Consultation Response
Senedd Children, Young People and Education Committee
Deadline for Response: 27 January 2025
The Committee is undertaking an inquiry into routes into post-16 education and training. This includes quality of information given to learners about the full range of post-16 options (vocational and academic routes post 16, i.e. further education, sixth form, apprenticeships and training, and onward to higher education).
Our key asks in this response are:
- The Welsh Government must develop a strategy for Vocational Education and Training. We would like Welsh Government to develop a national Strategy for Vocational Education and Training. There is a lack of overall strategic intent and purpose in post-16 policy and a new strategy, aligned to a clear understanding of the requirements of the economy. This would ensure the delivery of vocational and technical education that can support growth and offer equitable opportunities for individuals.
- Collaboration between schools and colleges must be improved to benefit learners. Part of the solution to ensuring learners make the right choices for their future is to ensure that they understand their options at any early stage in their education journey.
- Longer term funding arrangements are critical for delivering better mental health and wellbeing support. Demand for FE, and in particular vocational provision, is rising. Recent analysis by ColegauCymru shows that enrolment in the 16-18 age group for 2024/25 has increased by 8.27% since 2023/24. Enrolment figures have particularly increased for those learners coming in at lower levels and learners who require support to remain in education. With the increase in mental health referrals, and the implementation of ALNET, it is more important than ever that funding is protected through multi-year longer term funding for the sector.
- Transport barriers must be removed. An ongoing concern across the college sector is the cost of transport. According to Welsh Government’s own data, 41% of 16 to 24 years olds identified transport as being the number one barrier to getting a new course, training or a job. Colleges across Wales have faced an increase of more than £3.2million in learner travel costs over the last year.
Further Information
Clare Williams, Policy Officer
Clare.Williams@ColegauCymru.ac.uk
