Grŵp Llandrillo Menai Celebrates Graduation of Over 230 Students at Venue Cymru Ceremony

The event, held at Venue Cymru, highlighted the outstanding achievements of students from across the region who have worked tirelessly to complete higher education courses and professional certifications.

Graduates from Coleg Llandrillo, Coleg Menai and Coleg Meirion-Dwyfor were recognised for their success in earning undergraduate and foundation degrees, PGCEs, higher national certificates and more. In addition, professional qualifications were awarded through Busnes@LlandrilloMenai, covering fields such as management, human resources, accounting, marketing and business.

The journey to graduation was not without its challenges. Many students balanced the demands of work and family life, while others overcame personal health hurdles to reach this milestone.

The ceremony marked not just the completion of academic journeys, but also the exciting new opportunities awaiting each graduate as they embark on the next chapter of their careers.

Lewis Grant from Bangor, was awarded a First-Class BEng (Hons) Civil Engineering Degree, marking a significant milestone in his academic journey.

Having previously studied and worked in industry in New Zealand, Lewis moved to North Wales with his partner and returned to college as a mature student, proving that it’s never too late to take your life in a new direction.

He said: “I didn’t speak any Welsh and I needed to readjust to the academic lifestyle. The tutors at Coleg Llandrillo were happy to educate me on both civil engineering and North Wales; they are accommodating, friendly, and knowledgeable teachers.”

I believe the staff contributed greatly to my adapting to the area and my positive academic performance this year.”

Lewis has already secured work as a civil engineer with a consulting company in the area and will be applying for professional registration with the ICE, showing how HE at the college can provide a pathway into employment.

“I think the courses at Grŵp Llandrillo Menai are well tailored to set you up for success in industry,” he added. “Whether as a graduate or to progress your career, there’s a good balance between research and applied learning.

Ffion Mai, from Llanfairfechan, graduated with a First-Class BA (Hons) in Fine Art after studying entirely through the medium of Welsh.

Ffion said: “I completed my Level 3 at Coleg Menai and I chose to stay and study for my degree here because it’s close to home, and I felt I could gain the experience I needed while staying in Wales.”

The best part of being at college is meeting new friends and gaining new experiences from the course that I wouldn't have considered before. The staff were amazing. I couldn’t have asked for better.”

Higher education has changed me; it’s helped develop my skills and knowing that I can do things with my degree and stay in Wales is really important to me. I’m proud of the experience and it’s a privilege getting to study through the medium of Welsh and studying at home, allowing me to be close to family and friends.”

Laura Rowlands achieved her Certificate of Education in Counselling.

Laura, from near Colwyn Bay, left school at 16 without any qualifications and knew that she wanted to build a career for herself after raising her children, but wasn’t sure what directions she wanted to take. After coming across the counselling courses on the Grŵp Llandrillo Menai website, she decided to sign up to the Introduction to Counselling at Coleg Llandrillo, and then progressed all the way to the HE certificate at Coleg Menai..

Laura said: “Looking back, that one decision completely changed my life. At the beginning, I really struggled with my confidence. I remember feeling so nervous that I even found it difficult to introduce myself to the class. Returning to education after so many years felt overwhelming. Everything felt completely new to me, and at times I really doubted myself and questioned whether I would be able to do it.”

As the course progressed, I realised counselling was something I felt genuinely passionate about. Seeing the difference that being listened to and understood can make to someone’s life has been incredibly rewarding. I’m now leaving college with confidence, qualifications, and a career that I truly care about, which is something I never thought possible when I first walked into the classroom.”

Starting this journey was one of the best decisions I have made. It has changed me both personally and professionally, and I'm incredibly grateful for the opportunities, support and confidence Grŵp Llandrillo Menai has given me throughout my time there.”

Hannah Eiddon Lewis gained her Professional Graduate Certificate in Education at Coleg Meirion-Dwyfor.

Hannah explained: “The best thing about studying HE at the college was the variety of students that I got to teach. I was able to teach A Level students in my first year and this solidified for me that I wanted to work with young people and children.

“I’m currently working for the NSPCC at the moment and this course has given me the skills I needed to progress in my role. In the future, I’m hoping to be able to use my qualification to do training and work more with Welsh language education for children and young people.

Twins Rhian and Gethin Johnson also studied at Coleg Meirion-Dwyfor. Rhian completed a Foundation Degree in Health and Social Care, whilst Gethin achieved a Higher National Certificate in General Engineering.

“I’ve learnt so much on my course,” said Rhian. “Health and social care is a big area and we covered a lot of different topics. I’m looking forward to coming back next year to do the Level 6 course.”

Gethin added: “Studying at the college was really flexible. The course was one day a week, which meant I could carry on working at the same time. I’m now pursuing full-time employment in the engineering sector.”

Hayley Mount-Leonard studied on a professional course with Busnes@LlandrilloMenai and was awarded a Level 7 Certificate in Strategic Leadership and Management.

Hayley, who runs her own business in the travel and tourism sector on Anglesey found that the course helped her develop her leadership skills.

“I found that it’s a really good way of furthering your career and developing skills,” she commented. “It’s been really valuable putting what I learn into practice within my business and It’s helped me to become a better leader. I think it’s really important to support the local economy. It’s fantastic that people can study in North Wales then use their qualifications to support local businesses.”

Grŵp Llandrillo Menai offers a wide range of Higher Education courses, browse them at: gllm.ac.uk/degrees