: The world of work is
changing rapidly, as are the needs of society at large. As we
adapt to external pressures such as climate change or changing
demographics, we have to ensure that not only our future
generations are equipped for the demands of the future job
market, but that the current workforce has full support and
opportunities to retain at any point in their career. Minister,
what steps are you taking to maximise training places and ensure
apprenticeships are available to workers at any age, not just
school leavers?
(Minister for
Economy): I'm proud of the fact that we have an all-age
apprenticeship programme here in Wales, and when I meet
apprentices in different businesses I of course meet younger
workers near the start of their working career, but I often meet
people who have had time in different businesses. So, when I've
met Unite stewards at Airbus UK, I've met a number of people in
that apprenticeship programme who've had a change of career in
their later 20s and 30s, the same when I've met workers in GE
Aviation, for example, as well—people who have come in from the
auto engineering industry and have transferred into aerospace.
So, you can and do continue to see people moving careers.
Apprenticeships are one of the routes to do that. There are also
other forms of skills interventions. So, for some people, they'll
have a larger business that can continue to invest in them whilst
continuing to take an apprenticeship. In other businesses, they
may not be able to provide the same sort of wage level, so it's
how we make sure that the skills interventions are fit for
purpose both for the skills that the worker and the business
need, but also taking account of that person's real-world
responsibilities as well. And I think we've managed to do
it.
It's important, I think, to reflect on the fact that trade union
learning is part of this as well. It both helps people to come
forward, sometimes with basic skills needs, but certainly higher
skills opportunities as well, because having different routes for
people to access that training and learning is of real value.
I've seen that myself with the Union of Shop, Distributive and
Allied Workers at Tesco, for
example, where Tesco
themselves welcome the fact that there's trade union learning
through USDAW. This is of benefit to the individual worker
outside their work, but they also see that benefit within the
workplace as well.
Again, this is all-age training and development opportunities
that we want to see more of. The Government are looking to do our
part: we want to see more businesses continue to invest in their
biggest asset, which is, of course, their people.
