£30m investment to create 3,000 apprenticeships in Swansea Bay

  • Swansea Correspondent Dean Thomas-Welch reports on the investment to develop skilled workers for emerging industries. 

A £30m programme to develop skills and talent within Swansea Bay has today been approved by UK and Welsh Governments.  

The Swansea Bay City Deal Programme will create 3,000 new apprenticeships, as well as 2,200 development opportunities across the region. 

The programme will focus on five main sectors: digital, construction, energy, smart manufacturing and life science and wellbeing.

Today, Minister David TC Davies met with apprentices from Gower College who are working in engineering and digital innovation Credit: ITV Wales

Visiting Gower College today, UK Government minister for Wales David TC Davies welcomed the investment and saw first hand the benefits of such schemes. 

He said: "What I’ve been seeing here today is the young apprentices, both here and in the other campus, who are going to be developing the skills that we’ll need in the future as we transition towards a net zero economy."

Current apprentices at Gower College also welcomed the new programme for Swansea Bay, emphasising the importance of practical education.

One told ITV Wales: "An apprenticeship was the right thing to do due to the fact that I’m much more of a hands on person, learning through doing and this college could offer that."

Another added: "I think by doing it through college it’s a quicker way of getting into it and into the job quicker. Whereas, if I was in University, it would take a bit longer."

As well as develop skills, the programme will also help local industries develop their workforces, where demand for workers is growing. 

EV Wales, who recruit a number of apprentices each year, praises such schemes

EV Wales is a company that installs electric vehicle chargers. Their company currently employs a number of apprentices and say that the company is benefiting as a result.

"They bring a real added value to the company’’ said Nicholas Tucker, the director.

"I’ve got about seven guys on the road now which are all having apprentices with them, so it’s a massive added help to us."