Page 27 - Neath Port Talbot Skills Report 2024

Digital Education Pre and Post 16.
A strong digitally focussed workforce will be
essential for all upcoming future projects and
the innovative approaches Freeport businesses
will require. In addition, Digital skills are in
shortfall across the county with all sectors
moving towards a more digital focussed model.
Utilising AI, Robotics, 3D printing, Big Data,
Internet of Things , smart sensors, automation
etc, all allow for a better GVA per job, less
reliance on a tightening labour market making
jobs more efficient and potentially more
appealing to the digital generation of workers.
The concern is that current workers get left
behind, upskilling and reskilling the current
workforce will be required to ensure no one is
left behind.
Keeping up with the fast-moving pace of digital
technology is a challenge for all education
systems, recruitment of digital educators is a
huge challenge.
Education
✓ Create and reuse digital learning resources
so the right skills can be delivered easily
and effectively, use digital to teach digital
therefore having less reliance on upskilling
and recruiting specialist digital educators
✓ Education packages that encourage critical
thinking using STEM based learning,
following hypothesis, testing and analysis
principles.
✓ Allow collaboration and contact with
experts globally
Conclusions
Actions
Centres of Excellence
✓ Fast track centres of excellence in the
Freeport zones. Industry need to work
with pre & post 16 education. A
Manufacturing Skills hub COE is currently
been developed in NPT.
Local opportunity visibility
Greater engagement between Careers
Advisors, Teachers, Education providers and
local employers would widen the knowledge
of local skills requirements and opportunities.
Ensuring accurate informative careers advice is
easily available to all age groups, highlighting
local opportunities will increase visibility to
exciting local jobs
This approach would: broaden peoples’
horizons and raise their aspirations. Excite
children about subjects they had potentially
not known about and encourage adults to
upskill and reskill into a subject area they feel
excited about.
Challenge gender and social stereotypes and
reduce the likelihood of young people
becoming NEET. Reduce the Brain Drain and
the perception that residents would have to
move away to achieve career aspirations
currently happening
Careers advice – Pre & Post 16
✓ Create strong links with Local Industry &
emerging markets
✓ Use Education statistical analysis to
highlight where educational courses have
insufficient throughput for much needed
local skills & trades
✓ Ensure learners fully understand that
vocational options are often just as viable
for future job prospects as higher
educational attainment.
✓ Remove social and gender stereotypes
within certain industries.
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