Today, the Welsh Government Minister for Further and Higher Education, Vikki Howells MS, attended UCAS’ Discovery event in Newport.
The UCAS events, which run throughout England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, allow students to hear from hundreds of university and college providers, early career experts and current students, all under one roof.
The events also feature a series of live and pre-recorded talks, providing advice and guidance on everything from tips on completing the application, including their personal statement and how to stand out from the crowd, advice on student finance, and what it’s like undertaking bilingual study in Wales.
As part of today’s event, the Minister spoke to students and teachers from schools in Wales about their inspiration and plans for their next steps.
Minister for Further and Higher Education, Vikki Howells said: “It was inspiring to speak with so many learners today about their choices and to see their enthusiasm for their journey ahead. Being aware of the opportunities available to them is fundamental to a learner's educational journey and this is why events such as these are so important. They allow learners to explore the choices they can make whether that is university, an apprenticeship or employment. I'd like to thank UCAS for organising these events and the universities and employers who took the time to attend.”
Dr Jo Saxton CBE, UCAS Chief Executive, said: “It was a pleasure to welcome the Minister here today to see first-hand how UCAS supports people on their post-16 journey. UCAS reaches over 100 schools and colleges in Wales and thousands of Welsh students at these important Discovery events each year and I am delighted that today in Newport, we have welcomed more than 4,000 students.
“Central to UCAS’ mission is ensuring all students have access to high-quality information and advice to support them in making the best decisions for their future.
“I have spoken to several students today about their dreams and aspirations after school, and it has made it even clearer to me the importance of events like these, giving students the chance to hear directly from a whole range of universities and colleges from across the UK about the exciting opportunities that are within their grasp.”
Gareth Jones, UCAS correspondent, at Ysgol Gyfun Rhydywaun, added: “For us, this [event] is the first stage in the discovery process. It makes university real and tangible and helps show students that university is an option for them, rather than an idea that they may think is out of their reach. This is very much the first step and is possibly the most important part.
“I can't stress the importance of the [UCAS] Discovery events enough. To make that decision [to go to university of college] without having the experience of this kind of event is almost impossible. Students need to be here, need to be present, need to be engaged with the event and from that, they can make informed decisions that may affect the rest of their lives.”
Lilly, aged 17, looking to study forensic science at Swansea University: “Today has been a great opportunity to speak to current students, especially as most of the stalls are run by current students, so you can speak about what student life is actually like. I have a university in mind, but it’s been great to see what other options there are.
“I spoke to the Minister who was a nice lady, we spoke about school life and what I wanted to do after school at university or college. We also spoke about my experiences at sixth form and my ambition to study at Swansea University.”
Malak, aged 17, looking to study law at University of Oxford: “Today has been a really interesting event and it’s been great to speak to current students about their experiences of uni life. Today I’ve been able to speak one-on-one with actual students and hear their different perspectives of what uni is like, which has helped me to narrow down my options.
“I’ve really enjoyed speaking to students who are studying the courses I want to study. I think it’s really beneficial because you’re able to compare different universities at once and get a greater connection with each university.”
ENDS
Notes to editors
You can find out more about UCAS Discovery events here.
UCAS Press Office
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UCAS
UCAS, the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service, is an independent charity, and the UK's shared admissions service for higher education.
UCAS’ services support young people making post-18 choices, as well as mature learners, by providing information, advice, and guidance to inspire and facilitate educational progression to university, college, or an apprenticeship.
UCAS manages almost three million applications, from around 700,000 people each year, for full-time undergraduate courses at over 380 universities and colleges across the UK.
UCAS is committed to delivering a first-class service to all our beneficiaries — they're at the heart of everything we do.