Wales is experiencing significant challenges following the conclusion of EU project funding for graduate employment.
- Historically, Wales has faced higher unemployment rates, but EU support helped narrow the gap with England.
- Over 8,000 Welsh graduates benefited from the GO Wales project, yet its funding has now ceased.
- Employers and graduates alike are struggling, as alternative training schemes conclude without immediate replacements.
- There is potential for new funding, but the situation remains unresolved and uncertain.
Wales, traditionally grappling with elevated unemployment rates, was able to gain some ground in workforce development thanks to European Union support. The EU funding initiatives, particularly the GO Wales project, aimed to enhance employment opportunities for Welsh graduates and young trainees, helping to bridge the employment gap with England.
The GO Wales initiative alone benefited more than 8,000 Welsh graduates, with 71% securing full-time employment and over half gaining permanent roles at their placement companies. However, after 11 fruitful years, the project funding has reached its end. In the absence of GO Wales, new funding applications are underway, but employers and graduates currently find themselves without a dedicated recruitment programme. Moreover, other training projects, such as Software Alliance Wales, are also concluding, adding to the difficulties faced by employers seeking experienced candidates.
The conclusion of these initiatives has left Wales without even a portal for companies to express interest in hiring graduates. The Jobs Growth Wales scheme was the last remaining initiative, but it too ended on 31 March.
An anonymous employer expressed frustration, highlighting the desperate need for qualified staff, especially in software development. This employer lamented the influx of unsuitable CVs and the disappearance of supportive programmes like Software Alliance Wales. “We’ve been left high and dry whilst Wales awaits more funding,” the employer stated.
Political concerns echo these sentiments. Joshua Parry, a prospective parliamentary candidate for Plaid Cymru, criticised the lack of a cohesive strategy from the Welsh government to retain graduates, describing the situation as a “travesty”. He voiced significant concern over the government’s slow response to replacing GO Wales and questioned the contingency plans in place for future services.
There remains a glimmer of hope, with potential new funding perceived as a ‘temporary gap’ rather than a permanent cut. The Higher Education Funding Council for Wales has submitted proposals for additional European funding to develop a student programme and a graduate employability scheme. The outcome will be revealed in 2015, but any new initiatives cannot come soon enough for those affected.
The future of training and graduate recruitment in Wales is, at present, precarious, with critical questions about the duration of this gap and what strategies will fill the void.
The uncertainty surrounding future funding leaves Welsh graduates and employers in a difficult position, awaiting solutions.
