Page 23 - Regional Employment & Skills Plan 2019

6. A Wales of vibrant culture and Welsh language
7. A globally responsive Wales
2.4 Brexit
• Support the Welsh language through increasing the availability of provision and access for learners.
• Work with partner organisations to promote the language and its use.
• Support sustainable growth and combat climate change
by promoting green technology skills and innovative methods of skills delivery.
• Work with individual sectors to identify the skills needs related to the low-carbon Wales policy to ensure that businesses are well equipped to capitalise on the opportunities this brings.
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The effects of Brexit on our economy, communities and people are not fully understood, however it is possible to make some assumptions based on current labour market intelligence. Local authority dashboards created for the Welsh Local Government Association (WLGA) have deduced a number of factors for consideration. The most pressing are indicated below;20
Swansea Bay City Region
1. Lowproportionofitspopulationwereborn
in the EU at 2.76, which compares to a Welsh average of 3.02%. (Swansea has the highest proportion, whilst Neath Port Talbot has the lowest.)
2. NeathPortTalbothasthehighestscoreon the Brexit vulnerability index, with notably high levels of people with low skills or no qualifications coupled with high unemployment and low income.
3. Theregionhasaboveaverageemployment in the ‘Motor Trades’ and ‘Wholesale and Retail’ sectors which are identified as ‘most at risk’ industries.
Immigration and Free Movement
Growing Mid Wales
Relatively low proportion of its population were born in the EU at 2.93%. Ceredigion and Powys have quite contrasting levels of EU born residents at 4% and 2.31% respectively.
Both local authorities have below average levels of vulnerability, however Ceredigion exhibits very high levels of employment in elementary occupations and both areas have fairly low incomes which could present risk post Brexit.
The region has a very high level of employment in the ‘Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing’ sectors at 6% which is considerably greater than the Welsh average at 1.1%. This is one of the most ‘at risk’ sectors.
The Immigration White Paper sets out the most significant changes to immigration legislation for decades. The most significant change is the proposal to add EU citizens directly into the current points-based system under what is known as ‘Tier 2 for skilled workers with job offers’. In addition, the proposal also states:
20 https://www.wlga.wales/resources-local-authority-brexit-exposure-dashboards
Regional Employment & Skills Plan South West & Mid Wales
Policy Context