The Welsh language is one of the national treasures of Wales, and in 1967 was enshrined in law giving The Welsh language official status and providing the right for Welsh speakers to receive services in their native language.
In 2016, the Welsh Assembly announced their aim to increase the number of Welsh speakers to one million by 2050. This initiative is to both support the learning of Welsh and the use of the language with families, in communities and in the workplace.
One of the three strategic ways proposed to help deliver on this ambitious target is to integrate the Welsh language into work-based learning, which supports the everyday use of Welsh on the job.
As a leading specialist awarding organisation and examinations body in the ‘services to people’ sectors, VTCT is proud to embrace this goal through the creation of our bilingual qualifications delivered within Wales.
We worked closely with our centres throughout Wales to understand which qualifications we should develop first. National Vocational Qualifications (NVQs) were chosen for this project due to the heavy emphasis on vocational learning. This greatly supports employers because new employees have enhanced language skills developed ‘on-the-job’.
Having Welsh-speaking staff can be a valuable asset to any business. Hairdressing and beauty therapy qualifications are a critical way to help embed the Welsh language in everyday life as these sectors are at the heart of a community.
Not only will the qualifications be delivered bilingually in the classroom, but students can also choose a bilingual assessment. This is the first time this will be available, and as such, the response continues to be very positive
In addition, VTCT is producing a series of bilingual resources using a mirror presentation method. This means all content is in both English and Welsh; showing the content in Welsh first, followed by English, allows quick, easy comparisons plus the ability to check the meaning of unknown phrases. Using the mirror image approach makes the resources accessible to people of all Welsh abilities and can be easily embedded in everyday life.
The resources for these qualifications include bilingual consultation sheets, key phrase cards and subject-specific dictionaries with common terms.
We want to assist efforts that make bilingual education accessible for every learner who wants to pursue it. We will continue to consult with key stakeholders in Wales to identify the qualifications to prioritise in the second phase of the bilingual project.
VTCT is committed to this project and continues to work with stakeholders to develop it further. We greatly appreciate the funding from Qualification Wales that made these qualifications possible.
Products that will be translated:
• Record of assessment books
• Unit specifications
• Exam papers and mark schemes
• Consultation sheets
Qualifications offered bilingually in Welsh and English:
| Code | QN | Qualification Title |
| AB20026 | 500/8839/7 | VTCT Level 2 NVQ Diploma in Beauty Therapy General |
| HB2N2 | 601/5886/4 | VTCT Level 2 NVQ Diploma in Hairdressing |
| AM30136 | 500/9043/4 | VTCT Level 3 Certificate in Swedish Massage |
| AM10035 | 500/6839/8 | VTCT Level 1 Certificate in an Introduction to the Hair and Beauty Sector |
| SP3D6 | 601/4618/7 | VTCT Level 3 Diploma in Sports Massage Therapy |
| AC30405 | 600/4840/2 | VTCT Level 3 Diploma in Reflexology |
| AB10243 | 600/1647/4 | VTCT Level 1 Diploma in Beauty Therapy |
| AB30029 | 500/8860/9 | VTCT Level 3 NVQ Diploma in Beauty Therapy General |
| AB30031 | 500/8861/0 | VTCT Level 3 NVQ Diploma in Diploma in Beauty Therapy Massage |