Future Skills Wales Survey – Welsh Language Skills in Seven Sectors
A report to the Future Skills Wales Partnership by
Beaufort Research and Menter a Busnes
March 2005
FINAL REPORT
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Future Skills Wales Survey – Welsh Language Skills in Seven Sectors
Executive Summary
This report on Welsh Language Skills Needs in the Private Sector has been
prepared by Beaufort Research and Menter a Busnes, on behalf of the Future
Skills Wales Partnership.
The project involved a comprehensive research programme conducted during
the latter stages of 2004 and early 2005, including a survey of almost 2,000
businesses in Wales and focused on those industry sectors found to have an
average or higher need for Welsh language skills. The methodology of the
survey and accompanying research is included in Section 3 of the report.
A key aim of this study was to complement recent work, most notably the
Future Skills Wales 2003 Generic Skills Survey and ELWa’s 2004 study into the
Welsh Language Skills Needs of Employers Operating Welsh Language Schemes.
Key findings revealed in the report include:
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9% of businesses interviewed report a need for Welsh Language skills
amongst employees.
The sector with the highest need was the Media where 18% of businesses
reported a need for Welsh language skills.
The lowest need of all sectors was Retail, Wholesale and Other Services
with only 5% reporting a need for Welsh language skills
Region also has a great influence on the level of demand for Welsh
language skills. For example, a third of businesses in the North West have
a need for such skills compared with just 3% in the South East. Only 8%
of businesses in the South West and 10% in Mid Wales reported having a
need for Welsh language skills.
Medium to large businesses (over 50 at the location) are as likely have a
need for Welsh language skills as micro businesses (2-4 employees).
However, businesses with 25 – 49 employees are much less likely to have
a need for Welsh language skills compared with all the other employee
size bands.
15% of those who stated they had no present need for Welsh language
skills said that having staff with the right Welsh language skills was
important to their business.
Businesses reporting a need for Welsh language skills place a greater
importance on Speaking and Listening skills than on Reading and Writing
skills
On average, the higher the level of Occupation within companies who say
they have a need for Welsh language skills, the higher the level of Welsh
language skills needed, and this is true both for Speaking/Listening and
Reading/Writing skills
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Future Skills Wales Survey – Welsh Language Skills in Seven Sectors
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The results show clear variances between sectors. For example, AgriFood, Media, Tourism and Leisure and Finance and Business Services
sectors show higher levels of Welsh language skills needs than that of the
Care or Retail sectors.
Of the great majority of businesses that did not recognise a need for
Welsh language skills, 11% foresaw the situation changing within the next
5 years, indicating a small potential increase in demand for Welsh
language skills.
Businesses with a need for Welsh language skills are most likely to think
of going to a local college or university for advice and help about
improving the Welsh language skills of their workforce. Very few
businesses with a need mentioned that they would think of going to
Mentrau Iaith or ELWa.
A high proportion of respondents failed to give a view on some
statements about the quality, availability and cost of training through the
medium of Welsh. This strongly suggests that most businesses have had
limited experience of Welsh medium or Welsh language training.
Despite businesses’ low level of need for Welsh language skills amongst
employees when asked the question outright, there are some indications
elsewhere that actual demand may be higher than this response would
suggest. There are other headline findings indicating that some Welsh
businesses consider the ability to do business in Welsh a key factor in
providing high levels of customer care. For example, 29% of all
respondents indicated that their customers like to be offered the choice
of either English or Welsh. Further evidence outlined in the report
shows that 20% of all respondents viewed having the right Welsh
language skills as important to the success of their business.
Initial expectations were that the level of stated need for Welsh language skills
among private sector employers in Wales would be higher, based on the FSW
Generic Skills Survey of 2003, where 38% of businesses and organisations across
Wales said that they had a need for Welsh language skills at different levels.
However, only 21% stated in the FSW Generic Skills Survey 2003 that they
needed Welsh language skills above a basic level and the FSW survey included
public sector bodies in its coverage. The FSW Generic Skills Survey results were
utilised in designing the sample to be drawn for this survey which attempted to
focus on sectors likely to have at least an average need for Welsh language Skills.
The report highlights a number of themes from the research findings and outlines
headline policy issues to be considered by the Future Skills Wales Partnership
and others. They include the need to improve awareness amongst the private
sector as to the potential commercial benefits of the Welsh language, particularly
in terms of customer retention and new market penetration. In this context, the
need to integrate Welsh language planning with the Economic Development and
Skills/Training policy agendas is outlined as a clear priority in successfully engaging
the private sector.
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Future Skills Wales Survey – Welsh Language Skills in Seven Sectors
Finally, a spatial perspective is given in terms of planning future policy and
programme interventions by the public sector. The report supplements this by
outlining the need to mainstream Welsh language skills as a component within
more generic training such as Customer Care for example. A key reason for this
is that Welsh businesses seem to view the ability to speak, read or write Welsh
not to be a skill as such, but more of a naturally occurring attribute. The report
identifies this perception as a potential barrier to the further development of
Welsh language skills as a commercially and economically advantageous tool.
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Future Skills Wales Survey – Welsh Language Skills in Seven Sectors
Table of Contents
Executive Summary………………………………………………………
ii
Table of Contents……………………………………………………………
5
1.
Introduction……………………………………………………………
7
2.
Context………………………………………………………………...
8
3.
Methodology…………………………………………………………...
10
3.1
Desk-based research…………………………………………………...
10
3.2
Quantitative Research………………………………………………….
14
3.2.1 Development of Quantitative Research……………………………
14
3.2.2 Conducting the Research………………………………………………
16
3.3
Case Studies……………………………………………………………
21
4.
Findings………………………………………………………………....
23
4.1
Business requirements for Welsh Language skills…………………….
23
4.1.1 Business language……………………………………………………….
27
4.2
28
Identifying current and future employees skills level…………
4.2.2 Recruitment……………………………………………………………
28
4.2.3 Improving Welsh Language skills of staff…………………………
30
4.3 Welsh Language skills requirements across job occupations……
33
4.4 Respondents who do not have a need for Welsh Language
skills……….………………………………………………………………….
39
4.4.1 Improving Welsh Language skills in future - those without a
present need …………………………………………………………………
40
4.5 Attitudes of businesses to Welsh Language skills…………………
44
4.6 Summary of main issues…………………………………………………
47
5.
50
Policy Issues……………………………………………………………..
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Appendices
Appendix 1: Survey Questionnaire
Appendix 2: Welsh Language Skill Level Matrix
Appendix 3: Occupation Grids (for each sector)
Appendix 4: Introductory Letter
Appendix 5: Pre-Interview Contact Script
Appendix 6: Pre-Interview Call Outcomes
Appendix 7: Main Fieldwork Call Outcomes
Appendix 8: Unitary Authorities
Appendix 9: Industry Sectors in Research Universe
Appendix 10: Detailed Analysis of Welsh Language Skill Level Requirements across
Occupational Groups
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1. Introduction
This report was commissioned by the Future Skills Wales (FSW) Partnership and
considers the Welsh language skills needs of the private sector in Wales. The FSW
Partnership includes members from ACCAC, Basic Skills Agency, Careers Wales,
CBI Wales, Dysg, ESTYN, Federation of Small Businesses, Fforwm, Higher Education
Wales, Jobcentre Plus, Local Government Data Unit – Wales, National Council –
ELWa, National Training Federation for Wales, Secondary Heads Association, Sector
Skills Development Agency, Wales Council for Voluntary Action, Wales TUC
Cymru, Welsh Assembly Government, Welsh Development Agency and the Welsh
Local Government Association. The Steering Group for this project includes
members from ACCAC, Careers Wales, CiTB, Welsh Language Board, Jobcentre
Plus and ELWa. The research was conducted from October 2004 to January 2005
and involved a telephone survey of 1,960 businesses. All employers were based in
Wales, had at least one employee and belonged to an industry sector identified as
having a fairly high demand for Welsh language skills.
Research aim and objectives
This research aimed to identify the scale and types of Welsh language skills gaps and
shortages within the private sector in Wales to assist the development of appropriate
learning and training opportunities and materials.
The research objectives were defined as:
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Using the Future Skills Wales 2003 Generic Skills Survey Research, to establish
those private industry sectors and occupations identified as having Welsh language
skills needs.
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Determine to what extent and at what level skills in written, spoken or read
Welsh are required, and identify any industry sector or geographical issues that
may affect this.
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Find out the effects and impact that Welsh language/ bilingual skills (or lack of
them) are having on businesses within these sectors.
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To consider the impact of geography on the level of requirement for Welsh
language skills.
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Establish the types of training the private sector require and whether they are
aware of current availability.
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To identify those sectors with no or low stated Welsh language / bilingual skills
needs to understand why this skill is not seen as being of importance.
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Future Skills Wales Survey – Welsh Language Skills in Seven Sectors
2. Context
The challenge facing Welsh employers in recruiting people with the right mix of
aptitudes and skills has implications not just for that particular company or
organisation, but for the wider performance of our domestic economy. The absence
of a particular skill can hamper a company’s ability to provide goods and services in
consolidation markets and to compete for new growth segments.
In its National Economic Development Strategy, A Winning Wales, the Welsh
Assembly Government has set ambitious targets for improving the Welsh economy.
With the accompanying Action Plans for Skills, Innovation, Entrepreneurship,
Business and the Environment and Trade, it sets out a ten-year vision for building a
Wales which will ‘help to create and attract high added-value businesses, promote
enterprise, create the conditions for sustainable development and support long-term
jobs in all our communities’. The strategic agenda in Wales: a Better Country promotes
the vision of a ‘diverse, competitive, high added-value economy, with high-quality
skills and education, that minimises demands on the environment’. Additionally, the
Wales Spatial Plan People, Places, Futures seeks to ensure that the Welsh Assembly
Government and its partners and agencies develop policies in a way which considers
the different challenges and opportunities in the different parts of Wales, including
geographic and cultural distinctiveness.
This study, together with the Future Skills Wales 2003 Generic Skills Survey report
and ELWa’s report into skills needs in the public sector, is relevant to this wider
economic perspective in that it helps drive forward the agenda for fulfilling the skills
needs of employers in Wales as a means of promoting economic effectiveness.
Iaith Pawb, the Welsh Assembly Government’s strategic plan for promoting and
developing the Welsh language sets out its vision for the Wales of the future as
being a truly bilingual country, where people can choose to live their lives through
the medium of either or both Welsh or English and where the presence of the two
languages is a source of pride and strength to all. ELWa’s Strategy for Bilingual
Learning includes information on the work of ELWa’s Bilingual Unit to develop
Welsh medium and Welsh language learning which will play a significant part in the
Welsh Assembly’s vision for the Welsh language by improving opportunities for
learners to acquire or better their Welsh language skills to meet the needs of
employers in Wales. The Language Economy Discussion Group, set up by the Welsh
Assembly Government, has a brief to look in more detail at the links between
economic development and the Welsh language and to generate economic and
linguistic benefits by bringing together aspects of economic development and
language development. The intention of the ‘Programme of Action for Economic
Development and the Welsh Language’ is to increase understanding of the issues and
to encourage practical action. It will build on what already exists in the fields of
economic development and language development in order to add extra value to
both.
Learning Country: Learning Pathways 14 – 19 is already making headway in helping to
achieve the goal of raising the attainment and ambition of young people. The Skills and
Employment Action Plan also identifies ways forward in bringing together various
education, skills and economic agendas. Engagement between business and education is
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Future Skills Wales Survey – Welsh Language Skills in Seven Sectors
essential to long-term sustainability and can bring immediate benefits. Up-to-date and
relevant labour and employment market information and intelligence is a crucial
element so that employers’ needs for particular skills can be addressed by education
and training provision. The work of Careers Wales in providing information, advice
and guidance to people of all ages in Wales is central in making the link between
education/training and employment and this study will be of particular interest to them
as Careers Wales Online develops its employer liaison phase.
The Sector Skills Councils have a key role in planning and delivering skills training to
different sectors in Wales, and they, together with colleges, training providers and
ELWa, need to have access to information about employers’ skills needs on a sectoral
basis. Most importantly employers themselves and their representative bodies need
information and support in identifying skills needs and in satisfying them, if they are to
grow and develop their businesses.
