ECA progress on Welsh Recharging Electrical Skills Charter

Over the past five months, ECA (Electrical Contractors’ Association) has been working hard to make progress on the ‘asks’ of the Recharging Electrical Skills Charter at the Senedd in Wales, which was launched on 20 November.

Some of the areas of progress includes:

• Apprenticeships - A selection of ECA members from every part of Wales will be sharing their views and experiences as apprentice employers at a meeting with Medr’s Head of Apprenticeships at the end of April.   
• Adult upskilling - ECA will shortly submit a proposal to Medr for collaboration to improve electrical industry awareness and take-up of courses funded under both Personal Learning Accounts and the Flexible Skills Programme.
• Regions - We are on track to launch at least two regional Electrotechnical Training and Careers Alliances (ETCAs) in Wales by the end of this year. At the moment the Cardiff Capital Region and North Wales are being looked at for potential ETCAs. Exploratory discussions should also get under way soon in South-West Wales.
• Procurement - With ECA support, the Joint Industry Board (JIB) is now developing a strategy and plan to lobby Welsh Government for stronger social value provisions in public procurement. This follows on from a successful JIB Regional Skills Forum in Cardiff in February, attended by many ECA members from across Wales.
• Influencing - ECA is continuing to meet and talk about our industry and Charter to Senedd members, civil servants and even ministers (including Cabinet Secretary for the Economy, Rebecca Evans). Swansea-based member Bowen Hopkins Ltd. features in ECA’s video series called ‘Electrifying our Future’, which was launched at the House of Lords in March.  

A Steering Group of members from all three ECA regions in Wales is overseeing these and other activities as part of an agreed action plan to deliver the Charter. 

A full meeting of ECA’s all-Wales Skills Forum will be scheduled later this year (approximately early autumn). ECA hopes to have made further progress on these areas.

For other information, please talk to your ECA Regional Manager, or email EducationandTraining@eca.co.uk.