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Jeff Cuthbert AM

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Education and skills

Education and skills
In this section of the website you will find information about our education policies and what support is available from us.
Jeff Cuthbert AM
Biographical details and Ministerial responsibilities of the Deputy Minister for Skills and Technology.

Jeff grew up in South Wales and was educated at University College Cardiff. He has a degree in mining engineering and was President of University College Cardiff Students Union from 1974-1975. He is currently an active member of the Unite trade union.

Prior to entering the National Assembly in 2003 Jeff was employed by the Welsh Joint Education Committee as the Head of the Asset to Industry Unit. This unit worked on the development of vocational and industrial qualifications and standards.

Jeff founded and chaired the Cross-Party Built Environment Group, the Cross-Party Healthy Living Group and the Cross Party Group on Diabetes. He co-founded and co-chaired the Cross-Party Beer and Pub Group. In the last Assembly Jeff Chaired the Committee on Standards of Conduct and also sat on the European and External Affairs Committee, the Enterprise and Learning Committee and Public Accounts Committee.

Jeff is involved with a number of local projects in Caerphilly, most notably he is the Chair of the Caerphilly Miners Community Centre Management Committee.

Following re-election to the National Assembly for Wales in May 2011, Jeff Cuthbert was appointed Deputy Minister for Skills and in March 2013 was appointed Deputy Minister for Skills and Technology.

The Deputy Minister for Skills and Technology is responsible for:

  • Sector skills strategies;
  • Sector Skills Councils’ relicensing, performance and development;
  • Sector skills development funds;
  • Work with Sector Skills Councils and stakeholders on the development and piloting of Apprenticeship frameworks including Shared Apprenticeship model, Apprenticeship Clearing House, Young Recruits ,Apprenticeship Unit, Apprenticeship pathways;
  • Wales Employment and Skills Board and the Commission for Employment and Skills;  
  • Vocational qualifications for all ages; 
  • Key and Essential skills qualifications for all ages;
  • Implementation of the Credit and Qualifications Framework for Wales; 
  • Wales TUC Learning Services and Wales Union Learning Fund;
  • Chwarae Teg;
  • ESF priorities 2 and 3 relating to in- work skills development and higher level skills;
  • Leadership and Management Skills development;
  • Investors in People;
  • Proact and its successor programme Skills Growth Wales;
  • Simplification and integration of business skills and business development services; 
  • Development, retention and attraction of higher level research students for Wales;
  • React and Adapt; 
  • Workforce Development Programme; 
  • Maximisation of economic benefits of higher education research and development; 
  • Programmes designed to support businesses to develop the skills of their workforce .This includes support for individuals and businesses and for strategic partnerships with key national and sectoral stakeholders;   
  • Workforce skills development, including support for individuals and businesses and for strategic partnerships with key stakeholders such as  Sector Skills Councils and the Wales Employment and Skills Board in respect of assessing skills demand; 
  • Worldskills;
  • NEETS;
  • Youth and Young Adult Employment;
  • Prisoner learning;
  • Apprenticeship and Skillbuild policy and delivery;
  • ‘Skills That Work For Wales’ Strategy and Action Plan;
  • Joint Employment Delivery Board for Wales including Labour Market Framework; 
  • ESF Priority 1 and for employability, Priority 2 
  • Quality Effectiveness Framework in further education, work-based and lifelong learning;
  • Work with stakeholders on the development and piloting of employability programmes, including Skillbuild; 
  • Young People’s Guarantee;
  • Jobs Growth Wales
  • Employability and careers advice, including sponsorship of Careers Wales;
  • Further Education (other than Further Education Governance).
  • Digital Wales: co-ordination of the cross-cutting ICT strategy;
  • Broadband and ICT infrastructure;
  • High Performance Computing for Wales project;
  • A4B programme; 
  • Software Alliance; and
  • GO Wales.
Lead Ministers retain responsibility for those functions allocated to Deputy Ministers for the purposes of representing those issues in Cabinet.  For all other purposes, Deputy Ministers deliver those responsibilities on a day to day basis including answering AQs.
The Deputy Minister for Skills and Technology reports to the Minister for Education and Skills in matters relating to Skills and Higher Education and to the Minister for Economy, Science and Transport in respect of technology.

Writing to Ministers

Contact Jeff Cuthbert by email at: correspondence.jeff.cuthbert@wales.gsi.gov.uk

We aim to provide a response to correspondence to Ministers, including electronic mail within 17 working days.  Ministers will respond to matters that fall within their portfolio. Please follow the link ‘Writing to Ministers’ on the left hand side to direct your correspondence to the right Minister.