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Apprentice Bethany's Bereavement Services Role

Bethany Mason

A willingness to keep learning new skills and take on more responsibility in challenging circumstances has helped Bethany Mason to develop into an “excellent bereavement services officer” as well as a finalist in the prestigious Apprenticeship Awards Cymru 2021.

Since joining Rhondda Cynon Taf Borough Council as an apprentice Data Entry Clerk in 2016, Bethany, aged 21, has risen to a series of difficult challenges, making a huge difference to the staff of Glyntaff Crematorium and the grieving families they work with.

Committed to personal development, Bethany has achieved a Foundation Apprenticeship and is now close to completing an NVQ level 3 in Business Administration, both delivered by Coleg y Cymoedd at the Nantgarw Campus.

Now Bethany has now been shortlisted for the Foundation Apprentice of the Year award at Apprenticeship Awards Cymru 2021.

Councillor Maureen Webber, Deputy Leader of Rhondda Cynon Taf Council, said: “I wish our apprentice Bethany all the very best at the forthcoming Apprenticeship Awards Cymru 2021.

“The Council’s Apprenticeship and Graduate Schemes have been very successful over many years, helping people to gain the important skills and experience needed to fulfil their career ambitions.

“Like so many of our Council apprentices, Bethany is doing an amazing job during such challenging times within our Bereavement Services, working with families in the most difficult circumstances.”

The Apprenticeship Awards Cymru 2021 is an annual celebration of outstanding achievement in training and apprenticeships will see 35 finalists compete in 12 categories for awards. The winners will be announced at a virtual awards ceremony on April 29. 

Highlight of the work-based learning calendar, the awards showcase businesses and individuals who have excelled on the Welsh Government’s Apprenticeship and Traineeship Programmes and gone the extra mile to achieve success during these unprecedented times.

The awards are jointly organised by the Welsh Government and the National Training Federation for Wales. The Apprenticeship Programme in Wales is funded by the Welsh Government, with support from the European Social Fund.

Working closely with her manager, Ceri Pritchard, Bethany has developed leadership skills and improved the smooth running of Glyntaff Crematorium by digitising and centralising burial records and cemetery plans for RCT Cemeteries.

She has also helped introduce a digital portal to access music for family cremation services, together with webcasts and visual tributes, which have been incredibly important for funerals held during the pandemic restrictions.

The measures have improved efficiency and helped funeral directors and people wishing to trace their family history.

Soon after being seconded to the bereavement services team at Llwydcoed Crematorium, two of Bethany’s colleagues became ill, leaving her to learn new skills quickly to both manage the complex workload with her manager, and maintain a good, family-friendly service.

Bethany Mason, of Llantrisant, said: “My apprenticeship has not only given me the skills to perform my role professionally and diligently, but has also allowed me to progress personally and develop my ability to deal with a variety of situations.

“My confidence, self-esteem and performance at work have grown enormously and I take pride in the quality of my work.”

Posted on 10/03/2021