The Future Skills Wales Partnership, and ELWa specifically, has a key role in ensuring
that the vision is achieved through the education and training of people of all ages.
This research will contribute to the future planning of services, training and education
with specific regard to meeting employers’ needs for Welsh language skills. Research
into the needs of organisations operating a statutory or voluntary Welsh Language
Scheme, predominantly public sector organisations, was reported upon during June
2004. The findings of this research will therefore complement those of the preceding
research and provide the Future Skills Wales Partnership with the required
information in order to gain a fuller picture of the Welsh language skills needs of
employers in Wales.
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Future Skills Wales Survey – Welsh Language Skills in Seven Sectors
3. Methodology
The survey was implemented via a telephone survey and was prefaced by six face-toface depth interviews to test understanding of the terminology to be used and to
ensure that the research materials were easy to use. A further seven supplementary
qualitative interviews with business owners and managers who had specified a need
for Welsh language skills were conducted after the telephone survey. The outcomes
of these interviews are recorded as case studies.
An important factor in designing and implementing the fieldwork was to facilitate
comparability with the findings of previous research projects such as the Future Skills
Wales 2003 Generic Skills Survey and the ELWa Research into Welsh Language Skills
Needs of Employers Operating Statutory and Voluntary Welsh Language Schemes.
The methodology used is summarised thus:
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Desk-based research into the FSW Generic Skills Survey and other sources
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Development of questionnaire,
Occupational Grid
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Quantitative research including sampling profile, pilot phase, pre-interview
contact phase, main fieldwork phase and additional interviews
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Qualitative interviews to develop case studies with businesses reporting a
need for Welsh language skills
Welsh
Language
Skills
Matrix
and
3.1 Stage 1 - Desk based research
The two broad aims for the desk-based research were:
1. To inform the design of the sample for the quantitative survey, by identifying areas
of prominent need with regard to Welsh language skills by sector and geographical
area, to determine the focus of the sample.
2. To provide a good understanding of the issues with regard to Welsh language skills
needs and to act as a starting point for the design of the questionnaire for the
quantitative survey.
There is a paucity of documents relating to the Welsh language and the requirements
of the Private Sector for such skills, hence the FSW research. However, the desk
research provided a valuable insight into the current situation in Wales and included
the following documentation:
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Future Skills Wales 2003 Generic Skills Survey
Iaith Pawb – National Action Plan for a Bilingual Wales
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Office for National Statistics Census Data
Research into Welsh Language Skills Needs of Employers Operating
Statutory and Voluntary Welsh Language Schemes, 2004 - ELWa
 Gorwelion and JobCymru Data
 Language-Economy research
 ELWa, Mentrau Iaith Myrddin and Coleg y Drindod research project into the
use of the Welsh language in the Business, Service and Voluntary Sectors in
Carmarthenshire.
Summary of Findings from desk research
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The Future Skills Wales Generic Skills Survey 2003 did not identify Welsh language
skills as a priority for the majority of establishments in Wales. Sixty two percent of
those questioned reported that they did not have a need for Welsh language skills;
however this varies according to the nature of the business and by occupation.
Turning this statistic on its head, a significant minority (38%) do require Welsh
language skills at least at some level.
Gorwelion and JobCymru research, which considers the Welsh language requirements
of organisations in Wales through qualitative face to face interviews in partnership
with Careers Wales, has concluded that, in counties where the research has been
undertaken
(Carmarthenshire,
Gwynedd,
Anglesey,
Ceredigion,
Powys,
Pembrokeshire, Rhondda Cynon Taff), there is a significant requirement for bilingual
skills. The table below summarises the findings according to sectors.
Table 1
Gorwelion findings - companies and organisations using bilingual skills
Employment Sector
Manufacturing
Service
Retail
Tourism
Total
Companies questioned
Bilingual skills
177
381
183
99
840
%
74
260
114
60
508
42
68
62
61
60
Base: 840 companies in Carmarthenshire, Pembrokeshire, Ceredigion, Powys, Gwynedd, Anglesey and Rhondda
Cynon Taff
Source: Gorwelion project
The FSW 2003 Generic Skills Survey (FSW 2003) highlighted employers’ generic
skills needs, (now and in the future) and individuals’ abilities to supply the labour
market with those skills. The Survey showed that Welsh language skills were
required by organisations in the public and voluntary sector but seen to have less
significance in the business sector. 55% of establishments in the public sector and
58% of the voluntary sector require at least some level of Welsh language skills
whilst only 34% of the private sector report a need for such skills. Also, 17% of
those stating a requirement for Welsh language skills need basic skills only, with 20%
requiring Welsh language skills at above basic level.
Figure 1 Level of Welsh language skills requirements among Welsh employers (%)
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Future Skills Wales Survey – Welsh Language Skills in Seven Sectors
70%
60%
50%
40%
30%
20%
10%
0%
t
No
62%
17%
d
ire
u
q
re
sic
Ba
rm
te
n
I
11%
ia
ed
te
7%
g
Hi
2%
h
A
d
ce
n
a
dv
Base: 6020 establishments Source: FSW Generic Skills Survey 2003
Fluency in the Welsh language is significantly higher in the Agriculture, Hunting,
Forestry and Fishing sector, amongst certain occupations (teachers, researchers and
skilled farm workers) and in the Mid and North West regions of Wales, according to
the FSW 2003 survey.
When considering the FSW 2003 data in relation to Welsh language skills needs, split
using Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) codes, it can be seen that employers from
the following sectors reported having average or above needs for Welsh language
skills at an intermediate, high or advanced level:
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Agriculture, hunting and forestry;
Manufacture of food and beverage;
Publishing, printing, reproduction of recorded media;
Building installation; building completion;
Wholesale of non-agricultural products;
Retail trade;
Hotels and restaurants;
Activities auxiliary to financial intermediation;
Real estate;
Other business activities;
Recreational, cultural and sporting activities;
Other service activities;
Public administration and defence, Compulsory Social Security;
Education;
Health and social work;
Activities of membership organisations.
Establishments questioned as part of the FSW 2003 Generic Skills Survey also
expected their need for Welsh Language Skills to increase in the future. The drive
from the Welsh Assembly Government to promote the growth of the Welsh language
by 2010, especially amongst young people, and to develop a truly bilingual country
adds support to this finding.
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Future Skills Wales Survey – Welsh Language Skills in Seven Sectors
Occupations where Welsh language skills are more likely to be required are in caring
personal service, health, social welfare and associate professional roles together with
business and public service professionals, and teaching and research professionals.
Top of the list of employers’ skills requirements were customer service, ability to
follow instructions, communication, team working, and showing initiative. Skills that
are forecast to grow in importance over the next three years include ICT,
management and leadership, the ability to organise one’s own learning and the Welsh
language. Significantly, growth areas demonstrate a strong correlation to the sectors
where demand for Welsh language skills is also set to increase:
“Over the next five years occupational growth is likely to be concentrated in those
areas relating to health, leisure, sales and service support”.
The sectoral approach to this work was further informed by the report issuing from
the Language Economy discussion group. The Welsh Assembly Government, the
WDA and ELWa have jointly considered how to develop a sectoral approach in Wales
and as a result, ten sectors have been highlighted for specific attention, namely:
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automotive
aerospace
professional and business services
land based including agri-food
electronics
chemicals
creative industries
social care
hospitality, leisure and tourism
pharmaceuticals including bio-science
From these ten sectors, the Welsh Assembly Government’s Language-Economy
Discussion Group has identified five sectors which will have a particular relevance to
the Language Economy Agenda. These are:
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professional and business services
land based including agri-food
creative industries
social care
hospitality, leisure and tourism
Within its Programme of Action, the Language Economy Discussion Group has
decided to concentrate on three sectors initially in order to proceed with aspects of
developing these sectors:
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hospitality, leisure and tourism
creative industries
social care
The 2001 census recorded that 20.8% of the population could speak Welsh, an
increase on the level reported during the 1991 survey, and that in total 28% had
some knowledge of Welsh. The areas with the highest percentage of people holding
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one or more skills in the Welsh language are Gwynedd, Anglesey, Carmarthenshire
and Ceredigion. Conversely, the areas reporting the lowest percentage of people
having one or more skills in Welsh language are Monmouthshire, Blaenau Gwent,
Newport and Torfaen. According to the FSW 2003 Generic Skills Survey, there is a
strong correlation between the levels of bilingual skills and qualifications held.
It could reasonably be assumed therefore that the businesses requiring a higher level
of Welsh language skills should be found in areas where a higher percentage of people
hold Welsh language skills. One would assume that supplying services to customers
who speak and use Welsh would be considered a business priority.
3.2 Stage 2 – Quantitative Research
3.2.1 Development of quantitative research
Following on from the desk based research the sampling structure and materials for
the quantitative research were designed.
Sampling
The research universe was defined as businesses with at least one employee based in
Wales and belonging to the industry sectors which were identified as having a need for
a higher than average level of Welsh language skills.
These were identified following the analysis of the FSW Generic Skills Survey 2003,
the consultants’ knowledge and experience and discussions with members of the
Project Group. The process identified 18 small industry sectors (see Table 3 on page
18) which could be grouped into 7 main industry sectors - namely:
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Tourism and Leisure
Agri-food
Financial and Business Services
Care Services
Media
Retail, Wholesale and Other Service Activities
Construction
The sample also allowed for interlocking quotas for the number of employees at
each business location surveyed (2-9, 10-49, 50+ employees) together with regions
(North East, North West, Mid, South West and South East Wales) within the 18
sectors. Whilst the five regions were defined for Experian in terms of postcode,
some postcodes overlapped local authority areas and the Wales / England border.
To ensure that each respondent was allocated to the correct local authority area
this was checked as one of the screening questions.
Materials for the quantitative research
The initial stage involved designing a questionnaire and research instruments, including
an Occupation Grid and a Welsh Language Skills Matrix, to help interviewees consider
in advance what level of Welsh language skills were required for each type of
occupation employed in their organisation.
Development of the questionnaire
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The questionnaire was designed by Beaufort Research and Menter a Busnes following
consultation with the Project Group, and leading on from the cognitive interviews
held. The questionnaire (seen in Appendix 1) contained four main sections. The first
section dealt with recruitment and screening questions and was administered to all
respondents. The second section contained questions that were asked of respondents
who stated a need for Welsh language skills amongst employees at their business.
These businesses were asked whether they had employees in each of four
occupational groups in the Occupations Grid (see description below) and if so were
asked questions about the level of Welsh required by each job group, using the Welsh
language skills matrix. The third section contained questions that were asked of
respondents who did not feel they had a requirement for Welsh language skills. The
final part of the questionnaire was asked of all respondents and contained attitudinal
statements and a question about the turnover of the business.
The resulting questionnaire reflected the findings of the desk based research and the
consultants’ previous experience of language-related research. Including attitudinal
statements allowed for further comparability with previous research, in addition to the
comparability with that previously undertaken by ELWa into the language
requirements of the public sector.
Grouping of occupations
The Occupation Grid, seen in generic form below, was developed in order to allow
respondents to categorise the Welsh language skills needs of employees in different
types of job within their organisation quickly and easily. Based on the Standard
Occupational Classification (SOC) groupings, and including examples of specific job
titles/positions, the occupations were aggregated into four broad categories (A, B, C
and D). Separate Grids were developed for each industry sector in the sample,
containing examples of jobs particularly relevant to their sector (See Appendix 3 for
Sectoral Occupational Grids).
Table 2 - Occupational Grouping Grid (Generic)
Level
A
Typical occupations in group
Senior Managers, Director, Partner, Professionals (e.g. Civil
Engineers, Architects, Qualified Solicitors)
B
Associate professional and technical, Middle Managers, Supervisors,
Team Leaders, Controllers (e.g. Engineering Technician, Nurse,
Trainee Solicitor)
C
Administrative and secretarial, Skilled Trades, Personal Service,
Sales and customer service, Shop floor, Skilled Manual Workers
(e.g. Motor Mechanic, Carpenter, Electrician, Hairdresser, Beauty
Therapist)
D
Process, plant and machine operatives; Elementary, Clerical,
Labourers
It should be noted that comparability with the occupational groupings used for the
ELWa Public Sector study was limited by the inherent differences between
occupations in the public and private sectors.
