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Reaching out to young people is key to ensuring skilled workforce [Western Mail (Wales)](Western Mail (Wales) Via Acquire Media NewsEdge) INCREASINGLY, direct links between the education system and industry leaders are helping businesses get the support they need to sustain a robust economy at what is a crucial time for many, but employers are still finding vacancies hard to fill because applicants are lacking in the skills, qualifications or work experience required. We asked four stakeholders connected to this week's Skills Cymru event in Cardiff, where employers have been taking part in skills taster sessions with school and college students from across Wales, what their needs are when it comes to addressing the issue of skills shortages in their sector. Avril Lewis, managing director of the ESTNET, the voice of Wales' technology industry: "Events like Skills Cymru are a great way of engaging with young people. However, private industry needs to raise its profile and reach out to young people to promote the career opportunities in areas that can create wealth for the Welsh economy. The technology industry in Wales is thriving and there are many quality jobs available for talented young people as highlighted by the announcement this week of more than 600 jobs being created at IT firm CGI. There is a current and urgent demand for skilled engineers and software professionals. The technology industry is an enabler and underpins many other sectors and industries. All young people will need good digital skills now and in the future, whether they pursue careers in engineering or across other business functions such as procurement, finance, or marketing. We are working hard to help our members engage with education providers in order to shape the training and qualifications of young people coming into the industry and open their eyes to the potential careers paths within the sector in Wales. Wales designs, develops, manufactures and integrates some of the most hi-tech software and products in the world. From developing the communications infrastructure for the British Army and the materials that power the latest mobile phones to software technologies diagnosing and improving healthcare. "Many young people still aren't aware of the exciting and wellpaid career opportunities available in this dynamic and growing sector and it is our aim to effect a positive change to benefit the industry in Wales." Scott Waddington, Wales Commissioner for Employment and Skills and chief executive of SA Brain: "Developing the right skill-set within an existing workforce or recruiting the talent required to drive a business upwards and outwards will prove vital to all companies looking to maximise on current economic trends. Ensuring supply meets demand in establishing that mix of talent is an issue too great for the employer to tackle alone; it is a concern for educationalists, industry leaders, training providers and learners alike. Events like Skills Cymru are helpful in kick-starting this collaborative process and it is clear that progress has already been made; latest available data confirms that apprenticeship places reached a record high here in Wales. I recognise the pressure on budgets but any cuts to our apprenticeship budget must ensure our achievements to date are not subsequently undone. The UK Government's business select committee recently called for an awareness campaign to support the improvement of the basic reading, writing and maths skills in adults amid fears such shortfalls in skills are undermining the UK's economic performance. A greater focus on forming these skills at school and college level is therefore crucial." Andrew Cooksley, Managing Director of ACT Training: "Educationalists and training providers have undertaken significant work to revive the popularity of vocational training. The introduction of the traineeship in August 2011 specifically brought with it the opportunity for young people to better prepare themselves for their future careers and create a solid skill set on which to build their working life moving forward by offering learners aged 16 to 18 the opportunity to 'try before they buy', and access work placements in various disciplines before committing to a particular field long term. A greater focus on the development of basic skills in particular have moved things on in vocational training, and there is an overall need to raise awareness of the fact that such training is available in fields like animal care, business administration and customer service, as well as traditional sectors like hairdressing or construction. Events like Skills Cymru help minimise the likelihood of skills gaps in the emerging workforce by offering young people the key information they need to make the right decisions at this important time in their lives, and I hope similar events will be considered in future to ensure such support continues." Laura Davies, Project Manager of the WAVE project (Women Adding Value to the Economy) at the Women's Workshop Project BAWSO: "We have a gender pay gap of 18% in Wales, which we believe can partly be attributed to men and women doing different jobs. "There are skills gaps in technical and hands-on sectors like ICT, Construction, and manufacturing, where men saturate the workplace. "Forty percent of the male workforce work in construction and manufacturing in comparison to women who hold only 10% of the roles within these sectors. "This is replicated within ICT where women represent only 19% of workers in technical ICT jobs. Experts estimate that by 2019 the construction sector will create 182,000 extra jobs and 17,600 new IT professionals will be needed within the next five years - employers will be missing out on talent if we don't start making more opportunities available to women. "Skills Cymru allows us to engage with young women and their influencers and raise awareness of the huge range of practical and professional jobs and potential for better pay and prospects in non- traditional and technical areas. "It's important to look at how we make these roles more attractive and accessible to girls and women, through role models and mentors and also creating more inclusive and flexible working practices." (c) 2014 ProQuest Information and Learning Company; All Rights Reserved. |