SIONED WILLIAMS, Member of Senedd for South Wales West, has called for sustainable funding for training and education programmes targeted at the people of the communities of Neath Port Talbot.
The calls come after Tata Steel, who own the steelworks in Port Talbot, have closed both remaining blast furnaces and announced plans to make 2,800 people redundant, a decision which will impact thousands more people in the supply chain and will inevitably have a ripple effect on the prosperity and employment opportunities in the wider community.
Sioned Williams MS recently visited a learning hub in Sandfields, Port Talbot, where Whitehead-Ross Education offer a range of courses to local people on topics ranging from numeracy and construction skills.
Situated just minutes from the steelworks, in the middle of the Sandfields estate, Whitehead-Ross Education have already helped 300 people from the local community at their learning hub, including 100 directly connected to the steelworks and its supply chain.
Whitehead-Ross Education currently receives funding from the UK Shared Prosperity Fund, but this funding will soon draw to a close and Ms Williams is calling for Welsh and UK Governments to provide certainty that there will be sustainable funding for training and education programmes in the area.
Sioned Williams MS, Plaid Cymru Member of Senedd for South Wales West, said: “I’ve talked a lot about the responsibility of government to support the workforce and all the people and organisations in the supply chain.
“Well, here is a company that’s doing just that – providing crucial, useful training right in the heart of the community that will be most impacted by the current economic situation in Port Talbot.
“Yet we already know that the funding stream is coming to an end soon. It’s incumbent on both the UK and the Welsh Government to ensure that funding for training and education programmes is sustainable, so that the people most impacted by the economic effect of the job losses in Port Talbot be supported in every way possible to help them reskill and upskill.
“In addition, Welsh Government must confirm what additional financial support they’ll be able to offer Neath Port Talbot council and neighbouring councils as they deal with the aftershock of events at the steelworks and the inevitable additional strain on frontline public services.”
Jo Osgood, Head of Skills Wales for Whitehead-Ross Education, said: “In response to job losses experienced at Tata Steel, Whitehead-Ross Education responded quickly to ensure people at the heart of our most impacted communities could urgently access employability support and training.
“Supported by Neath Port Talbot UKSPF Digital Skills and Multiply contracts, our Aberavon Employment Academy has already supported over 300 people since March 2024, with more than 100 of those either coming directly from Tata Steel or its supply chains.
“It is critical that funding like this continues to be made available.”
