Jack Sargeant MS: The former apprentice turned apprenticeship minister

A Member of the Senedd has shared his journey from apprentice on the factory floor - to apprenticeship minister in the Welsh Government.

Jack Sargeant, a former engineering apprentice, is now Minister for Culture, Skills and Social Partnership - aged just 30.

He told ITV1’s Sharp End Presenter Rob Osborne that apprenticeships can “change your life”.

Speaking at General Electric in Caerphilly, he added: “What you learn both in your education setting and, importantly, on the shop floor can change your life in whatever sector you go into in the future.”

Jack Sargeant has achieved a lot in a short space of time, but the past seven years have been challenging. Credit: Sharp End

Mr Sargeant fell in love with engineering through the F1 in Schools Programme and chose the apprenticeship route: "I wanted a degree but I also wanted a car and to be able to afford my driving lessons and the car I wanted, so I needed to to make some money.

"Apprenticeships are a game changer for me, and a game changer for many people across Wales. We should be proud of them. The apprentices that I've met today will learn things on the shop floor that you just don't get in education settings."

The MS, who represents the Alyn and Deeside constituency, says he misses the shop floor but is "very proud" to be able to now "use those experiences as a member of the Senedd".

Although Mr Sargeant has achieved a lot in a short space of time, the past seven years have been challenging.

His father, Carl Sargeant, took his own life in November 2017 after being suspended from the Labour Party and dismissed as a Welsh Assembly minister following allegations about his personal conduct.

Jack Sargeant took his father's seat in Alyn and Deeside when a by-election was triggered following his death Credit: PA

Jack succeeded his father in a 2018 by-election, thanking Alyn and Deeside voters for supporting him and his family while increasing Labour's vote share - and becoming the Senedd's youngest member.

What would his father, Carl, make of his journey? "I think he'd be proud and he would want me to do it in the way that I want to do it," Mr Sargeant said.

"I reflect on my own experiences being an apprentice, of being an engineer on the shop floor, working my way up to get a degree, going into research and development and so on.

"As I've tackled my work in the Senedd, as I'v sat as a chair of committee... I want to put my own stamp on some of this, but no doubt I'll have those reflections of Dad. I think he would be very, very proud, looking down. I'm sure he'd be proud looking at my home life as well.

"It's been a long ten years in some ways but also a very short ten years as well."

Carl Sargeant took his own life after he being sacked following allegations surrounding his personal conduct Credit: Family photograph

The Minister is now a father himself, to baby Noah, and will be taking inspiration from his late-father in both his politics and his home life.

Mr Sargeant said: "The lesson I learned from my Dad when he was in government was when he walked back through the door at home, he was Dad.

"If I can be half the minister he was in terms of delivery and that real drive to deliver for the people of Wales, then I think I will do a good job in government - something to be proud of."

The Minister for Culture, Skills and Social Partnership has challenges to tackle within his new brief after a 14% funding cut was made by the Welsh Government to its flagship Apprenticeship Programme for 2024-25.

Mr Sargeant said: "We are still investing £143 million in apprenticeships this financial year alone, and that's against the backdrop of a shortfall in the budgets of £1.3 billion and the mess created by the Tories in Westminster and the last government.

"There are challenges there but there's also opportunities around the reform of the apprenticeship levy, which has been announced by UK government, is a space which I think can benefit Wales. I look forward to engaging with UK ministers in the skills department, but also the Secretary of State for Wales who will quite clearly have some things to say on this, about how it works with Welsh businesses, training providers and how it works for employees and trainers as well."

After his journey from factory floor, to MS, then Government Minister, does Mr Sargeant have other political ambitions?

"So as long as I feel that I'm up for the job then I'll continue to do that role," he said.

"It's important to me to try and deliver for the people of Wales in the role that I have as a member of the Senedd. But if I'm lucky enough to serve any in any government going forward - I'll be focused on that delivery, I won't focus on my own personal ambition."

  • You can see the full interview with Jack Sargeant - plus all the latest political discussion - on Sharp End, Tuesday, October 1 at 10:45pm on ITV1. Catch up with the latest episodes here.