Welsh Language Skill Level Matrix
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The Welsh Language Skill Level Matrix, (seen in Appendix 2) which supported the
questionnaire, was developed from the National Language Skills Framework and the
Gorwelion/JobCymru matrices. Consideration was also given to the need for
comparability between the matrix produced as part of the research into the Welsh
language skills needs of the public sector. Whilst using the matrix produced as part of
the public sector research would have been ideal from a comparability and
compatibility stance, it was felt that the range was too narrow and did not allow for
differentiating between intermediate and higher Welsh language skill level. The skills
matrix was therefore adjusted to reflect the broader categories in order to effectively
represent the varying levels of Welsh language skills. Furthermore, following the pilot
findings showing that employers differentiated between speaking and listening skills on
the one hand, and reading and writing on the other, it was concluded that the matrix
should be split to reflect these requirements.
3.2.2 Conducting the research
For the purpose of this research, Wales was split into 5 regions, using the four
economic regions of North Wales, Mid Wales, South West Wales and South East
Wales. North Wales was then further split into two (North West and North East),
because of the diversity of Welsh language usage and ability between the two regions.
Pilot and Pre-Interview Contact
A draft questionnaire and the survey methodology were tested in a small pilot survey
during the first week of October 2004. Eighteen businesses were questioned as part
of the pilot survey. During the pilot, around a quarter of respondents (4) reported a
need for Welsh language skills.
The pilot confirmed that the questionnaire worked well on the whole. Minor
adjustments were made to the wording of some of the questions, but the majority of
the questionnaire remained unchanged.
One of the main findings of the pilot survey was that it took much longer than
anticipated to locate the letter sent to the business and to identify the correct person
to whom the questions should be asked. This was largely due to the fact that the
initial letter was addressed to the “Manager responsible for the recruitment and
training of staff” rather than a specific individual, as no reliable information on
appropriate contacts was available.
To overcome this problem, an initial telephone contact was made with as many of the
9,469 businesses in the sample frame as possible, to identify the relevant individual at
each business for interview (see Appendix 5 for the script used). The telephone calls
resulted in a named contact being obtained for 5,882 of the businesses. A summary of
the outcomes of the pre-interview contact can be seen in Appendix 6. The reasons
for so many dropping out of the sample are mainly due to the respondent replying that
they were ineligible as they “never (and were never likely to) train / recruit” or that
the telephone number supplied did not allow contact following at least five attempts
(i.e. no answer / engaged / broken appointments etc.).
Main Fieldwork
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Future Skills Wales Survey – Welsh Language Skills in Seven Sectors
Prior to the telephone interviews, all of the named contacts identified were sent a
copy of an introductory letter from the FSW Partnership outlining the aims and
importance of the study and requesting employers’ co-operation (see Appendix 4),
together with the Welsh Language Skills Matrix and Occupation Grid. At the start of
each interview, the interviewer asked the participant whether or not they had a copy
of the matrix and the grid in front of them before proceeding with the interview. In
the cases where participants had misplaced the documents, they were either able to
find a copy online (on the Beaufort Research website) or had a new copy faxed or
posted to them and the interview re-arranged for another date. Whilst the majority of
interviews were conducted during office hours, some were conducted in the evening
in order to capture the views of businesses who would otherwise be unavailable.
The telephone interviews were conducted in Beaufort’s in-house telephone research
unit using CATI (Computer Aided Telephone Interviewing) technology, between 18th
of October and 19th of November 2004.
A total of 1,909 initial interviews were conducted during this period. A full
breakdown of the outcomes of all calls made is provided in Appendix 7.
The average interview length across main fieldwork was slightly shorter than
anticipated, because the proportion of businesses that had stated a need for Welsh
language skills and had therefore taken part in the full interview was lower than
initially expected. As a result, Beaufort conducted some additional interviews, to
increase the sample of businesses with a need for Welsh language skills obtained. A
total of 51 interviews were carried out with employers stating a need on 10th to 11th
January 2005.
The final sample size was therefore 1,970 interviews. Final data was weighted using a
172-cell weighting matrix. The data has been weighted to be broadly representative
of businesses with and without a need for Welsh language skills, within employee
band (2-9 / 10+) within region and within industry sub-sector.
Profile of Sample
A total of 1,909 initial interviews were carried out with individuals from businesses
across Wales resulting in the following breakdown of sectors (unweighted):
Table 3 - Interviews Achieved by Sector
Main Sector
Industry Sector
Interviews
Achieved
Tourism and
Leisure
Hotels and restaurants
Other tourism and leisure
157
152
Agri-Food
Agriculture, hunting and
forestry
Wholesale of agricultural
materials
Manufacture of food and
beverages
177
17
Interviews
Achieved by
Main Sector
309
299
22
100
March 2005
Future Skills Wales Survey – Welsh Language Skills in Seven Sectors
Business and
Financial
Services
Financial intermediation
Real estate activities
Other business activities
98
102
101
301
Care
Hospital and nursing home
activities
Dental practice and other
human health
Veterinary activities
63
300
Media
180
57
Publishing, printing and
reproduction of recorded
materials
Other media
54
99
Retail/
Wholesale/
Other
Retail
Wholesale
Other service activities
105
98
99
302
Construction
Building installation
Building completion
149
150
299
Total
1,909
1,909
45
Base: 1909(All businesses initially interviewed)
Source: Future Skills Wales 2004 Welsh Language Skills Survey
Geographic breakdown
For the purposes of the research, Wales was divided into five different regions based on the existing four economic regions of Wales, with the North Wales region
split into two. Sampling was carried out disproportionately, to maximise the number
of interviews achieved in regions with smaller business densities such as Mid Wales
and to manage the number in higher density areas such as the South East. The ABI
figures used to inform this process are shown in Table 4 below.
Table 4 - ABI breakdown of businesses per region
Region
Mid
North East
North West
South East
South West
% of Businesses
10%
12%
10%
46%
22%
No. of Businesses
3,050
3,920
3,345
14,695
7,150
Source: Annual Business Index
The sampling regions were: North East Wales (Wrexham, Flintshire and
Denbighshire); North West Wales (Anglesey, Arfon and Dwyfor areas of Gwynedd
and Conwy); Mid Wales (Meirionnydd, Ceredigion and Powys); South West Wales
(Carmarthenshire, Pembrokeshire, Swansea and Neath Port Talbot) and South East
18
March 2005
Future Skills Wales Survey – Welsh Language Skills in Seven Sectors
Wales (Bridgend, Cardiff, Vale of Glamorgan, Rhondda Cynon Taff, Caerphilly,
Blaenau Gwent, Torfaen, Monmouthshire, Newport and Merthyr Tydfil).
Table 5 - Interviews achieved per Region and % of Welsh speakers per region
Region
Mid Wales
North East
North West
South East
South West
Total
% Welsh Speakers
36.8%
17.5%
50.8%
11%
25.7%
Achieved
396
246
248
545
474
1,909
Source: Census 2001
Base: 1909 (Total Initially Interviewed) Source FSW Welsh language skills survey 2004
Employee size band
Again, to reflect the economic environment of Wales, with the majority of
businesses being small in their size, the majority of the sample was targeted towards
the two to nine employee band. The following breakdown was achieved:
Table 6 - Employee Size Band
Employee Size Band
2-9 employees
10-49 employees
50+ employees
Total
% Achieved No. Achieved
71%
1,358
22.5%
428
6.5%
123
1,909
Base: 1909 (Total Initially Interviewed) Source FSW Welsh language skills survey 2004
It was also possible to analyse the number of employees against the industry sector
at the primary location (i.e. the location at which the respondent was based). It is
possible to see that the majority of respondents were from businesses employing 2-9
employees, with a fairly even spread amongst sectors except for Agri-food, which
had 80% of its businesses employing 2-4 and the Care sector with 23% of its
businesses in the same group. This compares with ABI figures for size of company in
Wales as follows:
Table 7 Size of Company
Size by
Employee
2-9
10-49
% of Businesses
50+
Total
No. of Businesses
76%
21%
24,285
6,655
4%
1,220
32,160
Source: Annual Business Index
The results of the sector and employees analysis is summarised below.
Fig 2. - Percentage of Employees in Industry Sector at location
19
March 2005
Future Skills Wales Survey – Welsh Language Skills in Seven Sectors
90%
0
3
1
2
6
1
4
100%
15
19
80%
70%
1
8
1
4
2
5
0
4
15
23
21
27
1
14
Don't know
39
50+
employees
60%
50%
40%
91
81
76
76
73
73
30%
20%
10 to 49
employees
69
46
10%
2 to 9
employees
M
ed
C
ia
on
st
B
ru
us
ct
in
io
es
n
s
To
Se
ur
rv
is
ic
m
es
an
d
Le
is
C
ur
ar
e
e
S
er
vi
ce
s
Fi
na
nc
ia
la
nd
R
A
et
gr
ai
i-F
la
oo
nd
d
W
ho
le
sa
le
To
ta
lS
am
pl
e
0%
Base: 1,960 Businesses (Total Interviewed)
Source: Future Skills Wales 2004 Welsh Language Skills Survey
Preliminary survey questions
Whilst the majority of the businesses interviewed were based on one site (72%), the
remaining 28% had multiple locations for their business. Of the multi-location based
businesses, 33% of the interviews were conducted with a member of staff from the
Head Office.
3.3 Case Studies
It was agreed that a number of qualitative interviews with businesses who had
reported a need for Welsh language skills should be completed following the
quantitative research phase. The aim of this element of the work was to look at how
many of the issues explored in the main body of research were reflected in the every
day work of a variety of individual businesses which could lend further depth to the
research report. Seven qualitative interviews were completed from a variety of
sectors and geographical areas, and permission was gained to include the results of
five of these in this report. They are included as free-standing Case Studies peppered
throughout the main body of the Findings section (Section 4).
20
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Future Skills Wales Survey – Welsh Language Skills in Seven Sectors
Case Study
Masquerade Productions – Sully, Penarth
Masquerade Productions is a small company of three full-time staff that designs
and builds sets, costumes and puppets for TV companies in Wales and England
and also designs and builds Christmas displays for shopping centres in Wales and
England. Their biggest customer is S4C were they work mainly on sets, costumes
and puppets for Planed Plant, Y Pentre Bach and Tecwyn y Tractor.
One of the partners has learned Welsh at evening classes to a level where he can
understand much and speak some Welsh. This is important to him when he is
working at S4C in production meetings or on set, or working in partnership with
companies from North Wales. He is still taking lessons in Welsh. Evening classes
have been discontinued so he now receives private lessons during lunchtimes.
However, he felt the evening lessons were more convenient for him.
Masquerade takes on trainees from Cyfle, the Welsh independent television
companies’ training organisation. Cyfle trainees are always Welsh speaking and as
one of the partners is an independent assessor for Props and Design at Cyfle,
Welsh speaking is very important for this. ‘Welsh is definitely a skill in our
company and is directly relevant to the work we do, especially with S4C’.
Some of the work they do does not require Welsh such as the design studio
work where props etc are made, and any work with independent companies in
England.
Masquerade’s director feels that there is definitely a shortage of job applicants
with Welsh speaking skills. Cyfle struggles to get trainees to come on to their
courses although there are often jobs for the trainees when they complete their
training
The company states that Welsh is definitely an advantage to their business and
places them in a better position in the market. Design skills and other hands-on
skills are the most important and Welsh language skills are viewed as an added
bonus. There will definitely be an increased need for Welsh language skills in five
years’ time particularly as they have started a new business in interior and garden
design and feel that Welsh language skills will be important in that context also.
21
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Future Skills Wales Survey – Welsh Language Skills in Seven Sectors
4. Findings
This section analyses the results of answers to questions asked of businesses
following on from the initial recruitment and screening questions.
4.1 Business Requirements for Welsh Language Skills
The first question asked of respondents was whether or not they had a need for
Welsh language skills amongst employees in their business at that location. The main
result from the research was that fewer than one in ten businesses across the
sample said that they require Welsh language skills amongst employees.
