First Minister’s Question Time – in the Scottish Parliament at on 25 April 2024.
Brian Whittle
Conservative
On a visit to Prestwick airport by the Economy and Fair Work Committee this week, we learned that the engineering cluster that includes the airport and surrounding companies is burgeoning at the seams and is desperate to expand. However, there is a severe shortage of apprentices. That is also the message in respect of potential investment from XLCC at Hunterston.
Ayrshire College is very keen to deliver the required apprenticeships, but it has had its apprenticeship funding cut. There is now £84 million of public funding put back into the pot with the demise of the Mangata Networks proposal at Prestwick; that was an investment from the Ayrshire growth deal. Would it not make sense to redeploy that money through the regional skills initiative, invest in the Ayrshire College apprenticeship programme and solve the issues that Ayrshire’s engineering works are facing?
Humza Yousaf
Scottish National Party
Brian Whittle raises a very important point, and I am grateful to him for raising it in the chamber. With regard to the Ayrshire growth deal, that will be a decision for all the partners as part of the deal. I thank Brian Whittle for making a suggestion that is well worth exploring, in particular in relation to funding for apprentices. We know how valuable apprentices are, and how valuable the apprenticeship scheme is. I promise him that we will take a look at that suggestion, and I would encourage local partners, as part of the Ayrshire growth deal, to take a look at it, too, and we can see whether we can find a resolution.
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