MORE THAN £300 million of financial support will be pledged to schools and apprenticeships in a bid to improve skills across Wales.

Education secretary Kirsty Williams has announced £50 million of capital funding will go towards improving facilities and learning environments for higher

Over the next two years, £10 million will be granted to FE institutions to allow investment in industry-standard training equipment.

A further £10 million will be made available for essential maintenance and safety provisions.

An additional £30 million - £10 million per year over the next three years – will be allocated to expand the 21st Century Schools programme, reduce surplus capacity and create a “more energy-efficient estate” across the country.

Ms Williams said: Our £50m capital investment for the FE and HE sector will enable them to provide state of the art facilities, improving learning environments for students and satisfying local employer needs.

“This investment is crucial both for our learners and for the wider economy.”

Julia James, minister for skills and science, has also confirmed that £260 million will be invested in apprenticeships over the next two years to support the commitment of creating 100,000 all-age apprenticeships by 2021.

The minister said that the funding boost will help build on the Welsh Government delivering “one of the most successful apprenticeship programmes in Europe”.

“We are committed to raising skills standards across the board in Wales and through our draft budget are putting investments in place to do just that,” she added.

“Apprenticeships are the start of an exciting and rewarding career, giving people an opportunity to gain on the job experience while gaining all the skills and qualifications they need.”