Wales Skills Action Plans by Sector - Implementation
Activities
Semta is working to implement the Skills Action Plans (also
known as Sector Skills Agreements) in Wales through:
Current Programmes and
Projects
Value Added/Business to Skills
analysis
Working on developing an enhanced strategy
based training plan that delivers improvements to company Quality,
Cost and Delivery. Identifying and strategically planning for
change.
Shared Apprenticeship
Aimed at SMEs and funded by Welsh Assembly
Government (WAG) - A five year project regionally based in South
West, Mid and North Wales, eventually providing
placements for 90 apprentices.
Credit and Qualification Framework for
Wales (Common Accord Forum / CQFW)
Semta is now licensed to assign credit under
the CQFW – work is ongoing to credit aerospace and metal
manufacturing training programmes.
Nationally recognising bespoke company
learning programmes so that the training is transferable,
recognised and progressive.
Career Progression for Females in the
Science Engineering and Technology Sector (CPfW)
WAG funded project to examine if/why females
are not progressing in career paths in the SET Sector. Providing
role models and mentoring and identifying possible
training/development solutions to help break down barriers.
National Occupational
Standards
Photonics (Deeside College)
– Occupational Standards have been produced, new
Photonics technician qualification developed
Composites – New Advanced
Materials group, developing new standards for the manufacture and
assembly of composites.
Translation of NOS –
Performing Engineering Operations and BIT at level 2
Pathways to
Apprenticeships
Enhanced initial first year full time training
linked to an industrial based pre-apprenticeship programme with
high level of employer engagement providing work experience for the
students.
Welsh Baccalaureate
Principal Learning in Engineering covers the
key engineering principles such as design, materials, electronic
systems, maintenance and manufacturing. It offers
opportunities for the practical skills and concepts behind
Engineering to be explored and assessed on how they impact on the
modern world. It is designed to equip young people with the right
knowledge to embark on a career in engineering.
It includes:
- The engineered world – looks
at the importance of engineering in the modern world;
- Discovering engineering
technology – introduces basic engineering principles such
as design, materials, electronics systems, maintenance and
manufacturing;
- Engineering the future –
looks at what makes innovations succeed, how new materials
contribute to design and how to develop and launch new ideas. This
part of the course gives opportunity to explore creative
approaches.
World Skills
World Skills are working with WAG support
through Semta to deliver World Skills Wales Competitions, there has
been an increase in competitors from 45 to 90 in Wales with
competitors in CNC Milling, CNC Turning, Industrial Electronics,
Mobile Robotics, CAD, Aero Maintenance but as yet not Mechatronics
which will be part of the Skillscymru event in September. As
well as the UK Skills events a very successful Team Challenge Wales
was run where an additional 40 competitors from FEIs and Industry
attended. Although not released as yet unofficially there
will be a minimum of 3 Wales competitors being invited to compete
at National Team selection. This is the first time Wales have had
engineering entrants being invited to the National Team selection
process.
Tailor Made Training
Semta has secured funding from the Welsh
Assembly Government for the Manufacturing Sector in Wales. The aim
is to work with education and training providers to design and
develop programmes, based on National Occupational Standards that
address employers’ new technology skills and productivity needs.
Semta and SSC Partners Cogent, and ProSkills will support the
delivery of these programmes to the right person at the right time.
Some 500 employees in 80 companies (including 60 SMEs) are set to
benefit. The pilot initiative is targeting 20 providers from the
private, FE and HE sectors and aims to develop provider’s capacity
to design and deliver at least 30 new learning programmes.
Welsh Manufacturing Forum
Semta are providing support to the Welsh
Manufacturing Forum by handling the contracts and reports on behalf
of the Manufacturing Forum.
Engineering Week Wales
Colegau Cymru with support from Semta are
running exciting engineering taster sessions in November for over
1000 Welsh students from schools. Engineering Week Wales is run
over a week at Colleges across Wales. This event has attracted
media coverage further promoting the sector as an exciting, diverse
and lucrative career. Employers have been keen to be involved in
this event and new employers are encouraged to engage.
SKILLS GROWTH WALES
Funding for higher level skills to help Welsh
companies grow
An average of £3,000 per person to pay for
high level and new technology training that will directly help to
bring about growth – in turnover, profit and/or employment. It is
designed to build on the success of ProAct and help reinvigorate
the economy. It is aimed at growing companies that can show how the
funding will help them grow, or companies that have identified a
significant growth opportunity and need training to take advantage
of it. This funding is for companies who would not otherwise have
been able to fund this training, or undertake it as soon as they
would desire.
Most companies in this situation will be
linked to Welsh Assembly Government Relationship Managers who can
advise on the process. There is no wage subsidy connected with
this, but WAG will extend the training
support to new employees as the business
grows, if you are not receiving help from other government sources.
Welsh Assembly Government will also try to guide business towards
other recruitment
support, such as ReAct service, if
appropriate.
The University of Glamorgan’s Work Based Learning (WBL)
scheme is one of several multi-million pound HE
initiatives at different stages of assessment that aim to deliver
higher-level skills in line with the key Welsh sectors identified
by WAG:The WBL
participants will obtain higher-level skills that will enhance
their career opportunities, creating a long-term positive impact on
the Welsh economy and skills base. The programme with offer
bite-sized modular learning opportunities for
those employed or living in the Convergence area in Wales who are
not able to embark on full time education or are not ready to
commit to a qualification such as a degree.
The Professional Academy Project (South East Wales -
Convergence Region)
The Professional Academy is a £2.3m project
set to deliver training solutions specifically to the Welsh
workforce utilising European Convergence funding. Based in the
Faculty of Advanced Technology at the University of Glamorgan, The
Academy will provide work-based learning courses designed by our
resident academic experts, many of which are leaders in their
chosen field. For many small and medium size businesses within the
convergence area of Wales, the training will be at no cost.
The Professional Academy will provide a suite
of specific and tailor made modules at degree level or above,
offering an excellent opportunity to improve an individual’s
knowledge-base in the most cost and time effective manner. The
Professional Academy will specialise in the following disciplines:
- Carbon Management, Quality Assurance, Health and Safety
Management and Built Environment. The format of the work-based
learning courses may be delivered entirely online, using live
streaming and a variety of e-learning materials or via blended
learning.
For more information on how The Professional
Academy can help your organisation contact Semta Customer
Services.
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