Calls to get West & Mid Wales businesses to help shape skills plan

FEEDBACK from the South West and Mid Wales business community is wanted to help equip our young people with the skills they’ll need to succeed in future.

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Responses to a survey put together by the Regional Learning and Skills Partnership will inform the detail of an annual employment and skills plan.

Once complete, the plan will be used by the Welsh Government to guide decision-making on funding for further education and work-based learning.

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Primarily employer-led, the Regional Learning and Skills Partnership (RLSP) covers Carmarthenshire, Ceredigion, Neath Port Talbot, Pembrokeshire, Powys and Swansea. The partnership works to bridge the gap between education and business to help create a vibrant economy that’s supported by innovation and a capable workforce.

Jane Lewis, RLSP Manager, said: “As a partnership, we produce a regional employment and skills plan every year that’s based on economic challenges and likely growth areas for South West and Mid Wales.  These include the Growing Mid Wales Partnership, the Haven Waterway Enterprise Zone, and the Port Talbot Enterprise Zone.

“The £1.3 billion Swansea Bay City Deal is also in the pipeline, aligned to sectors like digital, life sciences, renewable energy, smart manufacturing and the creative industries. We need to ensure our young people are equipped to access the jobs our businesses are creating now, as well as the jobs that will be established in future.

“Businesses right across the area can be of enormous assistance by letting us know what their skills requirements are, so we can work closely alongside the education sector to ensure their needs are met both in the short-term and the longer term.

“The retention of talented young people in our region is crucial if we’re to create a strong, vibrant economy that generates even more investment and jobs in future. That’s why I’d encourage as many businesses as possible to fill out the short survey we’ve put together to inform our planning.”

The RLSP survey is aimed at business of all sizes – from large companies with an international profile to regional businesses, small and medium-sized enterprises, and micro-businesses.

Live until the end of May, the survey is available at https://surveymonkey.co.uk/r/RLSP2019 for businesses to complete.