Page 24 - Neath Port Talbot Skills Report 2024

Education
To create high quality innovation jobs, high
quality education and high levels of population
educational attainment are critical.
NPT and Pembrokeshire lag behind in STEM
skills and higher-level qualified workers.
Furthermore, Digital skills are around 45% below
the national average in these regions.
Barriers to the objectives
NPT in particular, has a high level of “no
qualifications” and low levels of “Level 4 &
above”
STEM & Digital disciplines need to be
actively prioritised within the education
system
Higher education will likely play a much larger
role in the heavy industry skills: (Net zero skills)
Around 65% of the technical workforce in the
UK steel industry are educated to degree level,
with around 40% holding a postgraduate
degree (UK Steel, 2022).
An increase in popularity among mathematics
and the sciences across Wales between 2016-
17 and 2019-20. This trajectory is favourable
considering the future need for more people in
STEM jobs in NPT Estyn
This is not to say we should be encouraging all
students to peruse Higher Education.
Those that wish to choose academia should be
encouraged to do so, but likewise, better
visibility within the educational system of
vocational education and trade skills also need
to be addressed.
Awareness of the opportunities and earning
potential around skilled trade roles and
apprenticeship programmes / work-based
learning systems needs to be increased. This will
reduce the “no qualifications” group who are
potentially the ideal cohort for vital skilled trade
roles
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