Youth Unemployment

Part of 1. Questions to the First Minister – in the Senedd at 2:29 pm on 25 January 2022.

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Photo of Mark Drakeford Mark Drakeford Labour 2:29, 25 January 2022

Well, I thank Alun Davies for that, Llywydd. I said in my original answer that the young person's guarantee focuses on more opportunities in education, in skill acquisition and directly in employment. And I will just very briefly mention examples of all three, especially in the south Wales Valleys and in the Member's own constituency.

He will know that part of the inspiration for the idea of a youth guarantee came from a visit that he and I made to Thales in the spring of last year, when we learnt particularly of the very committed work going on there to advance opportunities for young women, for jobs in science and engineering, and that work will continue in February: on 9 February, a science, technology, engineering, and mathematics inspiration event for schools in the Tech Valleys region; and, on 28 February, a careers event for engineering students from Coleg Gwent and from Merthyr college. That success is underpinning a very significant proposal for an advanced engineering centre involving Blaenau Gwent council and Coleg Gwent that will provide 400 places for further education and other students to gain those skills that are needed in advanced manufacturing. Those skills are also, Llywydd, central to our apprenticeship programme, where, for example, over 100 young adults have benefited from the shared apprenticeship programme in Blaenau Gwent in recent times.

Again, Llywydd, I was with Alun Davies when we both met senior members of the Ciner company to discuss the latest move forward in their plans to bring 600 new jobs to Ebbw Vale. And that conveyor belt of skilled young people—skills gained, for example, at an advanced engineering centre—was pivotal. We heard from them that it was pivotal to their decision to locate a factory in the south Wales Valleys. So, on all three aspects of the young person's guarantee—education, skill acquisition, leading then directly into employment—you can see that guarantee in practical operation in the Member's own constituency, and that is replicated then in other parts of Wales.