A £1.8 million scheme to transform public services for learners and employers across South West Wales, has been given the go ahead for Convergence Funding, the Minister for Education, Leighton Andrews, announced on Monday (22 March).
The Regional Learning Partnership project – cross sector partnership led by Neath Port Talbot County Borough Council – will bring together a range of organisations to improve collaboration and deliver more efficient services to drive forward skills, learning and regeneration in Neath Port Talbot, Swansea, Carmarthenshire, Pembrokeshire, and Ceredigion.
Education Minister, Leighton Andrews said:
“The Regional Learning Partnership project is a unique opportunity to lead the transformation of learning across the region. By developing better ways of providing services for learners and employers through collaboration, we will encourage greater productivity and economic growth.
“This is an excellent example of how we can invest European funding to maximise resources, improve skills for employment and benefit the regional economy in South West Wales.”
The project will play a key role in bringing together partners from Higher Education, Further Education, the Third Sector, the Private Sector, Local Authorities, Job Centre Plus and Careers Wales West, to work collaboratively. It will also develop a Regional Learning and Skills Observatory to collect local and regional information related to the skills and economic needs of South West Wales.
Lesley Griffiths, Deputy Minister for Science, Innovation and Skills, described it as an excellent example of collaborative working to deliver improved services.
“Improving skills levels is essential for the future prosperity of Wales and for individuals and I welcome this investment which is designed to meet the training and learning needs of the region, in the most efficient and cost effective way. ”
A new e-portal will provide online information gathered by the Observatory to assist learners to access services, enable employers to identify skills and partners to share resources for the benefit of the region.
Supported with £1m from the European Social Fund (ESF) through the Welsh Assembly Government, it is the first project to receive ESF support and respond to the ‘Making the Connections’ strategy, aimed at improving the quality of public services. Further funding will be provided by the partners involved.
Leader of Neath Port Talbot Council Ali Thomas, said:
“This initiative will ensure that learners across the South West Wales region will be able to take advantage of high quality learning and training opportunities in a more accessible way.
“Thanks to funding from the Welsh Assembly Government this project will provide a joined up approach for our citizens to become equipped with the skills needed to train and progress into sustainable jobs. This project is crucial to aid our recovery from the current economic situation.
“The wealth of experience amongst partners ranging from local authorities, Higher Education, Further Education, the Third Sector to work-based learning providers and key stakeholders such as Careers Wales West and JobCentre Plus ensures that there will be increased efficiencies and service improvements in the area of skills and learning providers.”
Peter Rees, Director of Business Development at Coleg Sir Gar, and also the Vice Chair of the Partnership’s Steering Group said:
“Fundamentally the Regional Learning Partnership will improve the services available to learners in South West Wales by supporting the “joining up” of strategic planning, and by facilitating greater collaboration across the public and private sector stakeholders, working in education and economic regeneration.
“The region already benefits from a number of excellent Further and Higher Education Institutions, but by working together through the Partnership, we will be able to further develop our provision to meet the needs of our learners, our local communities and the development of our regional economy.”
