5 projects get 750k to boost skills and job prospects

16 October 2024

Five Powys projects have received Shared Prosperity Fund support worth a total of £750,000 in the last eight months to help people find work or secure better jobs.

The awards have been made by the Powys Shared Prosperity Fund (SPF) Local Partnership Board, supported by Powys County Council's Economy and Climate Service, under its People and Skills theme.

The successful projects are:

• Accelerating Decarbonisation and Productivity through Training and Skills, £250,000, to University of Sheffield AMRC Cymru, to provide 80 employees at 16 companies with training in advanced manufacturing techniques.
• Green Digital Transformation, £248,287, to Aberystwyth University, to provide training for Powys businesses which are seeking investment for, or commissioning, new digital systems.
• Transition into Meaningful Employment, £124,183, to Powys County Council's Economy and Climate Service, for employment guidance, support and mentoring for young people aged 16-19.
• Digital Confidence Powys, £99,068, to Cwmpas, for a project offering digital inclusion advice and training in community and council run settings, and for some equipment for those without internet access.
• Preparing for Sustainable Futures, £29,462, to NPTC Group of Colleges, to offer a short course on Sustainable Futures free of charge to students returning to education or looking to make a career change.

"Our objectives under the People and Skills theme are to boost core skills and support adults to progress in work, reduce levels of economic inactivity, support people furthest from the labour market to overcome barriers to work, and support local areas to fund gaps in local skills provision to support people to progress in work, and supplement local adult skills provision," said Councillor David Selby, the council's Cabinet Member for a More Prosperous Powys and Chair of the Powys SPF Local Partnership Board.

For more information on the UK SPF in Powys visit: UK Shared Prosperity Fund or email: ukspf@powys.gov.uk

The Powys SPF Local Partnership Board is responsible for deciding how the just over £26 million in SPF money allocated to Powys for 2022-25, by the UK Government, should be spent.

The partnership includes Powys County Council, Bannau Brycheiniog National Park Authority, Powys Teaching Health Board, NPTC Group of Colleges, Business Wales, Mid Wales Regional Skills Partnership, Mid Wales Tourism, Mid Wales Manufacturing Group, Powys Association of Voluntary Organisations, Wales YFC, NFU Cymru, Farmers' Union of Wales, Chambers Wales, and One Voice Wales.