Student Profiles

Sarah is 20 years old and is currently on the second year of the Foundation Degree in Creative Industries: Drama at Merthyr Tydfil College. She lives at home with her mum in Aberdare, and is her mum’s official carer.

Sarah left school at 16 and initially completed a one year catering course at Aberdare College. She then undertook a two year BTEC which focused on the technical side of theatre. Realising that this is what she wanted to do as a career, Sarah was then fortunate to secure a three month apprenticeship with the Wales Millennium Centre in Cardiff.  In her free time Sarah now works part-time at the Aberdare Coliseum providing behind-the-scenes help. She is hoping to progress to a relevant degree course upon successful completion of the Foundation Degree. 

Joanna is 19 years old and is currently in her second year of the Foundation Degree in Creative Industries: Drama at Merthyr Tydfil College. She lives at home in Aberdare with her parents and three siblings. Joanna is very close to her family and did not feel ready to move away to attend university.

On completion of her Foundation Degree, Joanna would like to go on to study for her degree and ultimately would like to train to become a drama teacher. She feels that studying locally has given her the confidence to pursue her future teaching and acting ambitions.

Pat, 58, is a second year student on the Foundation Degree in Creative Industries: Drama at Merthyr Tydfil College.  She is originally from Birmingham but has lived in the Merthyr area for the past 25 years. Prior to enrolling on this course Pat ran a local pub with her then husband. 

Pat has had some major health issues in recent years and that, coupled with the fact that she has two children, are the main reasons why she decided to study at a local college.  She says that the course has given her confidence after her divorce, and she enjoys the friendliness of the course and the college campus.  Pat did enroll on a university course a number of years ago but soon dropped out as she felt overwhelmed and isolated by the vastness of a university campus, something which she has never felt in Merthyr.

Rowena is 21 years old and is currently in her second year of the Foundation Degree in Creative Industries: Drama at Merthyr Tydfil College.  She lives locally, in Merthyr Tydfil, with her family. Rowena didn’t have the confidence to move away to university so opted to study locally. 

Rowena has always wanted to sing, act and dance and is a member of a number of local drama companies. Her future ambitions include achieving her degree plus she hopes to complete a Masters Degree in Musical Theatre.