Welsh Government to hold future of skills summit

The summit will be held this autumn as part of a reform of vocational skills training in Wales

The Welsh Government has confirmed a future skills summit as part of its reform of vocational skills training in Wales.

Deputy Minister for Skills and Tertiary Education, Cefin Campbell, said that with a skills audit – a Plaid Cymru Senedd Election manifesto pledge- under way, the summit will be held this autumn.

It will bring together employers, educators, training providers, and policymakers to shape plans for reform of vocational skills training in Wales.

Mr Campbell said: “We are at a pivotal moment for skills in Wales. Wales has real strengths, a talented workforce, strong employers and excellent training providers.

“We need to make sure those strengths are fully realised. The skills audit we are undertaking will give us a clearer picture of where the gaps are and where the opportunities lie. The future skills summit will be a chance for employers, learners, and providers to help shape the reforms that follow. This is genuinely collaborative work.”

Lisa Mytton strategic director of National Training Federation for Wales , the representative body for organisations or individuals involved in the delivery of learning in the workplace, said: “This announcement is an important step towards building a skills system in Wales that is ambitious, responsive, and future focused.

“Apprenticeships have a vital role to play in delivering the skilled workforce our economy needs.

“The skills audit and future skills summit provide a valuable opportunity to ensure apprenticeships continue to evolve, remain relevant to the needs of employers and create clear pathways into sustainable, high-quality employment.”