Part of 1. 1. Questions to the Cabinet Secretary for Economy and Infrastructure – in the Senedd at 2:10 pm on 15 June 2016.
Can I thank the Member for his question? It’s crucially important for the Welsh economy that we create 100,000 quality apprenticeships. Each apprenticeship is estimated to be worth something in the region of, on average, £130,000 during the course of a career, so it has considerable economic benefits for the economy of Wales.
The Minister for Skills and Science will be responsible for ensuring that 100,000 apprenticeships are created and filled. We’ve got a very proud record in Wales in terms of completion rates, way higher than in England, currently standing at something in the region of 85 per cent here in Wales compared to the low to mid 70 per cent figure in England. So, I’ll be working with the Minister for Skills and Science to ensure that businesses of every size, everywhere in Wales, are aware of the opportunities that the apprenticeship system in Wales offers.