Economic Priorities for North Wales

Part of 1. Questions to the Minister for Economy – in the Senedd at 2:16 pm on 29 September 2021.

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Photo of Vaughan Gething Vaughan Gething Labour 2:16, 29 September 2021

Well, this is about working alongside providers in the way we award our apprenticeships, but more than that it’s about our ability to continue to invest in the future. This may sound a bit like a broken record, but it’s really important not to lose sight of this. Certainty on funding to support those apprenticeships is hugely important and to reinvest in the skills of the current workforce as well. That’s our ambition—to be able to do that—because we recognise that in the construction sector, as you say, there are good jobs that are available that require skills and pay above the average wage as well. So, there’s a good career to be had within construction, and we’re looking to broaden the base of people who go into construction. It isn’t just a job for men of a certain size and shape; it’s actually for men and women to be able to work in the sector successfully as well. So, we want to see a broader workforce going into the sector, we want to invest in future skills, we want the certainty to be able to do so, and certainty from our colleagues in the UK Government would allow us to do that and plan together with the industry. And I should say, we’re in a fortunate position in Wales: having very good relationships with the construction sector is a real base to build upon.