Page 17 - Carmarthenshire Skills Report 2024

All LMI Data: Lightcast™
. 2024
Adroddiad Blynyddol | Annual Report – Estyn (gov.wales)
Engineering is critical to all emissions sectors and a
wealth of engineering disciplines will be required
for new technology, R&D, Environmental, new
Projects / Products and Materiel use, etc, will all be
developed and implemented from a strong
engineering skill set.
Carmarthenshire employs around 7,000 Engineers
across all sectors, and these roles are increasing
year on year, however this does not tell the full
picture. The increase in Engineering roles is
predominantly from Digital disciplines, which in
itself is extremely encouraging that digital
engineering disciplines are in high demand,
however this spike does mainly stem from Visual
and Audio productions probably skewed towards Yr
Egin & S4C.
Engineers in Construction have declined 37% since
2018 with reductions in Civil and specialist
engineers, skills that will be critical for the Net Zero
Transition.
Manufacturing engineers are also on a downward
trend however only 1%, but with a buoyant job
market for these roles, it's clear they are in demand.
This is a predominantly male dominated discipline
with just 24% being female, yet many engineering
roles would appeal equally to every gender.
There is also a strong retirement risk with 18% of
the county's engineers due to retire in the next 10
years, and very low uptake numbers for
apprenticeships and further education, some
engineering courses have been stopped at Coleg Sir
Gar due to low uptake.
Work based learning into these much-needed
positions needs to be encouraged and gender
stereotypes removed within the next generation. All
sectors require engineers, and earning potential is
attractive.
Employers need to play their part, by creating
workforce plans in line with Net Zero targets and
competencies needed. Working with the Local
Authority & Education will ensure a reliable skill
delivery system for them.
Upskilling existing engineering disciplines to new
competences around Net Zero, Innovation,
Renewable energy etc is key for the Small and Micro
businesses in the county, so supply chains can
remain local, courses must be accessible and easy
for employers to release staff to complete.
Employers need to be encouraged to take up these
upskilling opportunities and invest now for the
future workforce.
Climate Change and Nature Strategy -
Apprenticeship and work-based learning systems
are in place; however, many learners (and their
parents) are not aware of, them individually and
the benefits of “earn while you learn”.
Estyn 2022 report states:.
Learners in schools without their own sixth
form generally receive substantially more
information, advice and guidance about the
variety of vocational education and training
routes available to them in their local area.
Although most of these activities take place
during Year 11 and could happen sooner. (Estyn,
2022)
Learners in the majority of schools with their
own sixth form receive detailed information
about courses available in the sixth form to
encourage educational progression, including
any subject options that are available as part of
local partnership arrangements. However,
relatively little, if any, information on other
options such as vocational apprenticeship
opportunities available through alternative local
providers is provided routinely to learners in the
majority of these schools. (Estyn, 2022)
Only around a quarter of learners feel that they
understand the range of apprenticeship
pathways quite well or very well. Many parents
understanding of work-based learning pathways
is very limited, with around 70% of respondents
telling us they understand apprenticeship
options very little or not well. (Estyn, 2022)
Priorities
Upskill and reskill pathways to new emerging
markets and of course underpinned with Net
Zero competence need to be formulated and in
place. These pathways must be easily accessible
and actively promoted to prevent a bottle neck
of urgent training later down the line.
Current vocational training must be promoted in
all schools and current frameworks to be
reviewed with an emphasis on adding Net Zero
competencies to them.
Smart technologies need wider educational
support, this will in turn help to ensure we have a
more productive, higher skill higher pay
workforce.
Engineering
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