The highest incidence of Welsh language skills were amongst the Media sector with
18% reporting that they required some form of Welsh language skills, followed by
Tourism and Leisure, Agri-Food and Financial and Business Services (11%).
The sectors reporting the lowest requirements for Welsh language skills were Retail,
Wholesale and Other Service Activities and Care, with 5% and 6% respectively.
When considering the number of employees at the location and whether or not this
altered the need for Welsh language skills the results were fairly evenly divided
amongst the employee bands, with a range of 8-11%. The exception to this was the
25-49 size band, where a much lower proportion (3%) reported requiring Welsh
language skills.
The geographic breakdown reflected expectations, with the North West
(Arfon/Dwyfor, Anglesey and Conwy) reporting the highest need at 31% and the
South East reporting the lowest at 3%. 10% of Mid Wales businesses reported a
need for Welsh language skills and in the North East the figure was 7%. The regions
contain great diversity in terms both of Welsh speaking residents and businesses
with a need for Welsh language skills. The Census figures for Welsh speaking
residents in the regions are compared below with the responses of businesses with a
need for Welsh language skills and although the level of stated need is in all regions
less than the level of Welsh speakers resident in those regions, there is a correlation
in that stated need increases the higher the Welsh speaking population is as can be
seen with the North West region and the South East region. Mid Wales seems to
have the greatest gap when comparing Welsh speaking residents with business with a
Welsh language skills need.
Figure 3 Regional Share - Businesses reporting a Need for Welsh Language Skills and Welsh
speaking residents (%)
22
March 2005
Future Skills Wales Survey – Welsh Language Skills in Seven Sectors
60.0%
50.0%
40.0%
30.0%
20.0%
10.0%
0.0%
North East
North West
Mid
Businesses with Welsh language skills needs
South West
South East
Welsh speaking residents
Base: (FSW)177 Businesses initially interviewed with a stated need for Welsh language skills. Source FSW
Welsh Language Skills Needs Survey 2004
Base: (Census) All residents over 3 years in Regions. Source: 2001 National Census
Whilst the percentage of businesses reporting a need for Welsh language skills is low
it is also interesting however that 22% of the respondents were able to speak some
Welsh (12% fluently and 10% could speak Welsh but not fluently), which begs the
question whether they considered their own ability to speak Welsh as a skill in the
work context or merely a by-product of the fact that they have the natural ability to
speak and use the language within the business.
The main reasons reported for requiring Welsh language skills were linked to
customer service and businesses being able to communicate with their customers.
When asked why, from a list of reasons why they needed Welsh language skills the
majority of respondents said that they helped them “provide good customer service”
(92%) and “a number of our clients/customers are Welsh speakers“(91%). Regional
differences here were small except in the South East where only 68% agreed that
Welsh language skills helped them provide a good customer service. But even in the
South East, 88% agreed that a reason for needing Welsh language skills was that a
number of their clients or customers are Welsh speaking.
Figure 4 - Why do they need Welsh language skills in business?
23
March 2005
Future Skills Wales Survey – Welsh Language Skills in Seven Sectors
Reason Provided
A number of our customers/clients are Welsh speakers
To provide good customer service
We're based in a Welsh speaking area
To give our business a competitive advantage
It's a requirement in our market
Welsh is the language we'd use naturally
It's company policy
None of these
0%
South East
South West
20%
Mid
40%
North West
60%
80%
100%
120%
North East
Base: 252 Businesses with a stated need for Welsh language skills
Source: FSW Welsh Language Skills Survey 2004
Other important reasons which were seen to significantly influence the need for
Welsh language skills, were if the business was based in a Welsh speaking area, (87%
with a need), and giving the business a competitive advantage, (76% with a need).
There are regional differences in the reasons why businesses need Welsh language
skills, but they are not as great as one might expect given the differences in numbers
of Welsh speakers in different regions. One would expect the North West for
example to agree that they need Welsh language skills because they are based in a
Welsh-speaking area, and 95% of them do, but a large percentage of businesses in
other regions also agree with this, including Mid Wales (93%), the North East (88%)
and the South West (84%). Although the South East is lower, even here 54% agree
that being based in a Welsh-speaking area is one of the reasons why they need
Welsh language skills.
In terms of sectors, employers in Tourism and Leisure were most likely to state that
they needed Welsh language skills; ‘to provide good customer service’ (55
businesses), ‘because they are based in a Welsh-speaking area’ (53 businesses), and
‘because a number of their customers/clients are Welsh speakers’ (51 businesses).
Due to low base sizes, Tourism and Leisure is the only sector with sufficient
numbers to be able to state with certainty that this is a sectoral view.
24
March 2005
Future Skills Wales Survey – Welsh Language Skills in Seven Sectors
Case Study
DBD Financial Planning – Cardigan
DBD Financial Planning offers a range of financial services including general insurance
such as house and car insurance, life insurance, investments and mortgages. There are
four staff members including two directors, all based at one location, and all are Welsh
speaking. Their customers are mainly local people from South Ceredigion and North
Pembrokeshire, and include farmers and businesses.
The company sees the ability to speak Welsh as a skill which can be learned and an
important skill in the work context. Speaking and listening skills are very important to
them but there is little requirement for reading and writing skills.
They speak Welsh to their customers: ‘We often speak Welsh to our customers, many
of whom are more comfortable speaking Welsh as it is a Welsh speaking area’. The
company feels that with Welsh speaking on the increase locally there will be an
increased demand for a bilingual service over the next five years. They see local
Welsh-medium school Ysgol y Preseli as being important in this respect with young
people leaving school and bringing their Welsh language skills to the workplace.
They feel that they have the ideal situation at present with all staff able to speak Welsh
but with little requirement to be able to write or read Welsh. If the company were to
recruit, Welsh language skills would be given equal importance alongside other
necessary qualifications, experience and skills.
Although not all applicants for job vacancies have Welsh language skills, the company
does not feel that there is a shortage. However, this was the case a few years ago
before young people from the local Welsh medium school became available on the
local labour market.
Welsh language skills are viewed as an advantage to the business; they bring direct
business benefits such as attracting new customers, customer loyalty, repeat business
and a Unique Selling Point over UK competitors such as Direct Line. ‘Lots of
customers over the years have told us that they appreciate being able to use Welsh
here’.
They feel that although there are many good Welsh learners’ classes in the area, there
is a need to advertise them better so that there is a better awareness of the provision
locally.
It was initially anticipated that the overall result of 9% needing Welsh language skills
would be higher taking into account the findings of the FSW Generic Skills Survey in
2003, where 38% of businesses and organisations across Wales said that they had a
need for Welsh language skills at different levels with 21% stating that they had a
need for Welsh language skills above a basic level. However, there are important
differences between the two surveys, both in terms of sampling (the Generic Skills
Survey included public sector bodies) and in questionnaire design. For these reasons
it is can only be a general guide and not a reliable comparison between the two
surveys.
25
March 2005
Future Skills Wales Survey – Welsh Language Skills in Seven Sectors
At the same time, there are indications elsewhere in the survey that demand for
Welsh language skills in business may perhaps be slightly higher than this response
would suggest. When employers were asked to agree or disagree with a series of
attitudinal statements about the use of the Welsh language in their businesses,
towards the end of the interview (see section 4.5 on page 42), the numbers
endorsing the importance of Welsh language skills amongst staff were higher than
the one in ten who stated they needed Welsh language skills amongst employees.
For instance, 20% of all businesses interviewed agreed that ‘having staff with the right
Welsh language skills is important to the success of my business’ and 29% that ‘Our
customers like to be offered a choice of Welsh or English’.
4.1.1 Business Language
When businesses who said that they had a need for Welsh language skills were asked
about the use of the Welsh language in their business, the sample was split quite
evenly between those saying Welsh is the dominant language (33%) and those saying
the same about English (43%). 24% said they use both languages to the same degree.
Figure 5 - Language used in business – businesses with a need for Welsh language skills (%)
35%
31%
30%
28%
24%
25%
20%
15%
12%
10%
5%
5%
0%
Welsh 1st &
primary
Welsh more than Use both equally English more than
English
Welsh
English 1st &
primary
Base: 252 Business with a stated need for Welsh language skills
Source: FSW Welsh Language Skills Needs Survey 2004
Interestingly, those with a need for Welsh language skills in the Agri-food sector
were much more likely to say that Welsh was the first and primary language of their
business than was the case overall, with 73% stating this and no businesses reporting
that English was the first and primary language used. Conversely, only 7% of such
businesses in the Care sector said that Welsh is their first and primary language.
4.2 Identifying current and future employees’ skills levels
26
March 2005
Future Skills Wales Survey – Welsh Language Skills in Seven Sectors
Businesses with a requirement for Welsh language skills were asked whether they
had a formal method of identifying the Welsh language skills and training needs of
their existing staff. The overwhelming majority of the businesses in question did not
have any formal method; in fact only 2% of these businesses said that they did. A key
finding in the ELWa report into Welsh language skills needs in the public sector
supports this finding – even those in the public sector with a Welsh language scheme
tend not to have a formal method of identifying Welsh language skills and training
needs of their employees. This finding is not surprising, as anecdotal evidence
suggests that in general employers do not formally assess any of the skills held by
their workforce.
When considering the recruitment of new staff, respondents were asked if they had
a method of identifying whether different posts or jobs at the location in question
had a need for Welsh language skills. The majority (77%) replied that they didn’t
have such a method whilst only 15% reported that they did and the other 8% didn’t
know. The Media and Financial and Business Services sectors appeared more likely
than the other sectors to have some method in place during recruitment but as base
sizes are small (only 9 businesses from the sector responded to this question) it is
difficult to draw any conclusions from this.
Taking this into account it is interesting to see that whilst 77% don’t have a method
for identifying Welsh language skills for each new position, 56% do assess job
applicants to some extent. Of these 34% assess all posts, 10% for most posts and
12% for some posts. Three quarters of the businesses who do assess the Welsh
language skills of job applicants do so by asking whether the applicant can speak or
write Welsh during an interview, other methods include asking on application forms
and verbal or written tests.
4.2.1 Recruitment
Respondents who reported a need for Welsh language skills were also asked how
they would go about recruiting for posts that require these skills. Nine per cent
would advertise using mostly Welsh adverts, and 43% reported that they would use
bilingual adverts (15% responded that they never needed to advertise). Interestingly,
33% of businesses with a need for Welsh language skills would advertise for those
skills mostly using English language advertisements. This seems to support other
findings in this report suggesting that having staff with bilingual skills is seen as a
matter of natural occurrence to many businesses and not a workforce planning issue.
When they were asked to choose from a list of different ways in which they would
recruit for posts requiring Welsh language skills, the most likely responses from
businesses were word of mouth (28%), Job Centre (24%) and local English language
newspaper (24%).
Figure 6 How businesses recruit for posts with a need for Welsh language skills (%)
27
March 2005
Future Skills Wales Survey – Welsh Language Skills in Seven Sectors
30%
28%
25%
24%
25%
20%
17%
15%
10%
10%
7%
5%
5%
7%
4%
4%
0%
0%
0%
1%
1%
2%
2%
W
es
Lo
te
ca
rn
lE
Da Mai
ng
lis
ily l
h
P
la
ng ost
W
.
el
p
sh
UK ap e
la
ng
n r
. m pap
a g er
/p
ap
er
No Job
Ce
tic
es
nt
re
/
W po
st
or
e
d
of rs
m
Re Ca
r
ou
e
cr
th
u i er s
tm
C
en
en
Bi
lin
t
t
gu An r e
ge
al
n
ne
cy
w
sp
ap
er
In
Tr tern
ad
et
e
pr
es
s
Ra
di
o
NA
*
O
Do the
r
n't
kn
ow
0%
Base: 252 (Businesses with a need for Welsh language skills)
Source: FSW Welsh Language Skills Needs Survey 2004
Only 10% of businesses reporting a need for Welsh language skills said that they
experienced difficulties in recruiting employees with Welsh language skills.
