Page 25 - Neath Port Talbot Skills Report 2024

The RLSP can provide data that delineates much
of the skills needed for the Celtic Freeport
project to become operational. The
comprehensive activities and skills were matched
to the Skills and Talent Barometer* to ascertain
the skills gaps for this future project in Neath
Port Talbot. Around 126 skills or activities were
found to have no skills provision being delivered
at HE level within Neath Port Talbot.
Below are a few examples of the activities / jobs
with gaps identified in the Barometer report:
• Skipper
• Helicopter Pilot
• Commercial Pilot
• Aircraft Pilot
• Second Officer
• Shipbroker
• Customs Officer
• Dismantling Worker
• Vessel Assembly Inspector
• Control Panel Tester
However, funding for Maritime Studies at
Pembrokeshire college in partnership with
Warsash Maritime School, Reardon Smith
Nautical Trust and Milford Haven Port Authority
has been approved by the Swansea Bay City Deal
Skills and Talent team. This aims to develop a
new courses to meet future skills.
Despite the current lack of vocational maritime
courses offered at FE level in Neath Port Talbot,
the Associated British Ports (ABP) states the
following:
“Together with the Port of Swansea, Port Talbot
supports almost 10,000 jobs nationally and
contributes over £670 million to the economy
every year.”
The above point indicates a healthy supply of
labour in the region that could be upskilled to
accommodate the future skills needs of the
Celtic Free Port project, and partnership
collaborations can strengthen the skills needed.
* Skills & Talent Barometer report is available upon request
Skill Requirement
delivery
Synergy between Baglan Energy Park, the
Harbourside and the Celtic Freeport is apparent:
As well as impacts at the Harbourside, other spin
out investments catalysed by Port
redevelopment can be expected, and could be
accommodated at other strategic employment
sites, including Baglan Energy Park.
Site development and promotion at Harbourside
and Baglan, Enterprise Zone sites and its
proximity to the port means that the port will
have a key role in reinforcing the
competitiveness of both these sites
Creating synergies will become important as
collaboration is a key theme threading through
much of the evidence on achieving net zero and
tech innovation. Key considerations being:
Creating the right investments, create strong
skills and R&D links to academia, and create the
right policy environment – all with the objective
of reinforcing the concentration of competing,
collaborating and inter-trading companies in
Port Talbot.
Swansea University, UWTSD and FE in Neath,
Bridgend and Swansea are likely to be important
partners for training and workforce development
activities.
Associated British Ports will look at developing
links with local networks on ‘meet the buyer’
events which create opportunities for local
businesses.
Links with academia: Port Talbot’s competitive
position would be significantly improved by
creating a reputation as a marine technology and
low carbon manufacturing cluster, building long-
term resilience in the face of likely ongoing
technological change.
There are a number of initiatives that could be
explored alongside the University of Swansea,
UWTSD and other academic partners, many of
which would attract public sector funding.
Many of these synergies and partnerships are
already forming within NPT and must be
continually encouraged
abp-future-ports-port-talbot-online-final.pdf (abports.co.uk
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