Over 1000 Tata Steel employees supported through public skills funding

Over one thousand employees who faced uncertain futures as a result of Tata Steel UK’s decision to cease blast furnace steel production at Port Talbot have been supported to develop new skills through an innovative programme of local learning.

Funded initially by the Welsh Government and since August 2024 by Medr, the new body responsible for funding and regulating the tertiary* sector in Wales, the Personal Learning Account (PLA) scheme has seen significant uptake, in many cases quickly equipping learners with the skills for alternative employment. 

Over the last academic year alone, the Tata Steel intervention PLAs have supported over 800 Tata workers to undertake 995 PLA courses with a further 215 learners undertaking well over 300 courses supported over recent months.

Ben, a 40 year old father of two teenagers had been working at Tata for 24 years, and is one of the former employees to benefit from a PLA. After identifying and completing multiple courses with the NPTC Group of Colleges, he has now found alternative employment. 

Ben said: “I picked the courses I did because they best suited me as a way of building on and reinforcing my experiences and Tata based training, which is not always officially accredited to external bodies. Having had limited success in the job market for the roles I was interested in, it’s been a real eye-opener to see the impact the accreditations I’ve obtained have had.

“I’ve since had interest from multiple roles and companies and I’ve recently accepted a job on a major UK energy project not far from Port Talbot. I’m really enjoying it.’

Simon Pirotte, Chief Executive of Medr explained: “Clearly, recent events in Port Talbot have required many employees and supply chain businesses to look afresh at their futures.

“What we, and the Welsh Government before us, have managed to do by targeting funding to meet the specific needs of those able to access it, is to work with our colleges, training providers and local businesses to not only provide many with the optimism of alternative employment but in many cases deliver the skills which have helped deliver just that.

“I’m delighted to confirm that following its successes – this ringfenced intervention will continue into 2025/2026”

The Welsh Government Minister for Further and Higher Education, Vikki Howells said: “We made a commitment to the entire community in Port Talbot that they would not be left behind as a result of Tata Steel’s decision to quickly change operations at the steelworks and these bespoke Personal Learning Accounts are an excellent example of how we, working with Medr and partners, are providing impactful interventions to re-skill and support people into alternative local employment.

“I’m very pleased to see Medr continue this intervention into 2026 and would encourage anyone eligible who has not yet accessed it to consider how it might be beneficial to them.”

The Personal Learning Account programme aims to help individuals to upskill or reskill in priority sectors, particularly those earning below the median gross annual figure for full-time adults working in Wales. By focusing on national priority sectors, the programme enhances participants’ career and earnings potential. The Tata Steel PLA removes some of the earning access requirements in order to make the support more tailored for the different needs of the workforce.

Individuals can apply either directly to the colleges or through Working Wales. All institutions will ensure they have a process in place to support Personal Learning Account applications, undertake the initial assessment and process enrolment.

Notes

*The tertiary sector relates to education for people above mandatory school age -including but not confined to college, university, and vocational settings.

A targeted intervention for the Tata workforce has been operational from 1st April 2024. Since then, those  directly employed by Tata Steel UK and the company’s Welsh supply chain have been eligible for a targeted Personal Learning Account (PLA), providing the flexible support necessary to retrain and change career.

All applicants must in addition be offered employability support through the Careers Wales Steps to Employment Programme. Where individuals have confirmed that they would welcome additional support, the Further Education institutions must aim to provide them with the tools needed.

This funding and intervention is in addition to funding announced by the Tata Transition Board.