The opinion of employers
Lawyer, Hugh James Law Firm
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'The ability to communicate confidently through the medium of Welsh and English is a very advantageous skill for any lawyer who works in Wales. I work for the Hugh James Law Firm in Cardiff and examples of the importance of bilingualism can be found throughout the company as we draft contracts, hold court cases and meetings through the medium of Welsh. Welsh is also the first language of many of our clients, and therefore - in order to keep them happy - it is of utmost importance that I can speak with them confidently and correctly in their mother tongue.'
Ioan Prydderch
Trainee Lawyer, Capital Law
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'The Welsh language is important and very relevant to anyone who works in law in Wales. In fact, although Capital Law clients are based across the United Kingdom and increasingly across Europe, it is important that we endorse and take pride in our Welshness, because the Welsh language is now acknowledged as an asset for every lawyer to posses, and the ability to communicate through the medium of Welsh is one of the factors that helps to differentiate our company from its competitors.'
Guto Llewelyn
Chief Executive, Care Council for Wales
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'At the Care Council for Wales we operate completely bilingually. We can respond at once in either language and therefore it is an effective way of working. In fields such as health and social care it is very important that a sufficient number of workers who can work confidently through the medium of Welsh as well as English are available. 65% of the world's population is bilingual and monoglot countries are unusual, as opposed to normal, so make the most of the opportunity to study university courses through the medium of Welsh or bilingually, because doing so will prepare you for working confidently in both languages and will make you a valuable resource to many employers in Wales.'
Rhian Huws Williams
Doctor, Neville Hall Hospital, Abergavenny
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'The ability to speak Welsh is a useful skill for anyone who intends to work in the medical field in Wales to possess. The ability to communicate clearly and effectively with patients is a very important element of the work of any doctor - as he/she analyses health problems and recommends appropriate treatment - and more often than not, patients prefer to discuss their illnesses in their mother tongue. Obviously, Welsh is the first language of many of the patients I deal with, and therefore they are always glad that I can speak to them in that language. It is great to see Mantais emphasising the fact that the ability to speak and discuss things confidently through the medium of Welsh is a useful asset as more and more companies are looking for employees with additional skills, such as bilingualism.'
Dr Emyr Huws
Company Director ATOM PR
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'I studied politics through the medium of Welsh at university, and the experience was a huge help to me as I started running my own company. ATOM PR operates completely bilingually and our clients appreciate being able to choose a Welsh-medium service. By being bilingual, ATOM can offer something different to many other companies competing in the same field, and this is regularly a huge advantage to us as we market ourselves and attempt to gain more work. In fact, being bilingual is a very useful skill in the workplace and when running a business, and we - as a company - place a huge emphasis on that skill as we look for new staff or sub-contractors.'
Elliw Ellis-Davies
Benefits of Studying in Welsh
Benefits of Studying Science in Welsh
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From physics to biomedicine and from agriculture to marine biology, there are many opportunities available for students to discuss elements of their science degree through the medium of Welsh. If you want to ensure that you possess the relevant skills when joining the world of work and are looking for a course that provides exciting opportunities, why not study science through the medium of Welsh in order to improve your possible career options?
From laboratory work, field work and foreign trips, there are plenty of exciting opportunities for students who are studying for a science degree through the medium of Welsh. Studying through the medium of Welsh is flexible. You can study elements of your degree course through the medium of Welsh. A module is the correct term for these elements, and you can study them even if you have not been studying science subjects through the medium of Welsh during your A Level course. This will ensure that you are completely bilingual when looking for work in the future.
Many science companies are international companies that have branches across the world. Whatever your job and wherever you work it is likely that your bilingualism and experience of other cultures will be sought.
This section will develop over the coming months, so remember to visit the site again in the near future.
Benefits of Studying Welsh as a Subject
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Studying Welsh as a degree subject at university opens all kinds of doors for you. It's a dynamic and diverse subject that gives you the opportunity to develop many essential skills that can be used in the workplace and that prepares you for a wide range of careers.
Welsh is an important part of the Coleg Cymraeg Cenedlaethol's new scholarship scheme, and every Welsh department and school at the various universities will make every effort to ensure that a comprehensive provision is offered to first and second language students.
Although Welsh is one of Europe's oldest languages, it is also an exciting and modern language due to the fact that bilingualism is essential for the Wales of today. Universities in Wales aim to ensure that you choose a degree course of a high academic standard, and the Welsh language is also relevant to your way of life and future career. Studying Welsh will allow you to enjoy the highlights of the rich Welsh culture that is so important to the nation's identity.
This section will develop over the coming months, so remember to visit the site again in the near future.
Welsh Celebs Have Their Say
Griff Lynch
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'My Welsh language skills are far richer that my English language skills, and therefore I feel more comfortable discussing complex academic subjects in my first language. Many parts of my degree course were taught through the medium of Welsh and being able to use the language to study suited me fine!'
Griff Lynch, Lead singer, Yr Ods, and a presenter on S4C and Radio Cymru C2
Iolo Williams
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'I believe that you should take advantage of the opportunities to study science and environmental subjects through the medium of Welsh at university. My bilingual skills have benefitted me greatly during my career and have allowed me to broadcast in both Welsh and English, on television and radio throughout the world.'
Iolo Williams, TV and Radio Wildlife Presenter
Mari Grug
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'The ability to confidently speak more than one language is an asset that can open many doors to individuals as they look for work. These days, employers in Wales and beyond place more and more emphasis on bilingual ability and studying through the medium of Welsh at university can also be advantageous in terms of a person's social life.'
Mari Grug, S4C Presenter
Fflur Dafydd
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'It is essential that the choice to study through the medium of Welsh is available to students. I studied English as a subject, but many of my tutors spoke Welsh and without a doubt being surrounded by two languages enriches the education experience.'
Fflur Dafydd, Musician and Author
Ryan Kift
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'I studied approximately 70% of my degree course through the medium of Welsh and I'm very glad that I was able to do so. I could have chosen to study the entire course through the medium of English but because the Welsh-medium classes were much smaller than the English ones I felt that the Welsh-medium students received a lot more individual attention from the lecturers and tutors. In a way I feel that I received a higher standard of education because I chose to study through the medium of Welsh. Furthermore, the ability to speak Welsh confidently is a beneficial skill to possess if you work in the media industry in Wales. I certainly find that being able to speak Welsh helps when conducting interviews for S4C or Radio Cymru.'
Ryan Kift, Musician and Film Producer
Ynyr and Eurig Roberts
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'Before going to university - in Sheffield and Cardiff Institute - we both attended and passed an excellent Welsh-medium Foundation Art and Design course at Coleg Menai, Bangor. As well as performing in a band, we both work as self-employed graphic designers on behalf of a wide variety of companies throughout Wales. The fact that we can communicate in Welsh and in English is valuable to us especially in terms of dealing with different customers.'
Ynyr and Eurig Roberts, Brigyn