The head of the EEF (
www.eef.org.uk) in Wales has said that cuts in the Welsh Assembly’s Further Education (FE) budget will widen the country’s skills gap and “threaten its transition to a higher-value economy”.
Speaking at a Manufacturing Breakfast event organised by the Insider on-line magazine, Paul Byard said that the planned cuts are “unacceptable” and that manufacturers should lobby to have them reversed. He said that FE spending is being cut while more money is going into the NHS in Wales.
“If you think of that coldly, it’s absolutely unacceptable — Wales spends about £6.5 billion a year on the NHS.”
He added that savings from better procurement and efficiency could reduce health-service costs in Wales and avoid any need to cut college provision. He highlighted figures showing a shortage of engineering apprentices.
Also speaking at the event was David Davies, managing director of Axiom Manufacturing Services, an electronics manufacturer based near Newbridge. He said that his company has invested heavily in apprenticeships to get the skills it needs.
“To say that everybody will go through the same educational journey is misguided. There are people in my company who are studying part-time at the age of 30 or 40, as well as working. You need part-time education that allows people to develop. I didn’t do a degree until I was 30-something. I was fortunate that a company funded that, but it is difficult for smaller companies to do so.”