English: Thank you, Presiding Officer. It gives me great pleasure to open this debate today on recognising the importance of further education in developing the skills of the Welsh workforce. The Welsh economy is failing to meet its full potential. It faces a number of fundamental challenges. These include a skills gap in advanced technologies, and the requirement of a workforce with the flexibility to adapt to the ever-changing economy of the world. The importance of ensuring that Wales has a sufficiently skilled, flexible workforce to help create a resilient economy and to meet the demands of employers is clear. The Welsh Government itself states that: 'Every person should be equipped with the skills they need to get a job and the opportunity to develop new skills through their working life.' Quote closed. However, a skills gap has developed in Wales that is costing businesses approximately £155 million. In 2019, the 'Open University Business Barometer' found that 67 per cent of senior business leaders reported that their organisation is currently experiencing a skills shortage; 54 per cent of employers said that they could not recruit enough staff with the skills they need, particularly in the field of engineering. A recent Barclays LifeSkills report found that more than half of Welsh over-16s are failing to demonstrate all the employability skills needed in the future workplace. The figures regarding digital skills are also a matter of concern. According to the Office for National Statistics, Wales has the lowest proportion of internet users who possess the five basic digital skills. Only 66 per cent of internet users in Wales have these basic five skills, compared to a UK average of 79 per cent. The importance of further education in tackling these problems cannot be overstated. However, ColegauCymru pointed out that there is a need for longer term funding arrangements to be put in place. The current one-year funding cycle hinders long-term thinking and planning. Overall grant funding for the FE sector has fallen in real terms by 13 per cent between 2011-12 and 2016-17. Funding for part-time provision and specific programmes fell over 70 per cent in real terms. The Welsh Conservatives believe this funding uncertainty must end to enable further education colleges to continue to deliver leading skills training and encourage more people into FE and lifelong learning. Not everyone is able to take time out of work to participate in full-time education. The Open University in Wales says that education should not be a one-off for young people; it should be lifelong, throughout a person's career. We need a comprehensive adult education, skills and employment funding plan to grow our own resident workforce. Whilst the Welsh Government provides a grant for those aged 19 and above studying in FE, both the numbers of applications and the number of successful applicants has decreased. We would introduce an adult learning allowance to use for a degree course, technical training or specific courses. This would make the skills, courses and training more accessible for people, regardless of their financial position. Wales is behind the curve in rolling out degree apprenticeships. [ Interruption.] Wales is behind the curve in rolling out degree apprenticeships. In response to increasing employers' demands for higher level skills and work-based learning routes to a degree, degree apprenticeships have become an increasingly desirable mode of delivery. In Wales, the number of degree apprenticeship routes is limited. In England, there are currently 70 degree apprenticeship standards approved for delivery. We need to significantly expand the number of degree apprenticeships available, particularly in the new sectors. We also need to level up opportunity across Wales, by ensuring that everyone can fulfil their potential, irrespective of where they live or where they come from. Wales has around 14 further education colleges, but only two are located in north Wales. We believe the potential of north Wales should be enhanced and nurtured to make the most of the opportunities that will be created by the north Wales growth deal. We would address this imbalance in the provision by developing an institute of technology in north Wales, focused on STEM subjects - science, technology, engineering and mathematics. Presiding Officer, to meet the goal of strengthening the Welsh economy, we must focus on some of the key issues facing us. These include the skills gap that threatens to leave Welsh workers behind the rest of the United Kingdom. Only then can we take advantage of the opportunities created by technological advancement. We must take the action required to help people meet the needs of the ever-changing economy of Wales, United Kingdom and the world. We can play a great part to make sure our lives are better. Thank you.
