SIXTH Formers at Ysgol Tre-Gib in Llandeilo are celebrating their success as the first students from Carmarthenshire schools to achieve the Advanced Welsh Baccalaureate Diploma.

This flagship 14-19 award, currently being piloted across Wales in 31 centres by the WJEC and supported by the Welsh Assembly Government, is offering all students additional breadth and depth to existing programmes of study.

It is at the forefront of providing young people with the opportunity to enhance their levels of achievement and lifelong learning skills.

The aim is for 25% of all Wales' students to be taking their Welsh Baccalaureate by 2010.

Current educational thought emphasises that the UK does not have qualifications deficits but does have substantial skills deficits. It is this skills agenda that the Welsh Baccalaureate firmly seeks to target.

To provide further breadth and relevance, the Welsh Baccalaureate also encompasses work-related education; a citizenship and community participation programme; enterprise activities and an on-line foreign language unit.

Finally, there is significant emphasis on developing an awareness of living in contemporary Wales, Europe and the world with interactive weekly sessions at Tre-Gib on global issues, challenges and changes.

The Baccalaureate was conceived as the equivalent of a grade A at A-level. The response of higher education institutions has been highly encouraging.

All Welsh universities are giving credit to the Welsh Baccalaureate and English universities, including Bristol, Bath, Nottingham, Liverpool, Exeter, and Aston are responding in similar fashion.

A very large number of this year's university applicants from Tre-Gib have had "the Bac" recognised in the offer they've received.

Following the successful implementation of the Baccalaureate in the sixth form, Tre-Gib is now one of two Welsh pilot schools offering the whole of Year 10 the opportunity to benefit from the Intermediate Diploma.