Local apprentices and graduate trainees working on the bypass are learning new skills through the Skills Academy programme.
This was published under the 2016 to 2021 administration of the Welsh Government
The Minister spoke as she met apprentices working on the project to see how Welsh Government capital projects are contributing to the development skills of people in Wales.
£7.6 million of the £95m project has been spent on employing people, including apprentices, from Wales working on the scheme. Alun Griffiths Contractors have placed a strong emphasis on providing local employment and training opportunities as part of the project through their Skills Academy Programme in partnership with Coleg Powys. There are currently 16 apprentices and graduate trainees working on the bypass.
The Minister said:
“I have been very impressed with the apprentices and graduate trainees I have met today. They are all hard-working committed individuals with a wide range of skills
“The training they are receiving as part of this project is an excellent example of how large Welsh Government capital projects like the Newtown Bypass are delivering far more than just new tarmac and quicker journey times.
“Alun Griffiths Contractors are to be commended for the work they are doing in delivering apprenticeships and traineeships through their Skills Academy Programme. It’s a win-win situation as the company are ensuring they have a workforce with the skills they need to flourish while local people are taking opportunities to build highly skilled interesting careers for themselves.”
“This is exactly the sort of collaboration between employers, training providers and the Welsh Government that our recently published Employability Plan is aiming to achieve. Through working together we can improve the skills and lives of people in Wales.”