Part of 1. Questions to the Minister for Economy – in the Senedd at 2:08 pm on 15 June 2022.
As ever, we have a challenge in broad wage subsidy schemes across the whole sector. Actually, in my discussions with people in the visitor economy—and I'm meeting the visitor economy group next week—they regularly point out that they do have a challenge with both skills within the sector, but they also point out that they have a challenge in recruiting people to the sector. That's part of the reason why, together with them, we've been engaged in a campaign to get people to reconsider careers in the sector, not just seasonal employment. So, the Experience Makers campaign is one that we have jointly promoted with them.
They're also a sector that's been affected by some of the changes in the economy, both pre and post pandemic. So, in the hospitality sector in particular—and I am a regular visitor to Llandudno because of the range of political events that take place there on a stunningly regular basis—actually, you'll find lots of people in hospitality are from European countries, and we've seen a reduction in those people who are working not just in this sector, but in others too. That's one of the changes that is taking place. Those people are unlikely to return from Europe to the UK. We also need to see some of the changes that are taking place in terms of people leaving the labour market after the pandemic too.
So, there's a range of difficult issues for us to understand, and then to see how far we can make a difference. That's why the employability and skills plan looks at those people who are furthest away from the labour market, because the DWP—[Inaudible.]—those people are more likely to be job ready. So, we expect to work together with the UK Government and its agencies in this area to think about how we make the biggest difference with the money and the responsibilities that we have, and I'd be more than happy to update the Chamber as we look to make progress on the employability and skills plan.