GSD warns of ‘no skills’ generation

The GSD has claimed that the Government's “non-policy” on skills training will leave a lost generation of young people without skills and the Rock’s position within the global digital economy weakened. In calling on the Government to harness the opportunities now the Opposition has said it will not stand idly by on this issue.

“We will continue to place this subject at the top of the political agenda and be the voice of the many in our community who believe that now more than ever we must invest in skills training for future generations of our people,” the GSD said in a statement.

It further flagged and welcomed recent comments by Playtec's COO in respect of educating the next generation with skills such as IT and software development.

“It is precisely this message and policy that the GSD have been proposing for a number of years,” the Opposition claimed adding that it has consistently set out its vision on skills training in order to position Gibraltar in the global digital economy particularly in the context of the challenges presented by Brexit.

“On numerous occasions over the last few years the Opposition pressed the Government in respect to its position in relation to the skills deficit, the creation of better opportunities for our young people and the development of a well-skilled workforce for the challenges that face our community.”

“The statement by Playtec's COO supports and clearly reinforces our longstanding commitment to investing in our future generations so that they are the first choice for employers now and in the future and demonstrates how out of touch the Government are on this issue.”

Elliott Phillips MP said: "In March last year I again raised the issue of diversification of skills training and the introduction of skills in IT and software development in Parliament directly with the Government.”

“Mr Bossano categorically rejected our proposal saying that there was no need for diversifying the programme."

"Mr Phillips went on to say: "In my very first budget speech to Parliament in 2016 I said: ‘When I speak about the modern-day apprenticeship I am also talking directly to those young people in their rooms at home who dream about building online games, mobile apps and developing software.”

“I am also talking to those people that don’t feel supported by the system so that we can reach out to them to enable them to realise their ambitions.”

“I genuinely believe that we are missing a trick,” he said.

In November of last year the GSD brought a Motion to Parliament seeking Government support to tackle the ‘serious skills deficit’ and need for the introduction of high quality apprenticeship for the training of skills in technology and allied services in existing and emerging business.

“The Government did not take the Motion seriously thereby failing to embrace the opportunity of offering quality training and development of skills in this industry.”

“Instead the Opposition was faced with a hostile tirade by Neil Costa who churlishly retorted: "On these benches we are unsure how this government or indeed any other government can train our compatriots for a business that is emerging, short of, of course, subscribing to Harry Potter’s book of wizardry …"

“This Government's legacy will be a failure to heed the advice of the Opposition, Unions, the Chamber of Commerce and important businesses on the question of skills training.”

“The Government's non-policy on skills training will leave a lost generation of young people without skills and our position within the global digital economy weakened.”

“We will continue to place this subject at the top of the political agenda and be the voice of the many in our community who believe that now more than ever we must invest in skills training for future generations of our people.”