28
March 2005
Future Skills Wales Survey – Welsh Language Skills in Seven Sectors
Case Study
J.H. Roberts – Blaenau Ffestiniog
JH Roberts is a long-established retail butcher with one shop in Blaenau
Ffestiniog, Meirionnydd. The owner describes his first language as being Welsh
and has been in business there for 46 years. His customers are mainly local
people and he employs one part-time Welsh speaker to assist him in the shop.
He considers the ability to speak Welsh to be an essential skill for all staff in his
business as customers in Blaenau Ffestiniog are mainly Welsh speaking and would
expect to be served through the medium of Welsh. Welsh language skills are a
distinct advantage to his business, he maintains. ‘If a non-Welsh speaker came in
to the shop we would be able to speak English to them as all our staff are
bilingual, but if staff spoke English only they would not be able to offer a Welsh
language service to customers’. He does not foresee that this situation will
change over the next five years and does not think there will be a shortage of
applicants with bilingual skills. Written skills are not required, but spoken
customer service skills are described as crucial to his business.
4.2.2 Improving Welsh language skills of staff
Businesses with a need for Welsh language skills were asked (without prompting
names of organisations) where they would go to first for help or advice to improve
the Welsh language skills of their workforce. Nearly one in three (31%) said they
wouldn’t know who to contact, another 22% said ‘nowhere’. The most salient
organisations overall, however, were local colleges or universities, mentioned
without prompt by 29%. Only very small proportions named any other sources of
help or advice they would go to first - 3% said they would contact their local Menter
Iaith (Language Initiative), another 3% would contact the Welsh Language Board, 2%
would contact ELWa and 1% learndirect.
29
March 2005
Future Skills Wales Survey – Welsh Language Skills in Seven Sectors
Figure 7: Where businesses with a need for Welsh language skills would think of going to first
for help and advice(unprompted)
35%
31%
29%
30%
25%
22%
20%
15%
10%
5%
2%
3%
1%
3%
0%
3%
1%
0%
1%
2%
0%
0%
0%
M
en
te
r
Lo
ca
l
C
ol
le
ge
/U
ni
EL
Ia
ith
W
le
/L
a
ar
an
n
gu
di
re
ag
ct
e
I
ni
Lo
tia
ca
tiv
lC
e
om
Lo
m
C
u
YD
ca
l A nity
C
u
W
th
en
el
or
tre
sh
ity
/C
La
ou
ng
nc
ua
il
ge
Bo
H
ar
ea
d
d
of
W
fic
D
e/
W
A
Pe
in
L
t
C
e
r
so
rn
en
al
na
tre
W
ly
lc
L
s/
on
N
trn
an
ta
in
ct
tG
g
s
pr
w
vd
rth
rs
e
/n
yr
ig
n
ht
cl
as
s.
Al
lo
th
er
D
s
on
't
kn
ow
N
ow
he
re
0%
Base: 252 Businesses with a stated need for Welsh language skills
Source: FSW Welsh Language Skills Survey 2004
When those who responded that they would contact their local college / university
were asked which specific college, respondents tended to name the college closest
to them.
Respondents were then asked, “Where else would you think of going to for advice
about improving the Welsh language skills of your workforce?” (again unprompted).
These results have been combined with the organisations that were mentioned first.
From this, we see that 32% would go to a local college/university, followed by
Menter Iaith (7%) and 6% a local community centre.
30
March 2005
Future Skills Wales Survey – Welsh Language Skills in Seven Sectors
Figure 8: Where would businesses go for help and advice
Lo
ca
lC
ol
le
ge
/U
n
EL i
Lo
W
le
ar
a
ca
nd
lC
M
om en ire c
m ter t
un
I
ity ait
W
L
el
oc C h
sh
en
a
La l Au tre
W
ng
el
th
sh
ua or
L
g e it y
W
e l an g
Bo
sh
u
ar
la ag e Int
d
ng
e
u a C e rna
lly
ge ntr
tra es/
in ...
in
g
pr
...
O
th
e
No r s
w
Do he
n't re
kn
ow
35% 32%
31%
30%
22%
25%
20%
15%
7% 6%
10%
5%
5%
2% 3% 1% 1% 1%
5%
1%
0%
Base:
252(Businesses with a need for Welsh language skills
Source: FSW Welsh language skills needs survey 2004
When provided with a list of organisations and asked which they would contact for
advice and help about training to improve the Welsh language skills of their
employees, more often than not the businesses still responded that they would go to
their local college or university for help. However, Menter Iaith, learndirect and
ELWa feature far more prominently here. Employers evidently recognise named
organisations but perhaps cannot recall the organisations unprompted. These results
are summarised by the chart below.
Figure 9- Organisations that would be contacted for help and advice about training to improve
Welsh language skills of employees (prompted)
70%
62%
60%
50%
40%
34%
29%
30%
29%
23%
20%
12%
10%
0%
Local
College/Uni
ELWa
learndirect
Menter
Iaith/Language
Initiative
CYD
None of these
Base: 25 Businesses with a stated need for Welsh language skills
Source: FSW Welsh Language Skills Survey 2004
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Future Skills Wales Survey – Welsh Language Skills in Seven Sectors
Case Study
Denbighshire Free Press, Denbigh
Denbighshire Free Press is a weekly English language newspaper based in Denbigh
and serving the Denbighshire area. The company is part of a larger newspaper group
– North Wales Newspapers, which serves North Wales and Cheshire. There are 12
staff members at their location in Denbigh and 300 staff across the group.
Welsh is viewed as a skill both socially and as a work skill. Staff with Welsh language
skills are necessary in order to speak to customers and to write and proof-read
Welsh language columns, reports and bilingual advertisements, therefore a high level
of skill is required and staff need to be able to read and write grammatically correct
Welsh. Not all staff are required to do this but the company needs some staff to
have these skills. Although major stories are in English, local reports for organisations
such as Merched y Wawr are in Welsh and they need to make sure the copy is
grammatically correct and that the headline makes sense.
Welsh language skills are viewed as part of customer service both in terms of
speaking and listening skills as well as reading and writing. Speaking in Welsh is
important in some cases even if the article or report is to be in English, as some
customers are more comfortable speaking in Welsh. It is sometimes their customers’
more natural language and as communication is therefore more effective it is deemed
to be good customer practice.
The requirement for Welsh language skills varies from job to job and although the
use of Welsh language skills is infrequent compared to English it is nevertheless
important as an added dimension in customer service.
Denbighshire Free Press feel that there is a shortage of applicants with higher-level
writing and reading skills for posts in the company. It is not enough to be able to
speak Welsh without the ability to write grammatically correct Welsh and to able to
proofread accurately. At present they have enough staff with Welsh language skills
and so this is not a priority when they recruit. However, if the situation was to
change and they did not have enough staff with Welsh language skills, this would
become a priority when recruiting.
The company do not foresee their need for Welsh language skills to change over the
next five years as they are primarily an English language publication and that will not
change.
The interviewee had been enrolled on a Welsh learner course with the local Menter
Iaith which he described as very good and held at a convenient time for him.
However, he was disappointed that the course had been discontinued owing to
falling numbers of students. He felt that there were plenty of courses and would use
the Menter Iaith or a local college such as Llysfasi or the Community College if he
required more support or information.
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Future Skills Wales Survey – Welsh Language Skills in Seven Sectors
Respondents who did have a requirement for Welsh language skills in their business
were also asked what kind of training they would prefer if they were thinking of
providing or funding employees’ training. Whilst almost a third didn’t know or
couldn’t answer this, 30% said they would prefer an evening class. Other favoured
options for training were at a local college/university (14%) and at the workplace
(13%). No one replied that their preference would be for their staff to receive
training over the internet or via e-learning and only a very small percentage replied
that distance learning (1%), self study (1%), or mentoring at work (2%) would be
their preferred training choice. A similar number also replied that there was no
need to provide Welsh language training (3%). When asked whether or not they had
actually funded or provided job specific training through the medium of Welsh only
7% replied that they had done so. Only 4% of businesses with a need for Welsh
language skills had ever enquired about or needed job specific training through the
medium of Welsh and were unable to find such training.
Businesses with a need for Welsh language skills were also asked if they had ever
funded or provided training for employees to learn Welsh or improve their Welsh
language skills. Only 7% said they had done so, whilst the great majority (93%) had
not. Again, these businesses were asked whether they had ever enquired about or
needed training of this kind but were unable to find such training and again only 4%
said that they had.
4.3 Welsh language skills requirements across job occupations
To attempt to ascertain levels of Welsh language skills required for different
Occupational Groups within their business, respondents reporting a need for Welsh
language skills were asked to look at a Welsh Language Skills chart against an
Occupation Grouping Grid and to identify which skills were relevant to which job
levels (see Appendices 2 and 3), Groups A, B, C and D. The overall results are
shown in Table 6 below. Please note that all percentages in this section relate to the
proportion of employees or companies with a requirement for Welsh language skills,
rather than in the sectors covered in the survey as a whole.
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Future Skills Wales Survey – Welsh Language Skills in Seven Sectors
Table 6- Levels of Welsh language skills required by Occupational Group (%)
SPEAKING / LISTENING
READING / WRITING
Occupational
Group
A
B
C
D
A
B
C
D
Level 0
19
19
17
35
28
36
31
59
Level 1
9
13
21
19
8
15
32
20
Level 2
13
33
35
23
17
24
14
7
Level 3
21
22
12
8
14
13
10
11
Level 4
38
14
15
15
33
11
13
3
2.49
1.99
1.85
1.48
2.14
1.48
1.53
0.80
Mean
Base: 252 Businesses with a stated need for Welsh language skills
Source: FSW Welsh Language Skills Needs Survey 2004
In general it would seem that a higher level of Speaking and Listening Skills is
required by businesses than Reading and Writing Skills. For both Speaking/Listening
and Reading/Writing, the Occupational Group most likely to require the highest level
of skills is Group A (Directors, Partners, Professionals) and the Occupational Group
least likely to require any Welsh language skills or higher level skills among those
businesses with a need for Welsh language skills is Occupational Group D. This last
group is also least likely to need skills in Reading and Writing.
A great deal of detail emerged from this exercise, which for the purpose of reporting
in full can be seen in Appendix 10. However, owing to the fact that only 252
businesses reported a need for Welsh language skills, it has not been possible to
overlay detail by sector, geographic area and size of company in the main body of
this report as base sizes will not allow this.
Headline themes emerging from the findings in this section are:
 Speaking and Listening skills are more important to private sector employers
than Reading and Writing skills overall.
 The higher the Occupational Group, the higher the level of skills needs. For
example jobs in Occupation Group A such as Accountants, Dentists, Vets,
Production Managers and Civil Engineers are more likely to need to give
presentations and contribute to meetings in Welsh, write and handle reports
and complete forms through the medium of Welsh than jobs in Occupation
Group D. Members of Group D such as Waiters, Cleaners, Farm Hands and
Shop Assistants are more likely to need a more basic level of Welsh such as
using greetings and holding basic conversations as well as writing simple notes
or reading simple documents in Welsh.
Occupation Group A
This Occupation Group includes Managing Directors, General Managers, Chief
Executives, Partners, Professionals, Senior Managers, and Company Secretaries.
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Future Skills Wales Survey – Welsh Language Skills in Seven Sectors
Examples of these jobs vary from sector to sector and include Doctors, Dentists,
Vets, Civil Engineers, Accountants, Property Managers, Proprietors, Solicitors, Heads
of Finance, Stockbrokers and Production Managers.
38% of companies with Occupation Group A in their companies said that they
needed level 4 Welsh language skills for those Occupations. For example 38% of
occupations which include Doctors, Dentists, Civil Engineers and Production
Managers need to be able to give presentations, contribute to meetings, be confident
and comfortable to speak and answer questions at length in Welsh, and able to
understand complex or technical conversations in Welsh.
33% of Group A jobs also need level 4 Welsh language skills in Reading and Writing.
Therefore 33% of jobs including Doctors, Dentists, Civil Engineers and Production
Managers need to be able to read and understand complex/technical documents and
instructions in Welsh and need to be able to write, proofread or translate complex
or technical documents in Welsh.
