Welding, a skill vital to shipbuilding, has been lost through the sheer Scottish Government incompetence

In a country respected worldwide for its shipbuilding industry, a major player is having to bring in welders from abroad. Warship builder Babcock was this week confirmed to have recruited 300 welders from the Philippines because of a major skills gap at its Rosyth yard.

Welding, a skill vital to this defence industry has, it seems, been lost through the sheer incompetence of our current Scottish Government. As someone brought up in shipbuilding country, and who has friends who then built successful, and well-paid careers as welders in the oil industry, that concept is unfathomable.

Critics point to the SNP’s reluctance to support warship building or indeed any of our defence industries as a contributory factor to the skills gap. But sadly, it goes much further and deeper than that.

Because defence industries are not the only sector where employers, and educationalists, are at their wits end over a lack of investment in training and skills by the SNP at Holyrood.

Figures released this week revealed a worrying drop in the number of people being trained to work in the green heat sector. What is particularly surprising about those figures is that it is the Scottish Government’s own Heat in Buildings Strategy aiming to cut emissions in buildings which will be hit.

Shortsighted doesn’t quite cover the extent of their failure to recognise the need for investment, never mind do something about it. The figures show that since 2018 the number of students enrolled in relevant Scottish college courses has fallen by 23 per cent, while there has also been a decline in those taking similar courses at Scottish universities.

That includes a 17 per cent reduction in those doing energy engineering courses to be trained in skills for renewable energies.

I recently visited Edinburgh College where those studying as part of apprenticeships are trained in fitting solar panels, insulation and generally more energy efficient house building. There too we heard that investment is needed by this government. An already disappointing record in cutting emissions by heating and insulating our buildings more efficiently will only get worse unless this problem is addressed. And quickly.

Scotland needs a strategy to both replace those valuable skills that have been allowed to wither, and develop for future industries if we are to exploit the economic opportunities we could have and the climate action we need.

We need young people, and more mature people too, to be encouraged to realise the value of traditional skills once again. Welding, engineering, carpentry, electrical training are all as vital to our future and as potential careers as digital skills, teaching, legal training and many others. For too long we have failed to invest in apprenticeships and if the Government does not change direction, it will be too late.

My own party – the Scottish Liberal Democrats – has a plan to bring down energy bills and roll out a nationwide insulation programme to harness he full potential of renewables.

But that will need people with the very skills which the SNP’s lack of investment is denying our young people.

And that will demand a government with vision and commitment.