Nid mod i'n meddwl mod i'n arbenigwr mewn bywyd ond hoffwn i feddwl mod i wedi cael tipyn o brofiad bywyd go iawn erbyn hyn. Rwyf wedi gweithio trwy gydol fy ngradd(au), ddim wedi bod mas o gyflogaeth ers oeddwn yn 16 oed a mewn gwirionedd, rwy'n gweithio'n galed am bopeth yr wy'n ei gael.
Fel nifer fawr o raddedigion/y rhain sy'n astudio'n bellach, rwyf wastad yn poeni am 'swyddi' a 'chyflogadwyaeth' - dau gair 'buzz' i ni'n clywed yn aml. Beth a fydd yn digwydd wedi i mi adael prifysgol? Rwy'n clywed am 'psychometric tests', 'grad schemes' ac mae pobl yn dweud 'nad oes swyddi ar gael' trwy'r amser. Y peth gorau i wneud yw sicrhau eich bod chi'n gwneud digon tra ydych yn astudio, dyna beth dwi wastad wedi gwneud.
Dim ond 6 mis dwi wedi bod yn astudio fy MA mewn Cyfieithu Proffesiynol (Cymraeg) yn Abertawe ac rwyf wedi dod o hyd i swydd 'freelance' yn Wolfestone (cwmni cyfieithu), wedi ennill interniaeth gyda Gwasanaeth Cyfieithu Llywodraeth Cymru, wedi cael fy apwyntio fel Myfyriwr Cyswllt Cymdeithas Cyfieithwyr Cymru ac rwyf wedi magu cysylltiadau â phobl sy'n ymwneud â'r byd teledu. Ddim yn rhy ffol, byddwn i'n dweud. Sut y gwnes i fe? Bach o ffonio, e-bostio, mynd i ddigwyddiadau rhwydweithio........... does dim fformiwla cuddiedig i gael beth ydych chi eisiau heb law am weithio'n ddigon caled a dyna ble mae pobl yn mynd o'i le.
Beth sy wedi digwydd i bobl yn ymdrechi? Dywedodd ffrind sy'n byw gyda fi (ymadrodd newydd Cymraeg am 'housemate' fyna) fod ni yng Nghymru wastad wedi cael swyddi ar ein stepen drws ac nad oedd angen i ni deithio yn yr hen dyddiau, pan oedd Cymru yn fwy diwylliannol. Llefydd fel Llanelli, Merthyr. Mae pawb yn mynd ymlaen am Gaerdydd fel hwb am swyddi, sy'n wir, ond a ydy hwn achos bod pobl Caerdydd yn fwy fodlon symud, neu a ydynt yn cael e'n rhwyddach na ni o'r ardaloedd diwylliannol traddodiadol?
Mae pobl yn iawn i symud i brifysgol ond o beth rwyf fi'n gweld, mae llawer yn symud nol gartref, i'r swyddi y maent wedi gadael ac sy'n croeso nhw nol gyda 'open arms' ac mae'r syniad o chwilio am swydd, tra oedd yn rwydd i'w gwneud tra yn brifysgol yn yr 'academic mindset' fel petai, yn beth i adael i ffwrdd, 'nes bod digon o amser ar gael i'w wneud e'.
Pob swydd dwi wedi cael, dwi ddim wedi ei gael wrth wneud cais 'yn y modd gywir'... ac rwy'n ysgrifennu hwn oherwydd dwi am bawb sy'n gwneud, neu wedi gwneud graddau, fel y mae llawer fy ffrindiau, i gael beth y maent yn haeddu.
Rant over ;)
Dyma llun o gacen gaws y gwnes i rhyw fis yn ol - mae coginio wedi dod yn rhan bwysig fy mywyd yn ddiweddar. Os ydych eisiau'r rysait, jesd gofyn!
First thing I want to say is that I know that my titles dont correspond exactly the same in English and in Welsh, this is intentional!
I don't think that I'm an expert in life but I'd like to think that I've had quite alot of life experience so far, which is something that university can't teach you. I've worked throughout my degree(s), have been employed since the age of 16 and to be honest, I've always worked hard for everything I've had.
As with most uni graduates/those who have decided upon further study, I've always worried about 'jobs' and 'employability' - two buzz words that we hear often. What will happen when I leave university? I hear about these 'psychometric tests', 'grad schemes' and people saying 'there's no jobs to be had' all the time. Surely the best thing to do is to do enough research and try your best to line up a job/interview/work experience/internship before you leave uni?
Now I could've graduated with my BA in Welsh and gone job hunting straight away but after careful consideration, as well as being denied entry to Cardiff University's prestigious 'Broadcast Journalism' programme, I decided upon further professional development in a field that was familiar to me and I knew I could do well in; a Masters in Professional Translation (Welsh specialisation).
I've only been doing it in Swansea University for the last 6 months or so and I've already been employed as a freelance translator for Wolfestone, secured an internship with the Translation Service in the Welsh Government, have been appointed as a Student Representative for the association of Welsh translators and interpreters and have networked with people in the television industry. Not trying to big myself up or anything but I wouldn't say I've done too badly for a Llanelli boy. How did I do it? A bit of phoning up, e-mailing, hounding, not giving up, going to networking events...... there is NO secret formula to success and I truly believe that if you want something badly, you will work tirelessly to ensure you get it. That's what I've always been taught and follow. Having said that, you don't always get what you want in life; I've learnt that aswell.
Genuinely though, what has happened with people's effort? Jobs don't just come to you on a plate.. My housemate was reflecting on the Welsh way of thinking yesterday (we'd recently watched that documentary with Michael Sheen about the valleys revolution); he said that industrialised areas such as Llanelli and Merthyr always had jobs on their front door in the good old days - there was no need to migrate and now people don't know what to do. As Welsh people, we are very family orientated but UNFORTUNATELY you sometimes need to move to get ahead and ensure a good career. Is this at expense of a sound family life? People always go on about Cardiff being the hub for jobs in Wales, which is true, but is this because people from Cardiff are more willing to move or have they had it too easy for too long, unlike their industrialised counterparts?
The way I see it, people are fine to move to university but then a lot move back home to the jobs that they thought they had left behind, which are more than willing to open them back with open arms. Their family is there, their home is there. The idea of looking for a well paid graduate job, whilst it was easy to do when in the academic mindset, becomes something to put to the side 'until they have enough time to do it'.
Well, the time is now and every job I've evr had, it hasn't been through 'the correct way' of applying for it... I'm writing this as a bit of an open letter to those who are currently studying in uni or who have left uni.... there are jobs out there, you just need to go out and grab them.
Rant over ;)
Please see the picture above of a Creme Egg cheesecake that I made a few weeks back - cooking has become a major part of my life these days and I dare say I will be incorporating my best (or worst) recipes into this blog in the near future!
Until next time............