21% of companies with jobs in Group A needed level 3 Speaking and Listening skills
for these jobs. Therefore for 21% of Dentists, Vets, Civil Engineers and similar level
jobs, the highest level of Welsh language skills required is to hold a conversation,
provide information, answer questions and make contributions to formal and
informal meetings in Welsh. 14% of the same companies said that the highest Welsh
language skills level they needed for these jobs in Reading and Writing was level 3 to read and understand complex documents within their own field and simpler
documents outside their field in Welsh, respond to/initiate correspondence through
the medium of Welsh, write and translate simple reports and complete forms on
familiar subjects in Welsh.
21% of companies with Group A jobs needed level 1 or 2 Welsh language Speaking
and Listening skills for these jobs. Therefore for 21% of Dentists, Vets, Civil
Engineers and similar level jobs, the highest level of Welsh language skills they need is
to use basic greeting such as ‘Bore Da’ or hold a basic conversation with clients and
customers and to be able to follow the general flow of conversation in Welsh. 25%
of the same companies said that the highest Welsh language skills level they needed
for these jobs in Reading and Writing was level 1 and 2 which is to read and
understand simple documents on familiar subjects and write simple notes or short
letters in Welsh.
This group is the most likely of all the Occupation Groups to need this level of skill
in Welsh. Also, of companies with jobs in Occupation Group A, 72% stated that they
were unlikely to need higher levels of skills in Speaking and Listening for this
Occupation Group in five years time, and 18% stated that they would need higher
levels. For Reading and Writing, 76% said they would not need higher levels in five
years’ time for jobs in Group A, and 14% said they would need higher levels. Those
companies who already have the highest levels for this Occupation Group would
presumably answer that they do not need higher levels, so it could be concluded that
in five years’ time more than 38% of companies would state that jobs in Occupation
Group A would need level 4 Welsh language speaking and listening skills, and that
more than 33% would state that they needed level 4 Reading and Writing skills in
five years’ time.
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Future Skills Wales Survey – Welsh Language Skills in Seven Sectors
Occupation Group B
This Occupation Group includes Middle Managers, Supervisors, Team Leaders, and
Controllers. Examples of these jobs vary from sector to sector and include
Marketing Managers, Head Gardeners, Fitness Instructors, Bar Managers,
Distribution Managers, Sales Managers, Warehouse Supervisors, Buyers, Quality
Assurance Managers, Food Technologists, Business Managers, Trainee Solicitors,
Branch Managers, Mortgage Sellers, Senior Care Managers, Matrons, Senior
Electricians, Television Presenters, Video Engineers, Graphic Designers, Editors,
Translators, Personnel Managers, and Site Foremen.
14% of companies who stated that they had Occupation Group B in their companies
said that they needed level 4 Welsh language skills for those Occupations. For
example 14% of occupations which include Trainee Solicitors, Head Gardeners,
Video Engineers and Graphic Designers need to be able to give presentations,
contribute to meetings be confident and comfortable to speak and answer questions
at length in Welsh, and able to understand complex or technical conversations in
Welsh.
11% of Occupation Group B also need level 4 Welsh language skills in Reading and
Writing. Therefore 11% of occupations including Graphic Designers, Food
Technologists and Senior Care Managers need to be able to read and understand
complex documents and technical documents and instructions in Welsh and need to
be able to write, proofread or translate complex or technical documents in Welsh.
22% of companies with jobs described as Occupation Group B needed level 3
Speaking and Listening skills for these jobs. Therefore for 22% of Graphic Designers,
Food Technologists, Senior Care Managers and similar level jobs, the highest level of
Welsh language skills they need is to hold a conversation, provide information,
answer questions and make contributions to formal and informal meetings in Welsh.
13% of the same companies said that the highest Welsh language skills level they
needed for these jobs in Reading and Writing was level 3. This involves reading and
understanding complex Welsh documents within their own field and simpler
documents outside their own field, responding to and initiating correspondence
through the medium of Welsh, writing and translating simple reports and completing
forms on familiar subjects in Welsh.
46% of companies with jobs in Occupation Group B needed level 1 or 2 Welsh
language Speaking and Listening skills for these jobs. Therefore for 46% of Graphic
Designers, Food Technologists and Senior Care Managers and similar level jobs, the
highest level of Welsh language skills they need is to use basic greeting such as ‘Bore
Da’ or hold a basic conversation with clients and customers and to be able to follow
the general flow of conversation in Welsh. 39% of the same companies said that the
highest Welsh language skills level they needed for these jobs in Reading and Writing
was level 2, i.e. to read and understand simple documents on familiar subjects and
write simple notes or short letters in Welsh.
Of companies with jobs in Occupation Group B, 65% stated that they were unlikely
to need higher levels of skills in Speaking and Listening for this Occupation Group in
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Future Skills Wales Survey – Welsh Language Skills in Seven Sectors
five years time, and 20% stated that they would need higher levels. For Reading and
Writing, 75% said they would not need higher levels in five years’ time, and 11% said
they would. Those companies who already have the highest levels for this
Occupation Group would presumably answer that they do not need higher levels, so
it could be concluded that in five years time more than 14% of companies would
state that jobs in Occupation Group B would need level 4 Welsh language Speaking
and Listening skills, and that more than 11% would state that they needed level 4
Reading and Writing skills in five years’ time.
Occupation Group C
This Occupation Group includes Skilled Trades, Administrative and Secretarial,
Clerical, Personal Service, Sales and Customer Service and Skilled Manual Workers.
Jobs in Occupation Group C vary from sector to sector and include Cooks,
Receptionists, Gardeners, Recreational Assistants, Marketing Assistants, Lorry
Drivers, Butchery Preparation and Packing Workers, Stock Controllers, Legal
Secretaries, Accounts Clerks, Lettings Officer, Researchers, IT Programmers, Make
Up Assistants Camera Operators, Typesetters, Hairdressers, Beauty Therapists,
Bricklayers, Carpenters, Plasterers, Counter Staff, Vet Nurses and Dental Assistants.
15% of companies who stated that they had Occupation Group C in their companies
said that they needed level 4 Welsh language skills for those Occupations. For
example 15% of occupations which include Cooks, Dental Assistants, Bricklayers and
Camera Operators need to be able to give presentations, contribute to meetings be
confident and comfortable to speak and answer questions at length in Welsh, and
able to understand complex or technical conversations in Welsh.
13% of Occupation Group C also need level 4 Welsh language skills in Reading and
Writing. Therefore 11% of occupations which include Cooks, Dental Assistants,
Bricklayers and Camera Operators need to be able to read and understand complex
documents and technical documents and instructions in Welsh and need to be able
to write, proofread or translate complex or technical documents in Welsh.
12% of companies with jobs in Group C needed level 3 Speaking and Listening skills
for these jobs. Therefore for 12% of Cooks, Dental Assistants, Bricklayers and
Camera Operators and similar level jobs, the highest level of Welsh language skills
they need is to hold a conversation, provide information, answer questions and make
contributions to formal and informal meetings in Welsh. 10% of the same companies
said that the highest Welsh language skills level they needed for these jobs in Reading
and Writing was level 3 which is to read and understand complex documents within
their own field and simpler documents outside their own field in Welsh, and respond
to and initiate correspondence through the medium of Welsh and write and
translate simple reports and complete forms on familiar subjects in Welsh.
56% of companies with jobs in Occupation Group C needed level 1 or 2 Welsh
language Speaking and Listening skills for these jobs. Therefore for 46% of Cooks,
Dental Assistants, Bricklayers and Camera Operators and similar level jobs, the
highest level of Welsh language skills they need is to use basic greeting such as ‘Bore
Da’ or hold a basic conversation with clients and customers and to be able to follow
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March 2005
Future Skills Wales Survey – Welsh Language Skills in Seven Sectors
the general flow of conversation in Welsh. 46% of the same companies said that the
highest Welsh language skills level they needed for these jobs in Reading and Writing
was level 1 and 2 which is to read and understand simple documents on familiar
subjects and write simple notes or short letters in Welsh.
Of companies with jobs in Group C, 69% stated that they were unlikely to need
higher levels of skills in Speaking and Listening for this Occupation Group in five
years time, and 14% stated that they would need higher levels. For Reading and
Writing, 73% said they would not need higher levels in five years’ time, and 14% said
they would need higher levels for jobs in Occupation Group C. Those companies
who already have the highest levels for this Occupation Group would presumably
answer that they do not need higher levels, so it could be concluded that in five
years time more than 15% of companies would state that jobs in Occupation Group
C would need level 4 Welsh language Speaking and Listening skills, and that more
than 13% would state that they needed level 4 Reading and Writing skills in five
years’ time.
Occupation Group D
This Occupation Group includes Semi-skilled Trades such as Cleaners, Chamber
Maids, Waiters, Catering Assistants, Kitchen Porters, Warehouse Staff, Farm Hands,
Shop Assistants, Packing Assistants, Domestic Staff, and Laundrette Assistants.
15% of companies who stated that they had Occupation Group D in their companies
said that they needed level 4 Welsh language skills for those Occupations. For
example 15% of occupations which include Cleaners, Waiters, Shop Assistants and
Farm Hands, need to be able to give presentations, contribute to meetings, be
confident and comfortable to speak and answer questions at length in Welsh, and
able to understand complex or technical conversations in Welsh.
3% of Occupation Group D also need level 4 Welsh language skills in Reading and
Writing. Therefore only 3% of occupations that include Cleaners, Waiters, Shop
Assistants and Farm Hands need to be able to read and understand
complex/technical documents or instructions in Welsh and need to be able to write,
proofread or translate complex or technical documents in Welsh.
8% of companies with employees in Group D needed level 3 Speaking and Listening
skills for these jobs. Therefore for 8% of Cleaners, Waiters, Shop Assistants and
Farm Hands and similar level jobs, the highest level of Welsh language skills they
need is to hold a conversation, provide information, answer questions and make
contributions to formal and informal meetings in Welsh. 11% of the same companies
said that the highest Welsh language skills level they needed for these jobs in Reading
and Writing was level 3 which is to read and understand complex documents within
their own field and simpler documents outside their own field in Welsh, respond
to/initiate correspondence through the medium of Welsh, write and translate simple
reports and complete forms on familiar subjects in Welsh.
42% of companies with Group D employees needed level 1 or 2 Welsh language
Speaking and Listening skills for these jobs. Therefore for 42% of Cleaners, Waiters,
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Future Skills Wales Survey – Welsh Language Skills in Seven Sectors
Shop Assistants and Farm Hands and similar level jobs, the highest level of Welsh
language skills they need is to use basic greeting such as ‘Bore Da’ or hold a basic
conversation with clients and customers and to be able to follow the general flow of
conversation in Welsh. 27% of the same companies said that the highest Welsh
language skills level they needed for these jobs in Reading and Writing was level 1
and 2 which is to read and understand simple documents on familiar subjects and
write simple notes or short letters in Welsh.
Of companies with jobs in Group D, 76% stated that they were unlikely to need
higher levels of skills in Speaking and Listening for this Occupation Group in five
years time, and 9% stated that they would need higher levels. For Reading and
Writing, 86% said they would not need higher levels in five years’ time, and 5% said
they would need higher levels for jobs in Occupation Group C. Those companies
who already have the highest levels for this Occupation Group would presumably
answer that they do not need higher levels, so it could be concluded that in five
years time more than 15% of companies would state that jobs in Occupation Group
D would need level 4 Welsh language Speaking and Listening skills, and that more
than 3% would state that they needed level 4 Reading and Writing skills in five years’
time.
Reasons given by businesses for why they would need higher levels of Welsh
language skills across all Occupations Groups included:
 The Welsh language is on the increase or there is a growth in numbers of
Welsh speakers (28%)
 Our customers and clients speak Welsh (25%)
 To improve the business (11%)
 To give a language choice to customers or provide better customer service
(4%)
4.4 Respondents who do not have a need for Welsh language skills
91% of all respondents who took part in this survey stated that they did not have a
need for Welsh language skills in their business at that location. This 91% were asked
further questions including questions about the reasons why they had no need and
whether they foresaw that the situation would change.
