Reform UK’s new member, James Evans MS, has marked National Apprenticeship Week 2026 by raising concerns in the Senedd about cross-border barriers preventing young people in Mid Wales from accessing apprenticeship opportunities.

During an exchange with the Minister for Culture, Skills and Social Partnership Jack Sargeant MS, James highlighted the ongoing difficulties faced by constituents in border communities who are unable to access certain apprenticeships in England because Welsh funding rules do not universally allow support for placements outside Wales.

Evans argued that greater flexibility is needed to ensure young people in rural and border constituencies are not disadvantaged simply because of geography, particularly in niche sectors where provision may not be available within Wales.

In response, the Minister acknowledged that while the number of people affected may be relatively small, the impact on those individuals can be significant. He confirmed that discussions are ongoing with Medr and other UK nations to explore potential flexibilities in the system for identified cases in the future.

James Evans MS, Member of the Senedd for Brecon & Radnorshire, said: “National Apprenticeship Week is a chance to celebrate the huge value apprenticeships bring to our economy and to young people’s futures, but it’s also a chance to address the barriers that still exist.

“If an apprenticeship is offered across the border which is closer to the person’s home and more appropriate for what they want to study, it’s disappointing the current funding model in Wales restricts them from accessing that apprenticeship in England.

“These young people want to gain skills and bring them back to Wales, to work in our communities and boost our rural economy. We should be enabling that, not standing in the way of it.

“I welcome the Minister’s confirmation that discussions are ongoing to explore greater flexibility. Even if the numbers affected are small, the impact on those individuals is life-changing, and that matters.”