Employers in six sectors of the Welsh economy have signed sector skills agreements (SSAs) bringing the total of SSAs in Wales to 11.
The SSAs aim to ensure that education and training matches the needs of the workplace.
The six sectors covered by the new SSAs are:
- Land-based industries
- Freight logistics
- Sport, active leisure and learning
- Marine engineering
- Apparel, footwear and textiles
- Health.
Last year, SSAs covering employees in the science, engineering and manufacturing, construction, the audio visual industries, and IT sectors were signed.
Jane Davidson AM, minister for education, lifelong learning and skills, said: “The Welsh Assembly Government and its many partners have been working hard to reduce the divide between the worlds of learning and the workplace.
“Employers are not slow to tell us they need people with better skills; but in order to meet that need we have to know exactly what skills are required and where. These agreements provide that detail on a sectoral basis, and do so with authority and foresight.”
More SSAs are under negotiation and it’s believed that around 85 per cent of the Welsh workforce will be covered by an SSA by 2008.
