Jobs and Economic Development in Ogmore

Part of 1. Questions to the First Minister – in the Senedd at 2:05 pm on 24 September 2019.

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Photo of Mark Drakeford Mark Drakeford Labour 2:05, 24 September 2019

Well, Llywydd, there were some imaginative leaps in that question; I congratulate the Member. If there was an academic qualification in that, she'd be well advanced. Look, the reason why employers go to Bridgend is because of the qualifications and skills that the workforce already have. The proportion of working age adults in Bridgend with at least two A-levels or the equivalent has been increasing year on year, and last year, 2018, reached the highest it had ever seen. And our investment in education, in apprenticeships here in Wales, in skills and employability, gives us confidence and gives employers confidence to invest in that area because they know that they will have a workforce there ready and willing to do the jobs that can be attracted to it. 

We have a very different education system here in Wales. Education is devolved—I remind Members of that. Decisions that other people make about what is right in their areas have no direct read-off for us. We think we have an inspection regime and system here in Wales that works for schools, that works for students, that works for parents, and we're very happy that we have that in place and can continue with it.