Reasons why companies do not need Welsh language skills are seen in Figure 10
below (respondents were asked to agree or disagree with a list of reasons):
Figure 10 Reasons why businesses do not have a need for Welsh language skills(%)
39
March 2005
Future Skills Wales Survey – Welsh Language Skills in Seven Sectors
90%
84%
81%
83%
80%
66%
70%
70%
60%
50%
40%
30%
20%
10%
3%
None of the these
apply
Don't speak
Welsh
Little requirement
in line of business
No business
advantage
Not based in
Welsh speaking
area
Very few of our
clients/customers
are Welsh
speaking
0%
Base: 1782 weighted (Companies who have no stated need for Welsh language skills)
Source: FSW Welsh Language Skills Survey 2004
36% of businesses without a need for Welsh language skills in North West Wales said
that they are not based in a Welsh-speaking area, compared with 78% stating the same
in the South East of Wales. This could suggest a certain lack of awareness of the
linguistic nature of their greater area, particularly amongst businesses in North West
Wales. 94% of construction companies and 91% of financial and business services
companies said there was little requirement for Welsh language skills in their line of
business. It would suggest either a lack of demand from the public for a Welsh
language service or a lack of awareness of the demand. 11% do think that this situation
is likely to change over the next five years, 78% do not think the situation will change
and 11% didn’t know. Responses by sector, region or company size are similar.
Jobs where Welsh language skills will increase in the future, according to companies
who think the situation will change over the next five years, include administrative
jobs, receptionists, retail assistants and managers. 30% said they feel that Welsh will be
used more in future, particularly in Retail / Wholesale / Other Services (47%) and
Tourism / Leisure (32%).
When asked why their requirement for Welsh language skills is likely to change, by far
the most popular reason given was that more and more of their customers and clients
would require a Welsh language service (48% of those who thought that the situation
was likely to change), and this result is reflected similarly in each geographical region.
Sectors where this view is strongest include Tourism/Leisure (69%), Financial and
Business Services (50%) and Retail/Wholesale/Other Services (43%) although sector
breakdown is very limited owing to small base sizes. 21% (40 businesses) thought that
they would need more Welsh language skills in order to win new customers and
clients but further breakdown by geographical area or sector is not possible owing to
small base sizes.
40
March 2005
Future Skills Wales Survey – Welsh Language Skills in Seven Sectors
All companies who have no need for Welsh language skills at present were then asked
about methods of recruiting people with Welsh language skills in the future. 38% said
they would use a Jobcentre Plus office, 18% the local English language newspaper and
17% word of mouth. 8% would put a notice in the window, 5% would use a Welsh
language magazine or newspaper, 4% would use a recruitment agency and The
Western Mail and Daily Post attracted only 6% and 3% respectively. Only 1% stated
that they would use a Careers Centre and only 1% would use the Internet. 27% of
respondents who have no present need for Welsh language skills said that they would
not recruit for posts requiring Welsh language skills in the future or said “Don’t
know”.
4.4.1 Improving Welsh language skills in Future – those without a present
need
When asked where they would go first to seek advice about improving the Welsh
language skills of their workforce if they needed to in future (before prompting), 29%
mentioned their local college or University, and all other places followed a long way
behind with the WDA and the local community centre mentioned by 3%, ELWa,
learndirect, Local Authority, Jobcentre Plus and personal contacts mentioned by 2%.
Menter Iaith, local evening classes, careers office, local library, Welsh Assembly,
schools, tourist board and the Internet were mentioned by 1%. These results were
fairly evenly spread across geographical regions, sectors and size of company. Half
(51%) of these businesses did not mention any organisation at the unprompted stage,
suggesting that this is not a subject at the forefront of their minds.
Figure 11. Where would businesses without a present need go for help and advice in future (%)
Base: 1782 (weighted) – Businesses without a need for Welsh language skills
35%
30%
33%
29%
25%
18%
20%
15%
10%
5%
3% 3%
1% 1% 1% 2% 2% 2% 1% 2% 1% 1% 1% 1%
M
Lo
ca
lC
ol
le
ge
en
/U
te
rI
ni
a
E
L
Lo it
e a LW
h
ca
a
l / L rn
Lo Co an Dir
g
ca mm I ec
ni
t
lA
u t un it tiat
h o y iv e
rit C e
y
He
/ C ntre
ad
ou
nc
of
fic
il
e
W
Pe
/
D
Ad rs int
A
ul ona ern
tL
a
ea l co lly
W
rn nta
el
in
sh
g cts
C
As
Jo en
s
To e m b C tre
ur bl en
ist y /
tr
Bo O e
f
a r fic
e
d
0% / W
' o TB
th
Al er s
lo *
th
DB No er
s
/ N wh
e
o
an re
sw
er
0%
Source: FSW Welsh language skills needs survey 2004
41
March 2005
Future Skills Wales Survey – Welsh Language Skills in Seven Sectors
These results suggest either a high level of confidence in their local college and/or a
low level of awareness of other agencies able to help, such as ELWa and Menter Iaith
or CYD. Colleges mentioned tended to be the ones local to the company.
When a list of organisations who could help was read out to the respondents, the
percentage who agreed that colleges and universities could help went up to 69% around twice the proportion that said they would go to learndirect (38%), ELWa
(35%) or Local Community Centres (33%) for help and advice.
Figure 12 - Which of these organisations would you go to for help and advice about training to
improve the Welsh language skills of your employees if you needed to in the future (%)
Local College/ University
69%
ELWa
35%
learndirect
38%
Menter Iaith / Language Initiative
21%
CYD
9%
Local community centre
33%
Would not go for advice from any of these
23%
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
Base: 1782 weighted Business without a need for Welsh language skills
Source: FSW Welsh language skills needs survey 2004
4.5 Attitudes of Businesses to Welsh Language Skills
A list of statements was read out to the whole sample of 1,960 businesses in Wales
about attitudes and perceptions towards issues surrounding Welsh language skills in
business. The results are interesting because some of them they would seem to
convey a slightly different perspective regarding the actual use (and importance of) of
the Welsh language in businesses from that suggested by the main result that only 9%
per cent of businesses in Wales have a need for Welsh language skills amongst
employees.
Figure 13 - Attitudes of Businesses to Welsh language use
42
March 2005
80%
Future Skills Wales Survey – Welsh Language Skills in Seven Sectors
Many of our employees happen to be Welsh
speakers
Lack of people with Welsh language skills having an
impact on business
Can't imagine ever needing Welsh language skills in
out business
Easy to find right training for employees in learning
or improving Welsh language skills
Easy to find right training in job-specific skills for
employees through Welsh medium
Costs too much to train staff through Welsh medium
Quality of training in or through Welsh medium is
poor
Having staff with the right Welsh language skills
important to success of our business
Our customers like to be offered a language choice
of Welsh or English
0%
Strongly Agree
Agree
20%
Disagree
40%
60%
80%
100%
120%
Strongly Disagree
Base: 1,960(Total Sample)
Source: FSW Welsh Language Skills Survey 2004
Most notably, when asked their opinion of the statement ‘Having staff with the right
Welsh language skills is important to our business’, 20% agreed or strongly agreed
with the statement. The proportion acknowledging the importance of their staff having
Welsh language skills is over twice as high as the proportion stating earlier on in the
interviews that they need Welsh language skills amongst their employees. It is possible
to speculate on the reasons for the differences – it could be that ‘having a need for’
Welsh language skills has been interpreted by some businesses as meaning ‘in need of’
and therefore any who are satisfied with their current level of Welsh language skills
would answer ‘no’ to such a question. Another possible reason is that the Welsh
language is not viewed as a skill as such but rather as a naturally occurring by-product
of their natural ability to speak Welsh.
A further analysis of responses to this question reveals that of those companies who
had already stated that they had no present need for Welsh language skills at the
location, 15% agreed with the statement that having staff with the right Welsh language
skills is important to their business. Further, of those companies who have no stated
need for Welsh language skills at present, 23% agreed that their customers like to be
offered a choice of Welsh or English. Interestingly, 17% of businesses in the Care
Services sector (including 30% of hospitals and nursing homes) agree that having staff
with the right Welsh language skills is important to their business, yet only 6% of Care
Services answered that they had a present need for Welsh language skills. Retail and
Wholesale and other Service Activities were another sector with a low stated need
for Welsh language skills at 5% but 19% agreed that having staff with the right Welsh
language skills were important to their business. Other sectors also give different
responses to the two sets of questions also, notably the Media sector, Tourism and
Leisure, Agri-food and Financial and Business Services.
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Furthermore, 29% agreed or strongly agreed with the statement ‘Our customers like
to be offered a language choice of Welsh or English’, and again a significant difference
can be seen in comparison to the overall 9% figure of businesses ‘having a need for
Welsh language skills’, and again the Care sector is notable in that it has one of the
lowest stated need per sector for Welsh language skills at 6% and yet 31% agree that
their customers and clients like to be offered a language choice of Welsh or English,
with 44% of hospitals and care homes agreeing with this. Again Retail, Wholesale and
Other Services are a sector with a low stated need for Welsh language skills at 5% and
yet 30% of these businesses agree that their customers like to be offered a language
choice. Other notable sectors include Tourism and Leisure, Agri-food and the Media.
23% of respondents also agreed or strongly agreed with the statement ’Many of our
employees just happen to be Welsh speakers’, perhaps indicating that some businesses
either do not view the ability of some of their staff to speak Welsh as a work skill.
Figure 14 Comparison of responses of businesses to three of the qualitative statements about
their use of the Welsh language (%)
100%
90%
80%
70%
Don't Know
60%
40%
Strongly
Disagree
Disagree
30%
Agree
50%
20%
Strongly
Agree
10%
0%
Many of our employees
just happen to be
Welsh Speakers
Having staff with the
right WL skills is
important to the
success of our
business
Our customers like to
be offered a language
choice of Welsh or
English
Base: 1960 All respondents
Source: FSW Welsh Language Skills Survey 2004
Only 4% of respondents agreed or strongly agreed with the statement ‘A lack of
people with Welsh language skills is having an impact on my business’, and 42% agreed
or strongly agreed with the statement ‘I can’t imagine ever needing Welsh language
skills in my business’, with 49% disagreeing or strongly disagreeing with this statement.
A segment analysis of these questions reveals that only 12% of those who agreed that
Welsh language skills are important to the success of the business also agreed that a
lack of people with Welsh language skills is having an impact on their business. Also,
only 15 % of businesses who did not agree that having staff with Welsh language skills
is important to their business then agreed that their customers like being offered a
language choice of Welsh or English.
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89% of businesses agreeing that they could not imagine ever needing Welsh language
skills in their business also did not agree that ‘many of their staff happen to be Welsh
speakers’. This suggests that these businesses do not have staff with Welsh language
skills and do not view the ability to speak Welsh as a skill that is needed at work.
Training
34% of all respondents agreed or strongly agreed that finding the right training/learning
or improving Welsh language skills would be easy, 16% disagreed or strongly disagreed
and 51% didn’t know.
20% agreed or strongly agreed that finding the right training in job-specific skills for
employees through the medium of Welsh would be easy (e.g. computer skills, food
hygiene etc), 17% disagreed or strongly disagreed and 63% didn’t know.
11% agreed or strongly agreed that it costs too much to train staff in or through the
medium of Welsh, 19% disagreed or strongly disagreed and 70% didn’t know.
When asked to agree or disagree with the statement ‘The quality of training in Welsh
language skills or through the medium of Welsh is poor’, 7% agreed, 14% disagreed or
strongly disagreed and 79% didn’t know.
Figure 15 Comparison of businesses’ responses to qualitative statements regarding training
(%)
100%
90%
80%
70%
Don't know
60%
Strongly disagree
50%
Disagree
40%
Agree
Strongly agree
30%
20%
10%
0%
It's easy to find the It's easy to find the It costs too much to
The quality of
right training for right training in jobtrain staff in or
training in or
employees in
specific skills for through the medium through the medium
learning or
employees through
of Welsh
of Welsh is poor
improving their
the medium of
Welsh language
Welsh
skills
Base: 1960 All respondents
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Source: FSW Welsh Language Skills Survey 2004
For the above four statements it is perhaps the ‘don’t knows’ who are the most
significant in that awareness of the existence, cost and quality of training would appear
to be low. It should be noted however that businesses in the Retail, Wholesale and
Other Services sector seem to have a higher level of awareness of Welsh language
training, with a significantly lower percentage in this sector answering ‘Don’t Know’
for the first three training-related questions (the first three columns in the graph
above) and about the same for the question relating to quality of training. Retail,
Wholesale and Other Service therefore have a higher awareness than other sectors
about the availability and cost of Welsh language and Welsh medium training, but not
about the quality of that training.
