Following visits to North Wales Colleges and Universities in recent months, MS for the region Mark Isherwood has called on the Welsh Government to support the North Wales Tertiary Alliance, which aims to build a more coherent, inclusive, and connected tertiary education system that better serves learners, communities, and industries at every level.
Launched last summer at the National Eisteddfod in Wrexham, the Alliance includes Bangor University, Wrexham University, Coleg Cambria, and Grŵp Llandrillo Menai.
In yesterday’s meeting of the Welsh Parliament during Education Questions, Mr Isherwood emphasised the Alliance’s goal for this to act as a vital bridge between them and local industry, and asked what the Welsh Government is doing to support them in this.
He said:
“In October, I visited Coleg Cambria's Deeside campus and Llandrillo Menai's Rhyl campus with ColegauCymru, CollegesWales.
“At Coleg Cambria, I met with construction apprentices and motor vehicle engineering apprentices, with discussions including the drop in construction apprenticeship starts identified by Medr and the college's diversification into motor vehicle hydrogen engineering.
“My visit to Grŵp Llandrillo Menai Rhyl included meeting RWE offshore wind apprentices, who explained the package of support they received personally from RWE.
“Reference at both these visits, and at my visit to Wrexham University last week to see their impressive new Centre for Engineering and Innovation, and to discuss exciting plans for their new Business Gateway, was made to the North Wales Tertiary Alliance between both Colleges and both North Wales Universities, to strengthen the skills development, economic growth and life opportunities of the North Wales region.
“How are you therefore supporting their goal for this to act as a vital bridge between them and the local industry?”
Responding, the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Vicki Howells, thanked Mr Isherwood “for recognition of the work that's being done across the tertiary education sector in North Wales, through the North Wales Tertiary Alliance, on a range of different courses and opportunities for learners of all ages that link directly into these opportunities with Wylfa, with the AI growth zone and with the floating offshore wind development as well”.
She added:
“I think that the clearest example of the support that we are giving now is through that round-table that brought together all those partners, with also business and bodies such as Ambition North Wales and the regional skills partnership, to get that really firm focus on the skills that are needed for the future and how we can all work together to deliver them.”
