ColegauCymru calls for action from the next Welsh government by launching their new Manifesto
ColegauCymru calls for action from the next Welsh government by launching their new Manifesto
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By guest writer Max Taylor
ColegauCymru has launched a manifesto for the 2026 Senedd election, emphasising the need for further education and work-based learning to be transformed in Wales.
The education charity who promote the public benefit of further education in the country have proposed three missions they believe should be top priority for the next Welsh government.
The first mission is to grow the economy. As artificial intelligence and net zero targets begin to majorly influence industries across the nation, ColegauCymru believes workforces need to be equipped with updated skills that handle challenges these new developments pose.
For this to be achieved, ColegauCymru are calling for the delivery of a Vocational Education and Training Strategy. This strategy aligns with economic and industrial priorities and is crucial to driving economic growth and developing green skills.
The second outlined mission is to improve participation, progression, and outcomes in post-16 education. ColegauCymru are seeing an increasing number of students not being made aware of the high-quality teaching and career pathways on offer through FE.
Next year’s government is encouraged by ColegauCymru to commit to a new 14-19 learning progression pathway and initiate a multi-year funding cycle that provides colleges with sustainable growth and ultimately achieves their target of 125,000 apprenticeships by the end of the next term of the Senedd.
The final mission in the manifesto is to combat inequality and poverty across generations by providing adult education and making it accessible in colleges for adults to re-learn and upskill.
ColegauCymru believe this can be supported by the government delivering a long-term policy that begins with cuts on adult learning being reversed. The aim of this is to result in colleges providing resources for adults to access learning new skills in any stage of their life.
ColegauCymru Chief Executive, David Hagendyk, stated: “This Manifesto is a call to action.
“The next Senedd term will be defining for Wales’ future, and colleges must be at the heart of this future. We need a new mission-driven approach that empowers the FE and Work-Based Learning sectors to deliver real and lasting change.”
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