English: The skills associated with e-sports and gaming, such as decision making, problem solving, digital literacy and communication, have a wide implication within the economy. They are particularly relevant to those businesses based in science, technology, engineering and mathematics. Promoting e-sports, and using online gaming to help, emphasises the STEM agenda, may help to narrow the current skills gaps in Wales and to grow the Welsh economy. This has been highlighted by the Office for National Statistics, which recently produced figures that show that Wales has the lowest proportion of internet users with the five basic digital skills. They found that 66 per cent of internet users have the five basic skills, compared to the UK's average of 79 per cent. In England, the UK Government has taken action to tackle shortages in local digital skills by establishing digital skills partnerships. These bodies were set up to bring together regional businesses, the public sector, organisations and charities to tackle local challenges such as unemployment and skills gaps. The point I wish to emphasise is that there will be wider benefits in encouraging more people, particularly young people, into the digital games sector, due to its duplication of STEM subjects. The applicability of skills achieved through games and games development are many. They include improved decision making and cognitive skills, promoting team work and communication skills and developing digital knowledge that may benefit a number of sectors within and outside the digital sector. The importance of STEM subject skills to the economy cannot be overemphasised. A recent report by the UK Government suggested that one in five new jobs in the United Kingdom by 2022 will require such skills. It is important, therefore, that the education system in Wales rises to meet this challenge. The 'Talented Women for a Successful Wales' report in 2016 highlighted significant challenges in delivering education in Wales. One of the points it made was the low take-up of STEM subjects by girls and women. It went on to say and highlight the relatively small amount of primary and secondary school teachers with STEM-specific backgrounds and skills. According to the report, 44 per cent of A-level ICT students and 12 per cent of A-level computing students are women, whilst only 28 per cent of secondary school teachers have specialist STEM backgrounds. The need to increase the supply of STEM skills through greater numbers of young people pursuing these subjects as an option has been acknowledged by the Welsh Government. Online gaming and e-sports are particularly popular with young people and a growing number of girls. This could lead to a higher take-up of STEM-based subjects, if interest in gaming and game development is utilised. Research by the University of Surrey shows that girls aged 13 and 14 who play games for over nine hours a week are three times more likely to take up a STEM-based degree. Dr Anesa Hosein, the lead author of the report said, and I quote: 'educators seeking to encourage more take up of PSTEM subjects should target girl gamers, as they already may have a natural interest in these subjects.' She went on to say: 'We need to get better at identifying cues early to recognise which girls may be more interested in taking up PSTEM degrees.' Quote closed. Deputy Presiding Officer, using games and e-sports to encourage interest in STEM subjects may help to develop multiskilled students and graduates with directly transferrable skills and experiences that provide a foundation for future careers. This can only be beneficial for the Welsh economy, the future and for our children. Thank you.
