Education

Tenby film-maker and photographer thanks UWTSD in Carmarthen

Published

1 year ago

December 27, 2023

STEVEN CLAREY is a BA Film and Media graduate from the University of Wales Trinity Saint David. Originally from Carmarthen, but now living in Tenby, he’s a renowned freelance film-maker and photographer.

Since Steven left UWTSD, he has pursued a career within the film and media industry. He’s had opportunities to work with a number of large global brands such as Panasonic, Red Bull, Monster Energy, Aston Martin F1 and numerous others across the world. He said:

“I’ve been fortunate to have so many highlights in my career so far from shooting the launch campaign for the Panasonic Lumix GH5 in Mozambique, working on the Drift Innovation European Tour in 2013, working with Quest TV on Le Mans 24-hour in 2016/17, and my current role of feature cameraman on the FIA World Rallycross Championship to name a few.”

Steven had reached a crossroads in his life when he enrolled as a student at UWTSD in Carmarthen. He had just left a job in which he was really unhappy and decided that he should try something different and applied to university. He said:

“I wanted to do something creative and even though I had no experience in film or media I thought it would be a good direction to go in. It also helped that the campus in Carmarthen was in a great location and near to my parents’ house.”

Steven found the BA Film & Media course life-changing. He adds: “When I initially signed up my main focus was enjoying the student life and partying and having fun. However, the second I picked up a camera and started filming content my focus changed completely. The lecturers were extremely supportive of the direction I was taking my imagery, which was filming surfing and extreme sports.”

His favourite aspect of the course was the practical element which allows students the flexibility to film projects that suit them and their style.

The course kickstarted Steven’s career by allowing him the time to practice his craft alongside his studies, with the lecturers on hand to help nurture his skills and navigate the industry.

Steven would spend a lot of time filming surfing during his studies. The skills Steven gained from this has really helped him in his current career in filmmaking.

Steven learnt a great deal from the course from editing, composition, and skills that enabled him to hit the ground running.

“The lectures on cinematography were also a really big help. There was so many aspects of filmmaking that I had no idea about previously. I also really enjoyed how much practical work we had to do. I’m not a huge fan of essays and although essays were a vital part of the course, I focused most of my attention on the practical assignments.”

Steven feels that the support he had from his lecturers was invaluable.

“It’s a struggle to put into words how much support I had from the lecturers during my time at the university. It was as if they helped turn on a part of my brain that wasn’t there previously, instilling me with the confidence to achieve whatever I wanted to. They were also extremely flexible with my studies which enabled me to get out there and practice my craft. They also really helped with the partnerships and opportunities I had outside of university; helping me navigate working with brands and establishing myself as a working freelancer.”

Dr Brett Aggersberg, BA Film & Media Programme Director is extremely proud of Steven’s achievements. He said:

“Steven was the inspiration for us to establish the BA Adventure Filmmaking degree. As a student, he produced exciting films based on the outdoors and surfing. Then as a graduate, he continued to specialise in adventurous films and photography, whilst travelling the globe and working for major brands.

“It was a pleasure to welcome Steven back to campus as a guest speaker at the International Media Festival of Wales. It was extra special as he was representing one of our industry partners, Panasonic Lumix. His talk to students from Coleg Sir Gâr, as well as the University, was inspiring. It gave the audience the confidence to experiment with their ideas and creativity and aim high for their goals in the industry.

“Steven is an example of what we hope our students will achieve by studying and engaging in our creative and industry-focused courses.”

As Steven’s career continues to flourish, he is encouraging others to follow in his footsteps and to study Film and Media at UWTSD.

“I would say to go for it! It’s a great university, more intimate than a lot of other universities in the UK which allows you to have a better relationship with the lecturers, who can spend more time with individual students, helping to support them with their studies. The area is also incredibly beautiful with amazing scenery and plenty to keep you occupied away from your studies. I absolutely loved my time at UWTSD.”

Community

County Show calling all Pembrokeshire parents and teachers

Published

19 hours ago

January 23, 2025

Tom Sinclair

SCHOOLCHILDREN from across the county are invited to the next Food Story event, Nutritious, Delicious & Local, which will take place at the Pembrokeshire County Showground on Wednesday, March 5, and Thursday, March 6, 2025.

This exciting event, suitable for pupils from Year 2 to Year 11, will offer a hands-on learning experience focusing on health and well-being, as well as the role of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) in local food production. Topics will include how weather and climate impact farming, the growth of crops, and the daily challenges faced by farmers.

