WQ88194 (e) Tabled on 15/05/2023

What Government funded short courses are available for adults in Wales who are already employed?

Answered by Minister for Education and the Welsh Language | Answered on 23/05/2023

The Personal Learning Account programme provides learning opportunities for employed people to gain higher level skills and qualifications in priority sectors. The programme has been allocated circa £30m in 2022-23 and offers flexible learning opportunities across Wales. The courses and qualifications delivered through the Personal Learning Account Programme have been developed to meet skills gaps and sector priorities and are endorsed by Regional Skills Partnerships. Delivery of PLA provision is planned to fit in with learners who are in employment with learning taking place during evenings and at weekends.

Our Further Education Institutions (FEIs) have been allocated £56.498m for 2022-23 for the delivery of post-16 part time provision. Learners can access both vocational and general education provision in a broad range of subject areas within FEI part time provision. This includes occupationally focussed provision and English for speakers of other languages.

For 2022-23, the Welsh Government has invested £5.913m in Adult Community Learning (ACL). This is for the delivery of part-time provision for adults which ranges from pre- entry level upwards in a broad range of subjects.

Welsh Government offers a training grant to all businesses in Wales through the Flexible Skills Programme which is a joint investment with business to drive investment in the skills development of their workforce, enabling them to meet their business needs.

For 2022 – 2023, the WULF Programme has provided unique learning opportunities to just under 7,000 learners that encompasses a broad skills spectrum of continuous learning development that is bespoke to each of the learner’s needs working across a variety of private and public sector organisations.