The organisation providing careers advice for people of all ages across Wales has been hit by a double blow which UNISON says threatens its future and with it, the provision of high quality support to students and adults seeking employment. Careers Wales, which is owned by the Welsh government, is already reeling from a multi-million pound cut in its budget over the last five years and hundreds of redundancies.
Staff were led to believe their jobs would be secured by providing careers advice as part of the Welsh government’s flagship Employability and Apprenticeship Programme, only for it to be announced that this work could be put out to competitive tender. UNISON has warned this could result in the privatisation of the service. Now staff have been told that a further sixty jobs will go because the budget is being further squeezed and the trade union has said there is a real danger that the Welsh government is allowing its own organisation to ‘wither on the vine’.
UNISON regional organiser, Jeff Baker said,
“Quality careers advice is vital and helps with economic regeneration and the Welsh government seemed to understand that by taking ownership of the careers service. Yet the budget and staff numbers have halved in the last five years. We’ve lost an incredible £22m in funding and 600 members of staff. With another cut of £2.7m announced, you’re left wondering how the service is going to survive. That can’t be good news for how we help our young people or unemployed back into work. These cuts are counterproductive.”
UNISON Convenor at Careers Wales, Neil Parry, said,
“As Welsh government owns Careers Wales there is no obligation to put the Employability and Apprenticeship Programme work out to tender and it is perfectly legal to give this work direct to Careers Wales staff. Under tendering, it is likely that the redundancies caused by the Welsh Government funding shortfall would make it very difficult if not impossible for Careers Wales to compete fairly.”
UNISON has written to Minister for Skills and Science, Julie James AM, objecting to the redundancies and the possible privatisation. Emergency meetings with Assembly Members are planned throughout the rest of January.