Children will also have the chance to cook and sample local produce, making it a truly interactive and educational experience.

All primary and secondary schools across Pembrokeshire will receive an invitation and booking form to attend. If teachers have not received the email and would like to participate, they are encouraged to contact the Pembrokeshire Showground Office at [email protected] as soon as possible.

Don’t miss this opportunity to inspire the next generation about the importance of nutritious, local food!

Education

Former Haverfordwest High student wins South Hook LNG scholarship

Published

4 days ago

January 20, 2025

Tom Sinclair

A PROMISING local law student, Alisha Akhtar, has been awarded South Hook LNG’s 2024 Scholarship, receiving £5,000 to support her academic journey. Alisha, a former Haverfordwest High pupil, is in her final year of an LLB Law degree at the University of Salford, Manchester, and is preparing to undertake the Solicitors Qualifying Examination (SQE) in two years.

The annual South Hook Scholarship is designed to encourage academic excellence and career ambition among Pembrokeshire students. Candidates go through a rigorous selection process that includes a written application and an informal interview, demonstrating South Hook’s commitment to supporting local education.

During a ceremony held at South Hook LNG, Alisha was presented with her award by the South Hook team. Speaking about the scholarship, she said: “My late parents worked tirelessly to provide opportunities they never had. This scholarship brings me closer to my goal of pursuing a career in law and honours my parents’ sacrifices. I am deeply grateful to South Hook LNG for believing in my potential.”

Hamad Al Samra, General Manager of South Hook LNG, praised Alisha’s determination, saying: “We are continually inspired by Pembrokeshire students. Alisha’s focus and commitment stood out, and we are pleased to support her in achieving her aspirations.”

South Hook LNG encourages local students pursuing higher education in engineering, science, or business-related fields to apply for their scholarship programme. Details for the 2025 award will be available on the company’s website in September.

Photo caption: Alisha Akhtar, South Hook LNG’s Scholarship recipient of 2024, with members of the South Hook team responsible for assessing the applications. (Pic: Supplied)

Education

New resource to support Welsh medium pupils

Published

1 week ago

January 16, 2025

Tom Sinclair

EDUCATION researchers have published a special booklet to support pupils in Welsh medium schools from homes where the language is not spoken.

Entitled Partner, Promote and Provide, the booklet was co-created in workshops led by Aberystwyth University which brought together education partners from Ceredigion and Powys, with input from parents and pupils.

It builds on a series of research studies by the School of Education which began during the Covid-19 lockdowns in 2020 and which explored the impact of the pandemic on pupils along with the additional challenges facing Welsh-medium schools in extending support to children from non-Welsh-speaking homes.

Dr Siân Lloyd-Williams Director of Research at Aberystwyth University’s School of Education, said:

“Based on the studies we carried out between 2020 and 2024, it was clear we needed to continue the work so that we could evaluate, identify and measure the impact of our recommendations on supporting non-Welsh speaking families.

“We set out to organise a series of workshops, bringing together representatives from the local education authorities, teachers, parents and others to hear their experiences and gather evidence. As a result, we have co-created a special booklet that teachers can use to support pupils from non-Welsh-speaking homes who attend Welsh medium schools.”

Another member of the research team at Aberystwyth School of Education, Dr Rhodri Aled Evans, said:

“This is an example of effective and purposeful collaboration between academics and practitioners on the ground. We hope this booklet, together with the recommendations of our previous studies, will be a valuable resource for the education sector and beneficial for teachers, pupils and families alike.”

The Director of Education for Ceredigion County Council, Elen James, said:

“It has been extremely valuable to collaborate with the University’s researchers to create dedicated resources that offer practical help on how to further improve the experiences of Welsh-medium pupils from non-Welsh speaking homes. This work is important and an excellent starting point for further collaboration. We look forward to developing the project further in the future.”

The Partner, Promote and Provide booklet was launched at a training event for teachers held at the University on 16 January 2025 and can be downloaded from the University’s website as a PDF or hard copies can be sent on request.

Pictured: L to R: Susan Ferguson (Research Impact and Knowledge Officer, Aberystwyth University), Prysor Davies (Interim Head of the School of Education, Aberystwyth University), Dr Rhodri Evans (Lecturer in Education, Aberystwyth University), Rhiannon Salisbury (teacher), Alwyn Ward (Ceredigion County Council)