Case Study
Wynnstay Arms – Machynlleth
The Wynnstay Arms is a small public house/hotel situated in the Mid Wales town of
Machynlleth. There are two partners in the business and they have an annual turnover
of £150,000. The partners moved to Machynlleth eighteen years ago from Hereford
and their grandchildren are Welsh-speaking and work in the business during the busy
summer months. They also employ two part-time staff all year round, and both staff
are Welsh speaking.
During the Winter months, their customers are mainly local, Welsh-speaking people
so having staff with Welsh language skills is viewed as essential. During the summer
they have more custom from visitors to the area and the Welsh language skills of staff
are less important. They feel, however, that these visitors generally like to hear Welsh
being spoken as it makes them feel that they are visiting somewhere ‘different’.
Ideally all staff would be Welsh speaking although it is a less important skill in the
kitchen as there is little interaction with customers. Having staff with Welsh language
skills is a definite advantage to the business, because it makes customers feel at home,
and welcome, which is crucial in the hospitality business.
When advertising for vacant posts they would specifically state that Welsh language
skills would be an advantage, and as they feel that there are plenty of Welsh speakers
around to fill vacancies they do not foresee a shortage. They feel that in five years’
time there may be a decrease in their need for Welsh language skills as their Welsh–
speaking customers will be fewer in number as more and more people move to the
area from England.
They feel the need for support and information to help them with their Welsh
language training needs, and in particular they would like more flexibility. They have
tried attending Welsh learners classes but have had to stop as the times clashed with
busy periods in the business.
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4.6 Summary of main issues
Overall, 9% of Welsh businesses surveyed report having a need for Welsh language
skills amongst employees in their business. The highest stated need for Welsh
language skills at 18% was in the Media sector and the lowest was in Retail,
Wholesale and Other Services at 5%.
At the same time there are indications elsewhere in the survey that demand for
Welsh language skills may perhaps be higher than this response would suggest, with
20% of businesses interviewed agreeing that ‘having staff with the right Welsh
language skills is important to the success of my business’. Fifteen per cent of those
who stated they had no present need for Welsh language skills said that having staff
with the right Welsh language skills was important to their business.
Furthermore, 29% agreed or strongly agreed with the statement ‘Our customers like
to be offered a language choice of Welsh or English’, again considerably higher than
the overall 9% figure of businesses saying they ‘have a need’ for Welsh language skills
amongst employees.
One theory that could help to explain this is that employers’ awareness of how
Welsh is used in their business is almost sub-conscious and that this surfaces more
readily when qualitative techniques are used to supplement the quantitative data.
Certainly one can draw the conclusion that there is a strong link between Welsh
language skills and customer service/customer care, particularly when speaking and
listening. Businesses are most likely to have a need for Welsh language skills to
‘provide good customer service’ (91% of businesses with a need), because ‘a number
of our customers/clients are Welsh speakers’ (92%) or because ‘we’re based in a
Welsh speaking area’ (87%).
Businesses place a greater importance on speaking and listening skills across the
occupation groups than they do on reading and writing skills. Speaking to and
listening to customers is seen as the main purpose for these skills. This is true for all
kinds of occupations although reading and writing is as important to Occupation
Group A (professionals, directors, senior managers). Also, the higher the level of
occupation, the more likely it is that higher levels of Welsh language skills are
needed.
The need for Welsh language skills varied across the seven main industry sectors.
There was most demand amongst the Media sector (18% with a need) – a
significantly higher need compared with Construction (9%), Care Services (6%) and
Retail, Wholesale and Other Service Activities (5%).
Medium to Large businesses (over 50 employees at the location) are as likely to have
a need for Welsh language skills as micro businesses (2-4 employees). However
those with 25 – 49 employees are significantly less likely to have a need for Welsh
language skills compared with all other employee size bands.
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Region also has a great influence on the level of demand for Welsh language skills.
For example, a third of businesses in the North West have a need for such skills
compared with just 3% in the South East. Eight per cent of businesses in the South
West and 10% in Mid Wales reported having a need for Welsh language skills.
A third of businesses with a need for Welsh language skills describe the language of
their business to be predominantly Welsh and a quarter use both languages equally.
Just under half of businesses with a need for Welsh language skills say that they
never assess the Welsh language skills of job applicants when recruiting. However,
we do not know whether these employers have methods of assessment for any kind
of skills. Thirty four per cent do assess Welsh language skills of applicants for all
posts and the method of assessment is most likely to be through asking if they can
speak/write Welsh during the job interview.
One in ten businesses with a need for Welsh language skills (18 businesses in total)
has experienced difficulties in recruiting employees with Welsh language skills.
Only 2% of businesses with a need for Welsh language skills have a formal method of
identifying the Welsh language skills and training needs of their existing staff. Again
employers were not asked whether they have a formal method of identifying any
form of skills.
Businesses with a need for Welsh language skills are most likely to think of going to a
local college or university for advice and help about improving the Welsh language
skills of their workforce. Very few businesses with a need mentioned that they
would think of going to Mentrau Iaith or ELWa.
7% of businesses with a need for Welsh language skills have provided or funded job
specific training through the medium of Welsh to their employees and 7% have
provided or funded training to improve the Welsh language skills of their workforce.
The main reasons for businesses not having a need for Welsh language skills are
‘there is little requirement for Welsh language skills in our line of business’ (84% of
businesses without a need for Welsh language skills), ‘we don’t speak Welsh’ (83%)
and ‘very few of our customers/clients are Welsh speakers’ (81%). Those in the
Construction industry and Financial and Business Services were most likely to state
that ‘there is little requirement for Welsh language skills in our line of business’.
Eleven per cent of businesses without a need for Welsh language skills at present
think that the situation is likely to change in the next five years. The main reason for
this change was ‘more and more of our customers/clients require a Welsh language
service’ (48% of those asked) followed by ‘to win new customers/clients’ (21%).
If they need to in the future, businesses without a need for Welsh language skills are
most likely to go to a local college or university for advice about improving the
Welsh language skills of their workforce (32% before prompting)
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When asked, the vast majority of businesses disagreed with the statement ‘a lack of
Welsh language skills is having an impact on my business (95% of all respondents).
When asked whether they could imagine ever having a need for Welsh language
skills, 48% disagreed with the statement compared with 42% agreeing and 10% saying
that they didn’t know. Disagreement was highest in the North West (77%) and
lowest in the South East (40%) and Mid Wales (46%).
A high proportion of respondents failed to give a view on some statements about
the quality, availability and cost of training through the medium of Welsh. This
strongly suggests that most businesses have not had any experience of Welsh
medium or Welsh language training and have not sought to be involved with it.
Nearly one third (29%) of businesses agree with the statement ‘Our customers like
to be offered a language choice of Welsh or English’. In terms of sectors, agreement
with this statement was highest in Tourism and Leisure (31%), Agri-food (30%),
Financial and Business Services (22%) and Retail (30%). Disagreement was highest in
the Construction (76%), Financial and Business Services (72%) and the Media sectors
(70%). Agreement was also high in the North West (62%) compared to the South
East (13%).
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5. Policy Issues
Only 9% of the sample base said that they had a need for Welsh language skills in
their business. This report analyses some of the sectoral and geographical trends
within this finding. Of the 91% of businesses who did not state a current need for
Welsh language skills, 11% stated that they foresaw this situation changing over the
next 5 years.
20% of the whole sample agreed that having staff with the right Welsh language skills
is important to the success of their business. 29% also agreed that their customers
like to be offered the choice of English or Welsh.
What seems clear is that for those businesses that report a need for Welsh language
skills, and for those who see the Welsh language as important to the success of their
business, the Welsh language and having staff that can communicate in Welsh has the
potential to offer business advantages. There are also clear cultural influences in
terms of the level of importance attached to the Welsh language by business owners
and managers. These cultural factors come into play particularly when considering
customer service levels and in addressing the social/cultural preferences of
customers. The issue of Welsh language skills needs creates an interface between
cultural and economic considerations.
Being in a position to offer language choice improves the businesses’ ability to
address customer needs and is likely to result in improved standards of customer
care. This finding is particularly relevant in light of the 2003 Generic Skills Survey,
which indicated that customer service and communication skills were highly valued
by employers (in both the public and private sectors).
Eleven per cent of respondents currently not requiring Welsh language skills stated
that they see the situation changing in the next five years. This indicates a slow but
incisive trend that some businesses in certain areas/sectors are increasingly seeing
the Welsh language as a commercial asset. This would seem to offer clear benefits
both in customer retention and winning new business.
In policy terms, it seems that there is a general low level of awareness amongst the
private sector in Wales as to how the Welsh language can be used to benefit their
business. A promotion or communication issue therefore seems to exist, which if
addressed effectively could accelerate the process of businesses using the Welsh
language to their commercial benefit.
This awareness issue seems to have differing levels of relevance and priority in
varying parts of Wales. For example, awareness was highest in the North West, but
was low in the South West and Mid Wales and even lower in the South East. The
detailed analysis on the regional trends could be used in terms of informing and
enhancing spatially targeted economic development, skills and language planning
policy initiatives. The Employer Liaison Phase of Careers Wales Online is the ideal
opportunity both to collect further information regarding the Welsh language skills
needs of employers in all parts of Wales and to raise the awareness of employers of
the potential business benefits of the use of the Welsh language in their businesses.
In addition, it is a timely vehicle for disseminating this information to Careers Wales’
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all-age client group thereby making the link between employers’ skills needs and the
skills supply in Wales.
What also seems to be a relevant finding is the subtle nature in which the private
sector acknowledges the Welsh language. It seems from the differences highlighted
in the report that most businesses do not consider the Welsh language to be a skill.
Rather, they seem to perceive it as a more naturally occurring attribute.
The significance of this should not be underestimated in policy terms. In particular, it
needs to be taken into consideration and be reflected in how public sector agencies
develop strategies, communicate with and offer support to Welsh businesses. In this
context, the Welsh language needs to be an integrated element of wider policy
initiatives and programmed mainstream support in both the skills and economic
development agendas.
The sectoral findings outlined also provide a useful information base to inform and
steer future policy and programme interventions that link language and business. The
challenge for the Welsh Sector Skills Councils and other sectoral agencies will be to
consolidate and build on the potential in sectors such as Agri-food and Media, whilst
considering communication and awareness raising exercises in sectors such as Care1
and Retail.
The issue of improving the Welsh language skills base of their workforce seemed to
indicate a general lack of awareness of support agencies amongst the businesses
surveyed. Most noted their local college/university as a source of training and skills
development. Very few were aware of other formal and less formal training
institutions and organisations that offer support, training or signposting to improve
Welsh language skills.
Linked to this point is the general lack of Welsh language skills analysis being
undertaken by businesses, either in recruiting new staff or in developing their
existing workforce. This seems to be impacting on the way in which Welsh
businesses seek and source specific training or other support to improve Welsh
language skills.
A key policy theme in addressing this would appear to be the need to clearly
demonstrate the commercial benefits and business case for having the ability to do
business bilingually. This needs to be consolidated by making the training offer
relevant to business needs by integrating it with other core skills (e.g. understanding
customer needs, ability to follow instructions, communication, team working,
adaptability/flexibility or showing initiative). It also reflects the need for information
on Welsh language training to be pro-actively targeted towards Welsh businesses in
a way that is easily understood and takes account of sectoral and geographic factors.
For example this could affect the way in which courses are designed, delivered and
promoted to businesses.
1
Please note that the Care Sector as defined by SIC and used during this survey does not match the
footprint for the Care and Development SSC.
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Promotional material could be made more relevant to regional characteristics by
using locally relevant Role Models or Champions. It could also involve dovetailing
improving Welsh language skills with areas such as customer care, team working and
communication in the way courses are delivered so that employers and employees
can easily relate to the relevance of the language in a work context.
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