Summit to help shape new skills strategy for Wales

Nation.Cymru staff

Employers, education providers and trade unions have met to discuss challenges facing Wales’ skills system as the Welsh Government develops a new national strategy.

The Future Skills Summit at Swansea.com Stadium brought together representatives from across Wales, including learners, colleges, universities and training providers.

Organisations taking part included Airbus, VodafoneThree and Microsoft, alongside representatives from the construction, aerospace, health, digital and manufacturing sectors.

Through presentations and workshops, participants examined how skills provision should respond to changing workforce needs and what steps could be taken to improve the system.

The discussions will help inform a new national Vocational and Skills Strategy.

The event also considered early findings from a skills audit mapping current and future workforce needs across Wales. That work is being carried out alongside the development of the strategy.

Cefin Campbell, Deputy Minister for Skills and Tertiary Education, said those attending would help inform the government’s approach.

He said: “This summit brings together the people who know our skills system best and their insight and experience will be invaluable. I want to thank everyone who has given their time today, our employers, learners, colleges, universities, and training providers from every part of Wales.”

Mr Campbell said the aim was to develop provision that responded to the needs of the economy and communities, while supporting learners taking different routes through education and training.

“This is the start of an ongoing conversation, and we’re committed to keeping that dialogue open as we take this work forward,” he added.

Adam Price, Cabinet Minister for Enterprise, Connectivity and Energy, said Wales needed to prepare its workforce for changes across several industries.

He said: “If we want to build a stronger Welsh economy, we need a workforce with the skills to match the opportunities of the future. This is a priority for us, and that’s why we’re acting now.”

Mr Price identified advanced manufacturing, digital technology, construction and green industries as areas where investment in skills would be needed.

He added: “Investing in skills is one of the most important things we can do to support good jobs, attract investment and create opportunity in every part of Wales.”

---

Get more trusted Welsh news

Choose Nation.Cymru as a preferred source in Google News to see more of our journalism.