Welsh: Diolch yn fawr, Lywydd. Mae'n rhoi pleser mawr i mi agor y ddadl hon heddiw ar gydnabod pwysigrwydd addysg bellach yn y broses o ddatblygu sgiliau'r gweithlu yng Nghymru. Mae economi Cymru'n methu cyflawni ei photensial llawn. Mae'n wynebu nifer o heriau sylfaenol. Mae'r rhain yn cynnwys bwlch sgiliau mewn uwch-dechnoleg, a'r gofyniad am weithlu sydd â'r hyblygrwydd i addasu i economi fyd-eang sy'n newid yn barhaus. Mae pwysigrwydd sicrhau bod gan Gymru weithlu digon medrus a hyblyg i helpu i greu economi wydn ac ateb gofynion cyflogwyr yn glir. Dywed Llywodraeth Cymru ei hun: 'Dylai pob unigolyn feddu ar y sgiliau y mae eu hangen arno i ddod o hyd i swydd, a dylai gael y cyfle i feithrin sgiliau newydd drwy gydol ei fywyd gwaith.' Cau'r dyfyniad. Fodd bynnag, mae bwlch sgiliau wedi datblygu yng Nghymru sy'n costio tua £155 miliwn i fusnesau. Yn 2019, canfu 'Baromedr Busnes y Brifysgol Agored' fod 67 y cant o uwch arweinwyr busnes yn dweud bod eu sefydliad yn profi prinder sgiliau ar hyn o bryd; dywedodd 54 y cant o gyflogwyr na allent recriwtio digon o staff â'r sgiliau sydd eu hangen arnynt, yn enwedig ym maes peirianneg. Canfu adroddiad diweddar gan Barclays LifeSkills fod mwy na hanner y rhai dros 16 oed yng Nghymru yn methu arddangos yr holl sgiliau cyflogadwyedd sydd eu hangen yn y gweithle yn y dyfodol. Mae'r ffigurau ar gyfer sgiliau digidol hefyd yn destun pryder. Yn ôl y Swyddfa Ystadegau Gwladol, Cymru sydd â'r gyfran isaf o ddefnyddwyr y rhyngrwyd sy'n meddu ar y pum sgìl digidol sylfaenol. Dim ond 66 y cant o ddefnyddwyr y rhyngrwyd yng Nghymru sydd â'r pum sgìl sylfaenol, o'i gymharu â chyfartaledd y DU o 79 y cant. Ni ellir gorbwysleisio pwysigrwydd addysg bellach i fynd i'r afael â'r problemau hyn. Fodd bynnag, nododd ColegauCymru fod angen rhoi trefniadau ariannu mwy hirdymor ar waith. Mae'r cylch ariannu un flwyddyn cyfredol yn llesteirio meddwl a chynllunio hirdymor. Mae cyfanswm y cyllid grant ar gyfer y sector addysg bellach wedi gostwng 13 y cant mewn termau real rhwng 2011-12 a 2016-17. Gostyngodd cyllid ar gyfer darpariaeth ran-amser a rhaglenni penodol dros 70 y cant mewn termau real. Cred y Ceidwadwyr Cymreig fod yn rhaid i'r ansicrwydd ariannol hwn ddod i ben er mwyn galluogi colegau addysg bellach i barhau i ddarparu hyfforddiant sgiliau blaenllaw ac annog mwy o bobl i mewn i addysg bellach a dysgu gydol oes. Nid yw pawb yn gallu cymryd amser o'r gwaith i gael addysg amser llawn. Dywed y Brifysgol Agored yng Nghymru na ddylai addysg fod yn gynnig untro i bobl ifanc; dylai fod yn gynnig gydol oes, drwy gydol gyrfa rhywun. Mae arnom angen cynllun cyllido addysg, sgiliau a chyflogaeth cynhwysfawr ar gyfer oedolion i dyfu ein gweithlu ein hunain. Er bod Llywodraeth Cymru yn darparu grant i'r rhai 19 oed a throsodd sy'n astudio mewn addysg bellach, mae nifer y ceisiadau a nifer yr ymgeiswyr llwyddiannus wedi gostwng. Byddem yn cyflwyno lwfans dysgu i oedolion i'w ddefnyddio ar gyfer cwrs gradd, hyfforddiant technegol neu gyrsiau penodol. Byddai hyn yn gwneud y sgiliau, y cyrsiau a'r hyfforddiant yn fwy hygyrch i bobl, waeth beth fo'u sefyllfa ariannol. Mae Cymru ar ei hôl hi o ran cyflwyno prentisiaethau gradd. [ Torri ar draws.] Mae Cymru ar ei hôl hi o ran cyflwyno prentisiaethau gradd. Mewn ymateb i alwadau cynyddol gan gyflogwyr am sgiliau lefel uwch a llwybrau dysgu seiliedig ar waith ar lefel gradd, mae prentisiaethau gradd wedi dod yn ddull mwyfwy deniadol o gyflwyno addysg. Yng Nghymru, mae nifer y llwybrau prentisiaeth gradd yn gyfyngedig. Yn Lloegr, ar hyn o bryd mae 70 o safonau prentisiaeth gradd wedi'u cymeradwyo i'w cyflwyno. Mae angen inni ehangu nifer y prentisiaethau gradd sydd ar gael yn sylweddol, yn enwedig yn y sectorau newydd. Mae angen inni gael mwy o gyfleoedd ledled Cymru hefyd, drwy sicrhau bod pawb yn gallu cyflawni eu potensial, waeth ble maent yn byw neu o ble y deuant. Mae gan Gymru tua 14 o golegau addysg bellach, ond dim ond dau sydd wedi'u lleoli yng ngogledd Cymru. Credwn y dylai potensial gogledd Cymru gael ei wella a'i feithrin i fanteisio i'r eithaf ar y cyfleoedd a fydd yn cael eu creu gan fargen twf gogledd Cymru. Byddem yn mynd i'r afael â'r anghydbwysedd hwn yn y ddarpariaeth drwy ddatblygu sefydliad technoleg yng ngogledd Cymru, sy'n canolbwyntio ar bynciau STEM - gwyddoniaeth, technoleg, peirianneg a mathemateg. Lywydd, er mwyn cyrraedd y nod o gryfhau economi Cymru, rhaid inni ganolbwyntio ar rai o'r materion allweddol sy'n ein hwynebu. Mae'r rhain yn cynnwys y bwlch sgiliau sy'n bygwth gadael gweithwyr Cymru yn llusgo ar ôl gweddill y Deyrnas Unedig. Tan hynny, ni allwn fanteisio ar y cyfleoedd a grëir gan gynnydd technolegol. Mae'n rhaid inni gymryd y camau sy'n ofynnol i helpu pobl i ddiwallu anghenion economi Cymru, y Deyrnas Unedig a'r byd sy'n newid yn barhaus. Gallwn chwarae rhan fawr yn y broses o wella ein bywydau. Diolch.