Tomorrow’s Workforce

Mark Boucher, Managing Director Future Digital Education
Charlie Hammond, AI Training Consultant
Explore Future Digital Education’s innovative, ‘Digital tool box’ for apprenticeships’ through smart technology training. Discover how smart technologies bridge the digital divide, enhance essential digital soft skills, encourage life-long learning and empower apprentices into adept communicators. This session highlights digital citizenship’s role in promoting industry growth and fostering a tech-savvy workforce ready to tackle tomorrow’s future challenges.

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