Welsh Government
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New 10 year vision for a more highly skilled Wales to be unveiled by Ken Skates
The Statement sets out a vision for employment and skills policy over the next 10 years and the responsible action needed by all stakeholders to develop a resilient, responsive and sustainable post-19 skills system. It also recognises the tough choices ahead if Wales is to deliver the skills needed to raise productivity levels and reduce barriers into employment.
The key aim of the statement is to support Wales to evolve into a highly-skilled nation and to create the conditions which allow businesses in Wales to grow and flourish.
This will mean encouraging employers of all sizes to invest in the skills of their employees, with the support of the Welsh Government. It will also mean ensuring that people who are looking for work and people who are in work have access to employment and skills support that meets their needs, the needs of employers and the needs of the wider economy.
Four priority areas are covered by the statement:
- Skills for jobs and growth – delivering a more highly skilled Wales which can compete with the best.
- Skills that respond to local needs - an integrated and accessible employment and skills offer to both employers and individuals based on their needs.
- Skills that employers value - if employers are expected to invest more in skills development, the Welsh Government and its partners must ensure that training provision is of a high quality and meets their requirements.
- Skills for employment – ensuring that the employment support provided by Welsh Government adds value to UK-level programmes and that we build on our successes, such as Jobs Growth Wales.
The Statement has been developed in consultation with FE College Principals, the National Training Federation for Wales, the CBI, Wales TUC, FSB, Commerce Cymru, the Wales Employment and Skills Board and other partners within the sector.
Deputy Minister for Skills and Technology, Ken Skates, said:
“Since taking up the post of Deputy Minister, I have spoken of my three main priorities: alignment, employability and engagement. Each of these are key to our 10 year vision for a more highly-skilled Wales.
“The Policy Statement on Skills will outline how we aim to build a skills base that is fully responsive to the needs of our economy, equipping those who are looking for work and those in work with the skills Wales needs to be economically competitive.
“If we’re going to be successful in achieving this vision then we need employers of all sizes to work with us and invest in the skills of their employees. In return, we have to ensure that employment and skills support we offer to both individuals and employers is more joined-up, accessible and responsive to their needs.”
