Cnect Wales has launched a new Fast Track Talent Academy designed to accelerate career paths in the areas of Data & AI, Cybersecurity, Fraud & Risk Management, and Financial Analysis.
Supported by Cardiff Capital Region and Cardiff & Vale College, the 12-month programme builds on the success of the award-winning Graduate Programme Wales.
The programme has been developed specifically to address the skills shortages in high demand sectors across the region and to create new talent pipelines for the future. Participants will gain practical experience through a 12-month work experience placement with a local employer while studying for a fully funded level 5 or level 7 accreditation, delivered by an accredited FE/HE provider.
Applications opened in June with a response of more than 500 high-quality candidates looking to secure a place on the programme and gain access to accelerated learning and paid work experience.
Sandra Busby, Managing Director of Cnect Wales said:
“The appetite is there, people want jobs in these sectors but what we now need is for employers to partner with us and host the 12-month placements.
“It’s a high return on investment – they’ll get access to talented, enthusiastic individuals without incurring any recruitment costs, benefit from tailoring their skills set to plug relevant skills gaps and have additional support from the Cnect Wales team.”
Employers can access the programme if they are struggling to recruit in the areas of Data & AI, Cybersecurity, Fraud & Risk Management, and Financial Analysis including retraining staff when creating new roles in these sectors.
James Scorey, Vice Principal Business Development at Cardiff and Vale College added:
“The Fast Track Talent Academy is a partnership driven response to address skills gaps in a key sector for the Cardiff Capital Region. The programme will see new high quality job opportunities created with Cnect Wales bringing together industry and education partners to deliver the programme and ensure individuals are provided with the latest training and skills development.
The programme will support business productivity and growth and will aim to maximise reach and engagement with a diverse pool of talent. We look forward to the programme starting and seeing the results and impact of this exciting initiative.”
For more information on the Fast Track Talent Academy contact Caroline@cnectwales.uk
