Legal Services Apprenticeships and Legal Education in Wales
Apprenticeships week 2023 is drawing to a close, the new Legal Services Apprenticeships journey in Wales is just beginning though. With level 3 and 5 apprenticeships available to learners and employers now, we’re seeing wonderful planning taking place to integrate this new learning structure into the heart of Welsh legal education and employment.
Wales is leading the world in lifelong learning when it comes to legal services and Brightlink are delighted to be at the forefront, pioneering, working in partnership and demonstrating innovation and best practice through education.
Brightlink is the only place that the legal sector in Wales can now come to benefit from wholistic start to finish legal education and training in theory, skills and practice. Our available learning and development pathways begin with the new Level 3 Legal Services Apprenticeship, we offer the Level 5 Legal Services Apprenticeships, Level 3 and 6 CILEX Legacy qualifications, Foundation, Advanced and Professional stage CILEX Professional Qualifications, SQE preparation courses and a unique legal leadership accelerator, Leading Law®. We’re training Paralegals, Advanced Paralegals, CILEX Lawyers and Solicitors for Wales and the world.
After spending many years liaising with CILEX, The Law Society, Welsh Government and the legal profession in Wales working towards an apprenticeship framework for the nation, it’s very gratifying to see this come to fruition. Brightlink were the first learning centre in Wales accredited to offer CILEX Professional qualifications. We had been offering CILEX Legacy qualifications for 8 years before that and personally I have been working in legal education in Wales and with learners worldwide, for 24 years. I wrote some of the first CILEX qualifications on the QCF, developed the first Chartered Legal Executive online learning, the first multi sector CILEX pro bono clinic and after running sector leading provision in CILEX education, have supported some of their other accredited centres to become accredited, to trouble shoot and grow and recently, during the pandemic, to adapt to new ways of working.
The Welsh Legal Services Apprenticeships are available to start now and open to employers and apprentices across Wales. Learners will need about 6 hours a week to study and will benefit from a bespoke study timetable, one to one support and guidance, live workshops, available anytime materials and pre recorded lessons as well as the all important practise exam questions. Brightlink are also providing training and guidance for employers on their role, so that we can all work together to bring the best learning and the best professionals to the legal sector in Wales.
I couldn’t be prouder of the wonderful Brightlink team, who have already guided people through over 2000 qualifications working together, providing high quality, values based learning and saving the legal profession over £73 million pounds so far. Of course our collective pride and thanks goes to our incredible learners who are an inspiration.
If you would like to know how you can start or progress a career in law or take the next steps to legal leadership, we’re always available for questions and to offer advice and guidance. Sharing information and collaborating rather than competing are cornerstones of our values system at Brightlink and we’d love to speak to you.
For more information visit https://brightlink.org.uk
Join one of our information events here https://brightlink.org.uk/brightlink-events/
Call us on 02921 888386
Email us on connect@brightlink.org.uk