Two work experience students getting a taste of Carmarthenshire Council’s press office have been run dizzy with the variety of work involved.
Abbie Nicholas, Johnstown and Alisha Davies, from Llangunnor, both returning next term Year 11 students at QEHigh, Carmarthen, said no two days were the same. They were astonished at the varied and exciting complexity of council work.
They were mixing with sharks on Cefn Sidan one day and joined a Royal visit to three county locations the next.
Over five days they were helping with the launch of Bwcabus on the county’s remote northern boundary, helping publicise a new school extension in Ty Croes, Ammanford, a summer library reading challenge in Carmarthen, dicing with member of the shark family and ‘alien skulls’ on a beach sweep with rangers at Cefn Sidan beach Pembrey, witnessing a Gadget Show location in Pembrey Country Park and accompanying a Prince Charles and Camilla press entourage to the Botanic Gardens, Felinfoel Brewery and a business park in Llanegennch.
And there was a lot more besides clocking up more than 200-miles about the county.
Council Leader Kevin Madge who met the teenagers at the Botanic gardens said: “It has been an eye-opening exceptionally busy week for Abbie and Alisha but not unusual for our press team.
“There is so much going on in the county. The students have had a taste of the variety of work the council engages in and an opportunity to witness first hand the vast array of jobs within the authority.”
With ambitions to be a creative writer Alisha said: “There was so much happening from start to finish every day there was never time to write anything up. But it was so exciting I will do it in my own time.
“Dave Hughes, one of the Pembrey Country Park rangers, was so knowledgeable about, wrecks, wildlife, history and geography of the area it was like having a term of lessons in an hour. Cefn Sidan is truly a magical place and I can’t wait to visit it again.
“Dave even found a member of the shark family, a three -foot long Smooth Hound, washed upon the strand line for our photographic records.”
Abbie said: “From Charles and Camilla in the Botanic Gardens to Sea Potatoes,  and monitoring cormorants, oyster catchers and massive flocks of a  variety of  waders and sea birds on Cefn Sidan Beach feeding on a massive gourmet buffet spread of bi-valves, worms and crustaceans, it has been quite an exhausting week.
“We even chanced upon a Channel Five Gadget Show film crew producing a programme at SphereMania at Pembrey Ski Centre. It is amazing what is going on in our county.
“We have a school geography trip to Barcelona next month and I never realised I knew so little about the Geography on my own doorstep. Carmarthenshire is such a busy county.
“It has certainly opened my eyes to the great variety of job opportunities within the council too”