Welsh: Mae'r sgiliau sy'n gysylltiedig ag e-chwaraeon a gemau, fel gwneud penderfyniadau, datrys problemau, llythrennedd digidol a chyfathrebu, yn creu goblygiadau mawr i'r economi. Maent yn arbennig o berthnasol i'r busnesau a seiliwyd ar wyddoniaeth, technoleg, peirianneg a mathemateg. Gall hyrwyddo e-chwaraeon, a defnyddio gemau ar-lein i helpu, bwysleisio agenda STEM, gallai helpu i leihau'r bylchau sgiliau presennol yng Nghymru a thyfu economi Cymru. Tynnwyd sylw at hyn gan y Swyddfa Ystadegau Gwladol, a gynhyrchodd ffigurau'n ddiweddar sy'n dangos mai Cymru sydd â'r gyfran isaf o ddefnyddwyr y rhyngrwyd sy'n meddu ar y pum sgìl digidol sylfaenol. Gwelsant mai 66 y cant o ddefnyddwyr y rhyngrwyd sydd â'r pum sgìl sylfaenol, o gymharu â chyfartaledd y DU o 79 y cant. Yn Lloegr, mae Llywodraeth y DU wedi cymryd camau i fynd i'r afael â phrinder sgiliau digidol lleol drwy sefydlu partneriaethau sgiliau digidol. Sefydlwyd y cyrff hyn er mwyn dod â busnesau rhanbarthol, y sector cyhoeddus, sefydliadau ac elusennau at ei gilydd i fynd i'r afael â heriau lleol fel diweithdra a bylchau sgiliau. Y pwynt yr hoffwn ei bwysleisio yw y bydd manteision ehangach yn deillio o annog mwy o bobl, yn enwedig pobl ifanc, i mewn i'r sector gemau digidol, oherwydd ei fod yn cadarnhau pynciau STEM. Mae llawer iawn o ffyrdd o gymhwyso sgiliau a gaiff eu meithrin trwy gemau a datblygu gemau. Maent yn cynnwys gwell sgiliau gwneud penderfyniadau a sgiliau gwybyddol, gan hyrwyddo gwaith tîm a sgiliau cyfathrebu a datblygu gwybodaeth ddigidol a allai fod o fudd i nifer o sectorau o fewn y sector digidol a'r tu allan iddo. Ni ellir gorbwysleisio pwysigrwydd sgiliau pynciau STEM i'r economi. Awgrymodd adroddiad diweddar gan Lywodraeth y DU y bydd un o bob pum swydd newydd yn y Deyrnas Unedig erbyn 2022 yn galw am sgiliau o'r fath. Mae'n bwysig, felly, fod y system addysg yng Nghymru yn ymateb i'r her hon. Roedd yr adroddiad 'Menywod Dawnus ar gyfer Cymru Lwyddiannus' yn 2016 yn tynnu sylw at heriau sylweddol wrth ddarparu addysg yng Nghymru. Un o'r pwyntiau a wnaeth oedd nifer isel y merched a menywod sy'n astudio pynciau STEM. Aeth ymlaen i nodi a thynnu sylw at y nifer gymharol fach o athrawon ysgolion cynradd ac uwchradd sydd â chefndir a sgiliau sy'n benodol i STEM. Yn ôl yr adroddiad, 44 y cant o fyfyrwyr TGCh Safon Uwch a 12 y cant o fyfyrwyr cyfrifiadura safon uwch sy'n fenywod, a dim ond 28 y cant o athrawon ysgolion uwchradd sydd â chefndir STEM arbenigol. Mae Llywodraeth Cymru wedi cydnabod yr angen i gynyddu'r cyflenwad o sgiliau STEM drwy sicrhau bod mwy o bobl ifanc yn dilyn y pynciau hyn fel opsiwn. Mae gemau ar-lein ac e-chwaraeon yn arbennig o boblogaidd gyda phobl ifanc a nifer gynyddol o ferched. Gallai hyn arwain at fwy o fenywod yn dilyn pynciau sy'n seiliedig ar STEM, os cymerir mantais ar y diddordeb mewn gemau a datblygu gemau. Mae ymchwil gan Brifysgol Surrey yn dangos bod merched 13 a 14 oed sy'n chwarae gemau am dros naw awr yr wythnos dair gwaith yn fwy tebygol o wneud gradd mewn STEM. Dywedodd Dr Anesa Hosein, awdur arweiniol yr adroddiad, a dyfynnaf: dylai addysgwyr sy'n ceisio annog rhagor i ddewis pynciau gwyddorau ffisegol, technoleg, peirianneg a mathemateg (PSTEM) dargedu merched sy'n chwarae gemau, gan fod ganddynt ddiddordeb naturiol eisoes yn y pynciau hyn. Aeth ymlaen i ddweud: Mae angen i ni fod yn well am adnabod arwyddion yn gynnar i nodi pa ferched a allai fod â mwy o ddiddordeb mewn gwneud graddau PSTEM. Cau'r dyfyniad. Ddirprwy Lywydd, gall defnyddio gemau ac e-chwaraeon i annog diddordeb mewn pynciau STEM fod o gymorth i ddatblygu myfyrwyr a graddedigion sgiliau lluosog gyda sgiliau a phrofiadau y gellir eu trosglwyddo'n uniongyrchol sy'n darparu sylfaen ar gyfer gyrfaoedd yn y dyfodol. Bydd hyn o fudd mawr i economi Cymru, i'r dyfodol ac i'n plant. Diolch.