How can Wales develop the skills needed to support economic growth, help businesses recruit and retain talent, and ensure that people of all ages have the opportunities to succeed in a changing economy?
That is the central question behind a new dedicated Skills & Workforce section being launched by Business News Wales, designed to provide a platform for the businesses, education providers, training organisations and industry specialists responsible for developing Wales’ workforce.
The new section will explore the economic, commercial and social challenges facing Wales’ skills system, while highlighting opportunities to strengthen workforce development, improve productivity, support employers and create clearer pathways into employment.
Rather than focusing exclusively on education policy, qualifications and training targets, the platform will examine the practical realities of workforce development, from helping businesses access the skills they need to improving apprenticeships, supporting existing employees and preparing young people for the changing world of work.
The ambition is to create a central source of skills and workforce news, industry intelligence and expert insight, connecting employers, education providers and training organisations with the wider business community and policymakers.
Supported by regular industry news, expert interviews, thought leadership, podcasts and a dedicated editorial board through the INFORM Wales initiative, the section will provide continuing coverage of the issues influencing workforce development and economic competitiveness.
It will also showcase the businesses, colleges, universities, apprenticeship providers, professional organisations and innovative training initiatives working to strengthen Wales’ skills base.
With artificial intelligence, automation and new technologies changing the nature of work, the section will also examine how businesses can prepare their employees for emerging opportunities while continuing to value the experience and capabilities of their existing teams.
The launch follows the establishment of the Business News Wales Skills & Workforce Editorial Board through INFORM Wales, an evidence-led initiative designed to strengthen the relationship between industry experience and government decision-making.
The inaugural Skills & Workforce Editorial Board brought together senior representatives from education, training, industry and workforce development to examine how Wales can build a skills system that better supports employers, individuals and the wider economy.
The discussion explored the coordination of skills provision, apprenticeship delivery, workforce succession, adult learning, productivity, careers guidance, industrial requirements and the need for greater flexibility in training and funding.
Its findings have been developed into a comprehensive evidence report, Developing the Workforce of the Future, structured around 12 chapters examining the challenges and opportunities facing Wales’ skills and workforce landscape.
Mark Powney, Managing Director of Business News Wales, said:
“Skills and workforce development sit at the heart of Wales’ economic future, but I think we need to move beyond simply talking about skills shortages and ask a more fundamental question: are we developing the workforce that our businesses and communities actually need?
“Across Wales, we have employers struggling to recruit, young people trying to understand their career options, training providers working to respond to changing industry demands and experienced workers who need opportunities to develop new skills.
“These challenges are all connected, yet too often we discuss them separately.
“Our new Skills & Workforce section will focus on bringing those conversations together. We want to understand what businesses need, where the barriers exist and how education and training can become more responsive to the realities of the Welsh economy.
“One of the most important messages emerging from our editorial board was that workforce development cannot simply be about preparing young people for their first jobs.
“We also need to recognise the enormous potential within our existing workforce. Helping people retrain, develop new capabilities and progress in their careers is just as important as encouraging new entrants into employment.
“We also want to give a stronger voice to the people who understand the system from different perspectives, whether that is an employer trying to recruit specialist staff, a college responding to industry demand or a training provider helping individuals access new opportunities.
“The work undertaken through our Skills & Workforce Editorial Board has already demonstrated the value of bringing these perspectives together.
The Skills & Workforce section forms part of the wider evolution of Business News Wales, which is developing a network of regional and industry-specific news platforms supported by original journalism, podcasts, industry engagement and evidence-led intelligence.
Employers, colleges, universities, apprenticeship and training providers, recruitment specialists, professional bodies and other organisations wishing to share news, contribute expert insight, participate in future discussions or explore opportunities to support the new Skills & Workforce section are encouraged to contact the Business News Wales team.
