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Recruitment
Providers reported that they experience difficulty in recruiting qualified lecturers and teaching staff in the following areas;
• Motor Vehicle,
• Agriculture,
• Welsh language vocational teachers in general,
• Engineering teaching staff and assessors, teaching staff within the areas of construction and finance
– due to not being able to compete with industry pay scales,
• Digital and computing staff
• Mathematics and Health and Social Care through the medium of Welsh,
• Teachers in GCSE maths/Further maths at A-level,
• Significant issue with recruitment for all staff (teaching and non-academic roles) in rural areas.
Equipment
Without the correct equipment and resources providers are unable to provide the desired level of competence to learners. Whilst colleges have noted that Welsh Government Funding has supported over the last three years in this area there are still issues.
This is particularly the case for the digital and ICT sector which sees equipment and resources become obsolete very quickly with the ever-changing advancements in technology. This is particularly pertinent given the sectors projected growing importance to the region. Providers should be further supported to ensure that they have access to the best and relevant teaching resources and equipment to adequately prepare the workforce of the future. This is also true for the Engineering sector.
Furthermore, one provider indicated that they experience difficulty in acquiring resources to support with the higher levels of learning through the medium of Welsh. Given the Welsh Government’s policy position and targets in relation to the Welsh language providers should be adequately supported to support in this mission.
The Offer
Providers would like to see increases in the following areas of provision; Computing, IT, Hospitality and Engineering, Visitor Economy, Food Technology, Construction and Renewables. These are consistent with areas of growth that the RLSP have identified and the RLSP are committed to supporting providers in increasing take-up in these areas as is evident from the recommendations made in section 6.
2.9 Higher Education
The region benefits from the presence of four higher education providers of high calibre which contribute to the region’s competitiveness through creating and safeguarding jobs, supporting the creation of spin off and start-up companies, attracting investment, providing qualifications and skills to learners and undertaking world class research.
A globally competitive regional higher education sector is critical to the success of the region and to supporting the development of a highly skilled economy. This includes attracting students and researchers from outside the region as well as supporting the local economy and businesses.
To provide some context, the most recent statistics indicate that Welsh Universities generated £5 billion in output, directly employ 16,700 individuals and contribute to the employment of a further 32,500 people.
Regional Employment & Skills Plan South West & Mid Wales
Policy Context