Skills strategy sets the agenda for reform

17.01.08

The Welsh Assembly Government’s skills and employment strategy, ‘Skills that Work for Wales’, has been launched for consultation. The strategy sets out a clear direction for change to drive up higher level skills and address the needs of businesses. Skills that Work for Wales contains proposals for significant reform that will strengthen the skills base across Wales.

The draft strategy includes a range of key measures:

• Strengthening the voice of employers in the skills and qualifications system, primarily through the creation of the Wales Employment and Skills Board and the work of the Sector Skills Councils.
• Redirecting resources to address demand from individual businesses and the strategic needs of economic sectors, by expanding the Workforce Development Programme and creating a new Sector Priority Fund;
• Introducing new approaches to funding that will make better use of the total national investment in skills.
• Supporting more people into work through integrated skills and employment services delivered in partnership with Jobcentre Plus and Careers Wales.
• Moving toward a clearer entitlement to basic skills learning which will be delivered in ways that are relevant to the different needs of learners.
• Strengthening our commitment to Modern Apprenticeships as a learning and career development pathway for young people, expanding the number of apprentices in line with our One Wales commitments and revising funding arrangements to support completion.  

The strategy also proposes a number of measures in relation to our work with providers including adopting a more strategic approach to the quality assurance of providers and new strategic engagement with third sector, recognising their ability to engage and work effectively with ‘hard to reach’ groups.

Skills that Work for Wales will be unveiled by Children, Education, Lifelong Learning and Skills Minister, Jane Hutt; Deputy Minister for Skills, John Griffiths; and Deputy First Minister, Ieuan Wyn Jones, at a launch event in the Senedd at 6pm on Thursday 17 January.

John Griffiths said:

Skills are critical to the success of individuals, businesses and communities.  One Wales highlights the significance of a strong skills base and the important role this has to be play in closing the gap on the full employment target.

We are investing heavily in the skills and employment agenda and this strategy will help ensure that funding is used to its maximum effect, and that individuals and industry work in close partnership to reach our shared goals.

Ieuan Wyn Jones said:

In a world of rapid economic and technological change, skills are increasingly vital to the success of people, businesses, and communities.

Today’s Welsh workforce is better-skilled and more highly-qualified than it was before devolution however we cannot be complacent and must continue to build on our successes.

I urge businesses and individuals to help shape our agenda for skills and employment, and take an active part in this consultation process.

The Skills that Work for Wales Strategy will replace the Skills and Employment Action Plan 2005 and forms part of our response to the Leitch report on UK skills and the review of Further Education by Sir Adrian Webb.

During the 12 week consultation period, four regional events will take place across Wales and one open public meeting in Cardiff to provide people with opportunities to take part in the consultation process.  The regional meetings will take place towards the end of February and in early March in Llandrindod Wells, Swansea, Cardiff and St Asaph.

Skills That Work for Wales: A Skills and Employment Strategy 

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