Education changes lives. In fact, I firmly believe that, as Nelson Mandela once said, education is the most powerful weapon to change the world.
Society is changing and we have a choice. Both governments in Cardiff Bay and Westminster have set out an ambitious vision for our country with the launch of their industrial strategy. It’s big, it’s bold and it puts skills right at the very heart of its mission to drive growth and seize new opportunities to create high-quality and well-paid jobs.
But these can’t be empty words. We must see change. Creating high quality jobs will drive long-term economic growth but that means we need investment in skills. Our young people need to be given the opportunity to follow pathways that are right for them and that set them up for life with the skills needed by their future employers. Businesses need skilled and employable people.
Building a skilled workforce will improve productivity and deliver on economic opportunities. It is the only way that we will reach our full economic potential and build a brighter and fairer nation for future generations. And that is what will help to make families better off and drive social mobility.
From improving education standards to preparing for the major investment summit in Wales later this year, the First Minister and her colleagues have returned from the Christmas recess with a significant to-do list if they are going to start to deliver on their priority of creating jobs to make families better off. No doubt they will also be mindful that all eyes will be on Welsh Government this year as the countdown begins to the election in 2026.
The simple fact is that our economy cannot and will not prosper without investment in our people. Indeed, the Labour Party’s own Council of Skills Advisers has argued that “a transformational change in the investment—public and private—in the skills of the British people” would transform the British economy, boosting productivity and economic growth.
Skills are vital to meeting both current and future business demands. Investment in skills and upskilling underpins sustainable economic growth, which in turn reduces poverty and creates more wealth to help fund our public services.
Evidence suggests that greater skill levels benefit the economy as a whole and provide significant economic and social benefits for individuals. ColegauCymru published a report last year exploring social value in the further education sector.
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It clearly shows the impact that colleges like Cardiff and Vale College have on individuals, communities and society at large. Our focus on apprenticeships, skills development and partnerships with business means that we are a catalyst for positive change.
The reality is that our people are our best natural asset. Investment in them is therefore what will help governments in both Westminster and Cardiff Bay to deliver on their economic objectives.
We must be bold because without a pipeline of skilled talent, business will not and cannot invest, productivity will not improve and, we will struggle to make the transition to net zero because we will not have the workforce to deliver.
We have got so many opportunities to put this right and to give our young people the essential skills that they need to develop successful careers and generate wealth for our country.
What’s more, research shows that people with more skills have better mental health, greater life satisfaction and higher levels of income. They are less dependent on our public services, including the NHS because there is a lower likelihood of obesity, smoking and drinking. They are also less likely to need social housing.
Data released by ColegauCymru and the National Training Federation for Wales (NTFW) at the end of last year shows the far-reaching economic and social consequences of apprenticeship funding cuts in Wales.
The research, carried out by The Centre for Economics and Business Research (Cebr), highlights the significant economic and social cost of apprenticeship funding cuts, particularly affecting the most deprived communities, and critical sectors like healthcare and construction. The findings emphasise the need for sustained investment in apprenticeships to support economic growth and workforce development in Wales.
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There were 6,000 fewer apprenticeship starts in Wales last year due to budget cuts. That is estimated to have a £50.3m ‘short run’ impact on the economy with health and social care and construction sectors being impacted the most.
The sad fact is that these funding cuts are disproportionately affecting the most deprived within the Welsh population. It goes completely against Welsh Government’s commitment to building a stronger, greener and fairer Wales.
A strong apprenticeship programme that is appropriately funded is critical for Wales’ economic recovery, equipping individuals and businesses with the skills they need for success.
Here at the Cardiff and Vale College Group, which includes ACT Training and ALS Training, we put employers at the heart of the system so that education and training leads to jobs that can improve productivity and fill skills gaps. We are a skills machine not a qualifications factory.
With over 30,000 learners, we are helping to shape the local and regional economy by developing the skilled and employable people that employers across all sectors need to thrive. We are totally focussed on employer needs, but the learner experience is at the heart of all that we do.
From blue chip brands like Aston Martin, Rolls-Royce, Boeing, PWC and Deloitte to smaller family-owned businesses, we are working with over 2,000 employers to create a pipeline of talent that is supporting home-grown industry and helping to attract overseas investment to our region.
As the largest further education college group in Wales and the third largest in the 海角视频, our impact is profound. We are contributing £750m to the economy of the Cardiff Capital Region and more than £1bn to 海角视频 society each year. Importantly, we’re removing barriers to learning and investing more than £200m in developing inspirational places to learn, now and for the future.
Our new Advanced Technology Centre at Cardiff Airport is a great example of how we are investing in the skills of tomorrow. Due to open by 2027, the £65m centre is exactly the kind of investment that will make a long-term difference for learners, the community and business. It is a project of national significance.
The courses at this new campus will be focused on supporting economic development and meeting the skills needs of employers in advanced technologies and green skills for both the emerging renewable technologies and the retrofit skills needed to meet net zero carbon targets.
In fact, it will offer a net zero, fully digital learning environment that integrates advanced technologies across disciplines for some 2,000 learners. The overall design combines cutting-edge technology with industry-focused, learner-centred education for a future-ready campus experience. It’s exciting stuff.
With three excellent Estyn inspections over the last few years and an array of prestigious awards, I am proud of our 1,200-strong team and the high-quality provision that they are delivering in response to industry and community needs along with future trend such as AI, digital and green skills.
Led by our group chief executive Mike James and college principal Sharon James Evans, this is an organisation at the very heart of the economic and social fabric of Welsh life.
Together, we urge government to do the right thing in 2025 and invest in skills for the benefit of our health and well-being, our economy and our environment. Our young people are our future.
They are what will create long-term social and economic value which is why we have a moral, social and economic duty to invest in them now. They are our golden bullet for a better tomorrow.