Training companies, small businesses and the Deputy Minister for Skills and Technology are to celebrate apprentices and vocational skills training and challenge business to ‘hire one’ at this year’s Royal Welsh show.
Janet Jones, Welsh Policy Chair, Federation of Small Businesses, Ken Skates, Deputy Minister for Skills and Technology and Arwyn Watkins, CEO, National Training Federation for Wales (NTfW) will tell guests that vocational skills are everyone’s business and challenge employers to hire one apprentice in the coming year. The event will outline how businesses in Wales can benefit from recruiting an apprentice helping them to meet their current and future needs by innovating and developing new products, goods and services.
The FSB, NTfW and the recently appointed Deputy Minister for Skills and Technology, Ken Skates AM, will urge the guests and all businesses across Wales to take up the opportunity afforded by the Welsh Government’s recruitment incentive and salary support schemes to simply ‘Hire one’ apprentice or trainee in the coming year.
Ahead of the event Janet Jones, Chair of the FSB’s Welsh Policy Chair said: “There has never been a better or indeed more urgent time for employers to take on a trainee or apprentice. It is skills and training that will kick-start the economy of Wales and provide long-term sustainable growth for us as a nation and for individual businesses.
Arwyn Watkins CEO of NTfW said: “The Welsh Government has listened to the voice of business and responded by removing the barriers that were once in place that stopped employers even thinking of taking on or training a new member of staff. Practical advice and support is available to any employer who genuinely wants to grow their business and play their part in up-skilling the workforce.
Deputy Minister for Skills and Technology, Ken Skates AM added: “The Welsh Government is committed to helping more and more of our young people into apprenticeships and supporting employers who want to recruit additional apprentices. These are life-changing opportunities for young people and provide businesses with the skills, capacity and expertise they need for future growth. Apprenticeships enable employers to grow their own talent and develop a motivated, skilled workforce, whilst boosting productivity.
“That’s why I’m asking employers in Wales to invest in a young person and the future of their business by taking on an apprentice.”
The Apprenticeship Programme is funded by the Welsh Government with support from the European Social Fund.
