A WELSH language centre of excellence and education will undergo a major revamp.
Coleg Cambria is to significantly invest in the facilities, technology and equipment at its Camu building in Wrexham.
The redevelopment begins in the coming weeks with a focus on maximising the hub’s potential in delivering Welsh language qualifications to students and the wider community via its Welsh for Adults provision.
A renovation and extension of the interior and classrooms at the Yale site will be complemented by additional learning spaces, a café, state-of-the-art technology, a staff ‘agile hub’ and new access points.
Cambria’s Head of Corporate Communications and Welsh Language Llinos Roberts says the transformation will bring Camu (the Welsh word for ‘Step’ – a reference to enhancing language skills) in line with the neighbouring £20m Hafod campus, and £14m Health and Wellbeing Centre, which opened last month.
“The project supports the college’s vision and strategy to grow Welsh-medium education and training in all sectors across the region,” said Llinos.
“That runs parallel to the growing demand for more Welsh language workers – in line with the Welsh Government’s aim of one million Welsh speakers by 2050 – and offers the 200+ learners on-site who attended Welsh medium schools a facility where they can practice and further their own language development.”
She added: “Increasing adult and community learning provision through the medium of Welsh is a priority of both Coleg Cambria and Welsh Government, so it is crucial our facilities are brought in line with those targets.
“The centre will be an immersive experience for staff, students and visitors to Camu, with interactive learning areas, and the café will be a social space where you can speak Welsh freely.
“We also look forward to welcoming pupils aged 14-16 from schools in the area so they can develop their Welsh skills on-site – a game changer for the Welsh language and education in north east Wales.”
Camu is held up as a beacon of best practice in developing the Welsh language in the workplace and has led the way in pioneering Welsh programmes in Wrexham and the college’s other sites in Deeside, Llysfasi and Northop.
Llinos added: “Camu continues to provide a programme of Welsh language courses specifically tailored for the workplace in partnership with local employers who want to improve their bilingual services, as well as vocational training programmes and our Welsh for Adults courses, here and in the community.
“We are committed to celebrating and raising the profile of the Welsh language as a valuable skill for employment and this significant investment is a reflection of that.”
