Next Welsh Government urged to prioritise apprenticeships

Calls for the next Welsh Government to put apprenticeships at the heart of its agenda were made in Cardiff on Tuesday, as political parties gear up for the 2026 Senedd election.

At a packed event hosted by the National Training Federation for Wales (NTFW) at the Pierhead, sector leaders urged ministers-in-waiting to prioritise and future-proof Wales’s apprenticeship system to protect skills, jobs and economic growth.

Members of the Senedd were among the attendees, including Luke Fletcher MS, chair of the Senedd Cross Party Group on Apprenticeships, who sponsored the gathering.

Representing work-based learning providers across Wales, the NTFW reiterated the calls set out in its manifesto launched in June—namely, for all political parties to commit to doubling apprenticeship investment so that 200,000 people can be supported into training during the next Senedd term.

NTFW strategic director Lisa Mytton told delegates that the draft Welsh Government budget for 2026-27 does not go far enough to protect or grow the apprenticeship system, arguing that long-term and sustainable funding is needed to place vocational training on a “level footing” with other forms of post-16 education.

Seeking to “build a Wales that thrives on skills, opportunity and ambition for everyone,” she said apprenticeships must play a central role in any new Programme for Government.

“Apprenticeships must be placed at the heart of the new Welsh Government’s policy,” she said. “We need a national vocational skills strategy, developed in partnership with providers, to determine what is needed to maximise opportunities. By working together, we can shape apprenticeship programmes that directly address skills gaps, boost productivity and support economic diversification.”

The event heard an update on Welsh Government plans from Melanie Thomas, senior apprenticeships manager, who outlined progress on a new Vocational Education and Training (VET) Strategy and ongoing work with stakeholders.

Rhian Edwards, executive director for policy at Medr—Wales’s new post-16 education and training body—also outlined current priorities relating to apprenticeships, while Joshua Miles, the recently appointed head of FSB Wales, highlighted the importance of skills and training to Welsh SMEs.

20,000 apprenticeships 

Faith O’Brien, managing director of Cambrian Training Company, marked her firm’s 30th anniversary by revealing it had delivered more than 20,000 apprenticeships to over 4,500 Welsh businesses. She introduced hospitality apprentice Aaron Jones, who spoke candidly about how training at the Penycae Inn in Swansea had transformed his confidence, skills and long-term prospects.

The NTFW said the event was part of a wider series designed to give members direct insight into political developments and provide opportunities to engage with key decision-makers ahead of the 2026 election.