A GROUP of Aberystwyth students were joined by two local businesses who provided workshops to demonstrate the roles and the skills needed in the industry.

With support from Careers Wales, Hybu Cig Wales, Rachel’s Organic and Cambrian Training, Ysgol Penglais provided workshops directly linked to the curriculum as well as careers and work-related experiences (CWRE), a mandatory part of the curriculum.

The food and nutrition GCSE students learned the skills needed to cook and prepare certain foods, where food comes from, the science of it and food commodities.

Hybu Cig Wales, which promotes and markets Welsh meat, provided the school with some posters, publications and educational resources on Welsh meat to use in the classroom.

Cambrian Training spoke about its own organisation and the skills needed to be a butcher and what the job involves.

Chris Jones from Cambrian Training performed a live demonstration of how to cut different slices of pork and how the taste changes with each one once cooked.

Jo Tett and her colleague from organic dairy producers, Rachel’s Organic, delivered a presentation on yoghurt production and the role of starter cultures.

The students also took part in a tasting session of yoghurts and other dairy products.

Jason Retter, food and nutrition teacher at Ysgol Penglais, said: “It was fantastic to have successful local businesses take time out of their busy workdays and present to the class and champion their industry in such engaging ways.

“Not only were the workshops directly related to the curriculum, but also fun and full of interesting information. The students enjoyed every minute of it.”

Careers and work-related experiences (CWRE) is a mandatory, cross-cutting theme within the Curriculum for Wales for learners aged three to 16.