May 17 – GSD: Government Has Failed To Engage With “Positive, Constructive” Training Proposal
The Opposition says it notes with disappointment Joe Bossano’s rejection of a “constructive suggestion” by Elliott Phillips that there is a real need to diversify Gibraltar’s apprenticeship programme to look towards to the training of skills in IT, software development and allied services.
The party says that Mr Bossano’s rejection of the GSD’s “positive and constructive” policy in this area is even more surprising given that during the General Election both Unite the Union and the Chamber of Commerce advocated the creation of a fit for purpose apprenticeship training programme in order to tackle the serious skills deficit. The GSD says it has consulted with a number of CEOs of companies who despite their intention to hire locals “are met with a very clear non-supply of qualified and experienced workforce in this area.”
A statement continued: “In today’s world, mobile apps, technology and communications form a very significant part of our daily lives and it crucial to the development of our economy. The current administration is seriously neglecting and failing to embrace the opportunities that exist by not offering quality training and development of skills in this industry.”
Shadow Minister for Employment, Elliott Phillips, said: “It is remarkable for the GSLP to suggest that we should stagnate and not create better opportunities for our young people in the new and emerging industries. The inability of the GSLP to constructively engage in a positive policy which will create sustainable jobs for the future is disappointing and demonstrates that they have lost touch with ordinary working people and our young. The GSD will not rest until we develop an apprenticeship training programme which offers our young people the ability to learn new skills and which meets the needs and growing demand of modern technology business. Our outreach to small and medium size local business has demonstrated that there is a serious skills shortage.
“This in our view is wholly unsatisfactory. Our principal asset is our people and technology business such as IT, software design, code development, app and gaming development are important spaces that we need to train our workforce to operate within in partnership with the existing players and educators.”
The GSD says it pledges to continue to work together with employers in this sector and identify further opportunities for the sake of Gibraltar and our young people.
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