Here you can discover our commitment to supporting you to develop your skills and understanding of the Welsh language.
The Welsh Assembly Government has a vision, by the year 2050 in Wales we will have a million Welsh speakers. Our role is to support that vision.
A oes gennych unrhyw adnoddau y gallwn eu defnyddio? / Do you have any resources I can use?
Yes we do! Get the TSW English-Welsh Dictionary. It’s an online pocket phrase book, packed full of useful phrases for anyone taking their apprenticeship.
Pam bod yn ddwyieithog? Why be bi lingual?
#1 Stand out from the crowd
- Being able to use Welsh could make your CV stand out
- Some companies only recruit Welsh speakers
- Studies show that bilingual people are 3-5% more employable
- Organisations in Wales want a bilingual workforce
#2 Provide good service
- Using Welsh can set organisations apart from the rest
- Having Welsh speaking staff is good for an organisation’s public image
- Offering a language choice is important to customers and can improve customer loyalty
#3 Earn more
- Studies show that those with bilingual skills can earn a higher salary
- As Welsh language is a requirement for many public sector jobs, this has a direct impact on the salary prospects of Welsh speakers in Wales
Sut rydym yn helpu/ How we will help
- We will ensure that you are offered the opportunity to learn in Welsh or bilingually
- We will support you to develop your skills in speaking and understanding the Welsh language
- We will support you with broadening your knowledge of Welsh cultural events
- We will ensure that development targets set are tailored to suit you
Consider these questions:
- How does your organisation promote Welsh language?
- Does your organisation celebrate Welsh heritage and culture?
- What could you do to support and develop this further?
Gosod targerdau / Setting targets
As part of your induction we will ask you about your level of Welsh language skills and how confident you are in using Welsh in the workplace and in your social life.
We will also ask you about your work environment and the commitment to the language.
We will agree a Welsh language skills development target with you which is realistic, achievable, and relevant to your job role.
During reviews, your Training Advisor will note progress towards targets to show your skills development over time.
Dewis eich targerdau / Choosing your targets
No or very limited Welsh language skills
Suggested targets:
- Learn basic Welsh meet and greet phrases to use in the workplace with clients, customers and colleagues
- Learner extended customer service related words and phrases to use in the workplace, working towards being able to have a conversation with a Welsh speaker.
Some Welsh language skills, but lacking confidence
Suggested targets:
- Complete some verbal assessments in Welsh
- Complete WEST Literacy in Welsh
- Create work related products in Welsh
- Create a glossary of useful terminology
- Develop use of Welsh in the workplace to improve customer experiences
Fluent Welsh speakers
Suggested targets:
- Complete some/all written and verbal tasks/assessments in Welsh
- Undertake some/all reviews/discussions in Welsh
- Produce a glossary of useful Welsh terms
- Further develop use of Welsh in the workplace to improve the customers’ experiences
- Develop a range of Welsh language prompts for other staff to use to improve the customers’ experiences
Dolenni defnyddiol i gefnogi dysgu annibynnol / Helpful links to support independent learning
Prentis-Iaith
These courses are for apprentices who currently have little or no Welsh language skills. They enable apprentices to complete part of their qualification in Welsh.
The general course highlights the importance of the Welsh language as a workplace skill. The course has also been adapted for four specific sectors: healthcare, childcare, agriculture and construction.
Duo Lingo
Duolingo offer daily 5 minute session designed to help develop basic Welsh Language skills.
Say something in Welsh
An online programme designed to support individuals develop Welsh language skills and support pronunciation.
The National Centre for Learning Welsh
There are over 1,500 resources available here which support learners across all levels, from beginner to fluent.
Also available via The National Centre for Learning Welsh, are 10 hours of free online courses for both learners and staff.
Cysgliad
A software package which can support written Welsh skills, supporting spelling, punctuation and grammar.
Organisation support / Cefnogaeth sefydliad
- For support for developing a Welsh language plan for the workplace, visit comisiynyddygymraeg.cymru
- Get guidance about supporting Welsh language and assessing the level of the workforce in the Welsh language with learnwelsh.cymru
- Find guidance about supporting rights to access/ use the Welsh Language with comisiynyddygymraeg.cymru
- Iaith offers guidance on language planning and implementation:
Beth sy’n mynd ymlaen? / What’s going on?
Visit Wales offers up-to-date and live information on cultural events across all regions of Wales.
Prentis-iaith testimonial
Karen Evans recently completed the Prentis-iaith online course alongside her ILM Leadership and Management qualification.
Taking the course helped to improve her knowledge of the Welsh language and she now feels more confident greeting colleagues, trainers, and stakeholders in Welsh.
Here’s what she had to say about her experience:
I have recently completed the Prentis-iaith online course alongside my ILM Leadership and Management qualification. I found the course to be really useful. It gave me confidence in my ability to communicate using the Welsh language.
Prior to the start of the course, I would have described my Welsh language skills and very limited, however, completing the course gave me an insight into how much Welsh I actually use and see within my day-to-day life.
Within BCBC as an organisation we need to ensure all communication issued by us is bilingual. This is to abide by the Welsh Language Standards and also to ensure we consider both equality and accessibility in relation to all information we publish.
Our Corporate Director is a conversationally fluent Welsh Speaker and is passionate about developing Welsh language skills, therefore information sent to headteachers is always sent bilingually – whilst this is not a requirement of the Welsh Language standards as it’s not published information, it is helping us to contribute to Welsh language skills and supports the fact that Welsh was recognised in 2020 by Duolingo as the fastest growing language in the UK. Bridgend Council remains committed to supporting their citizens in their desire to see Welsh language and culture recognised, as well as going over and above what is required from Welsh Government targets. We have both English and Welsh schools within the County Borough and feel these schools (headteachers, staff, pupils and families) need to receive the same level of service from us as their local authority.
With acknowledgement emails, automated responses, and complaints or queries received being responded to in Welsh, completing Prentis-iaith has given me confidence and has also helped me refresh my use of greetings, the days of the week and months of the year. These are all words and phrased that I will be able to use regularly in communication with colleagues and stakeholders.
We are shortly due to hold online meetings with simultaneous Welsh translation in relation to our Welsh in Education Strategic Plan (WESP) I feel more confident that I will be able to greet the participants and the trainer in Welsh.
I have also just employed an apprentice who is a fluent Welsh speaker, and she has also just enrolled on an apprenticeship with TSW. Together by each playing our small parts we will all help to achieve Cymraeg 2050 which is Welsh Government’s strategy to have a million Welsh speakers by 2050.
We are shortly due to hold online meetings with simultaneous Welsh translation in relation to our Welsh in Education Strategic Plan (WESP). I feel more confident that I will be able to greet the participants and the trainer in Welsh.
I have also just employed an apprentice who is a conversationally fluent Welsh speaker, and she has also just enrolled on an apprenticeship with TSW. Together, by each playing our small parts, we will all help to achieve Cymraeg 2050 which is the Welsh Government’s strategy to have a million Welsh speakers by 2050.