APRIL Prior has proved that anything men can do, she can do just as well. Twenty-seven-year-old April, a medical supplies product manager from Abergavenny, recently attended a plumbing course at Ebbw Vale Campus, Coleg Gwent for two evenings a week and thoroughly enjoyed the course. She said, "I was slightly nervous at first, as I thought I might be the only woman on the course but was delighted at how welcoming and encouraging the lecturers were. I originally attended the course out of necessity - I had a few broken bits and pieces around the house and was charged a ridiculous amount of money by a local plumber.

"Vowing to never let this happen again, I chose to do a basic course myself - and was amazed to find that what started as necessity turned into a bit of a passion!"

The plumbing course that April took part in was open to men and women, but Ebbw Vale Campus at Coleg Gwent is also working closely with Chwarae Teg on their Ready, Set, Go project to create courses specially designed for women, to encourage them into non-traditional sectors.

The campus is currently providing introductory courses for women in the subjects of IT and Painting and Decorating. The courses combine technical training with personal development and career planning advice, to give women an insight into the industry and help them get on a career path. At the end of the course students are encouraged to sign up with a guidance representative from Careers Wales to continue to develop their career.

Coleg Gwent is Wales' largest further education college, with more than 35,000 students.

For more information on learning opportunities at Coleg Gwent, please telephone 01495 333333, email info@coleggwent.ac.uk , text 'gwent' to 88020, or log onto www.coleggwent.ac.uk