14/12/2011 BBC Wales Today

Welcome to Wales Today. We're live from the Royal Mail sorting office

at Baglan. Business is booming here in the run-up to Christmas, but the

unemployment figures out today show the picture across the country

isn't quite so healthy. The Business Minister tells me about

her vision for the Welsh economy. We talk about statistics, and I

think we have to recognise behind every statistic is a human being.

It is very hard out there when people are looking for jobs.

People are chasing jobs paid for by the public purse, like teachers.

We'll be finding out how difficult that is.

Without getting that fulltime post as soon as you finish your degree,

it puts a stop on things like saving up for a house, paying your

Also in the programme tonight: Operations are suspended at

Llandough hospital after thieves stole copper cables.

And a few places have already had a dusting of snow, but we could be in

Good evening and welcome to Wales Today. Tonight, we have the second

of our programmes looking at how we are coping in the run-up to what,

for many, will be a difficult Christmas. Our particular focus is

on jobs. We're at a parcel-sorting office outside Port Talbot, where

they've been bucking the trend and taken on around 100 extra staff in

the run-up to Christmas. But across the country, the employment figure

isn't so good. In the next half an hour, we'll be hearing people's

stories of how they're struggling to find work. I'll also be joined

by a careers adviser hoping to offer some help in today's job

market. Because today's figures make the situation clear. 133,000

people are out of work in Wales. That's up 11,000 over the last

three months. It's not all gloom, though, as Caroline Evans reports.

At this printing firm, they have the vacancies, but they are

reluctant to fill the war. When companies are this careful,

Jobseeker's can the cost. We are obviously conscious of our control

of our costs. People tend to feature in that. It tends to be the

easy option for companies to look at people only. We are targeting

are excess costs without people, that we can control. Today, the

number of them in plight people in those is a 1000 more than in the

same period last year. We must remember it is against a very

difficult economic background. The number of Jobseeker's claiming did

decline, and the economic inactivity figure has improved.

There is no doubt that we Adelaide difficult place. Do anything we can

do is to stick to the court and work with the Welsh Government to

try and improve these figures. out today are figures which measure

our national wealth. They show the Welsh economy did outperform the UK

in 2010. The total value of goods and services produced in Wales was

�45.5 billion. But we're starting from a low point. Our economic

performance per head is the lowest in the UK. She BA is the total of

everything we earn in salaries and what we produce as a mission. Last

year, we did quite well. We close the gap on the rest of the UK.

Sadly, we are still at a low place on average. There is much more for

us to do. Green energy is one sector which ministers hope could

help grow the economy. That is why the Welsh Government has given �2

million per to help swear let's set up a smart energy training centre.

Here, people will learn how to install solar panels. When it is up

and running in six months' time, it will create 250 jobs. It is a more

difficult climate for us to working. That is why I think this is a great

triumph to bring this opportunity. A lot of people are after this kind

of investment. The green technology, the green skills, that is where

people see the opportunities for the future. Right now, it seems we

need all the opportunities we can get. Today, this travel company

announced it is closing three stores in Wales.

Heulyn Gwyn Davies is from the Royal Mail. You've taken on 100

extra staff here. Tell us, how competitive was it to get a job?

have got 175 people processing nearly 300,000 items last night.

Across South Wales, we have got 500 seasonal jobs. They have been

competitive. We take great pride in the way we deliver and collect mail.

Each and every one of those people have been selected to ensure we can

deliver Christmas for our customers. Are they people from the locality?

They are people from all areas, all ages. We have got one person who is

catching three trains to get here every day to work his shift. We

have got people out there to ensure we can deliver the Christmas

bareback. We will be expecting you to take on extra staff at this time

of year. What will happen for the extra 11 months? Are you going to

have to shed the work force? What we have done across the UK is

recruit up to 18,000 people. We have got a massive the Christmas

mail bag of over 2 billion items. After Christmas, we try to continue

to invest in our workforce. We will be making those decisions in due

course. Not surprisingly, after today's

unemployment figures, opposition parties were quick to criticise the

Labour Welsh Government. Earlier today, I asked the Business

Minister Edwina Hart for her reaction. We have to recognise that

behind every statistic there is a human being. It is very hard when

people are looking for jobs. We are looking at the Training agenda. We

have short-term measures in terms of the economy, many for business

in terms of loans, grants. The issue for us is what measures can

you take? The economic issues are outside our hands. It is a question

of the fence we make available. That we are seen as open for

business. How much can you do? Your budget is under �300 million.

think we made available what we can put in, which is in -- which is

important don't. The problem is about uncertainty which comes from

the issues across the world. You're very good to look at the issues

across Europe. How important is inward investment and what is the

best way of going around that? Should there be a return to

independent bodies? Everybody likes to ask that question. People have a

very mixed opinions about it. There will not be any return to that. But

some of the good practices are being returned to my department. We

are focusing on a lot of relationship managers. We will have

key areas that we are going to developing terms of trade. The

First Minister has been clear of that at what looking for cows we

have got to have. There is a role for supporting indigenous Welsh

companies, but it is important to recognise if there is an

opportunity of there, we have got to rabbit. I recognise that you

have got to talk to the people. If you look at my record in terms of

war I have involved in discussions, it is not civil servants. It is

external expertise coming to advise us to track the way forward.

Edwina Hart talking to me earlier on. She told me she would be me

think the UK Business Secretary in Wales tomorrow. One big question

facing the Government is how the private sector could plug the gap

created by publicly-funded jobs going. Today's figures show 9,000

fewer of us work in the public sector than a year ago. Roger

Pinney looks at the impact that's having. It is getting cold out

there. The best hope we have is to wrap up warm. If a chill wind blows

through the economy, it is not so easy to deal with. The global

downturn is hitting most of us. Spending cuts for mostly on the

public sector. What do we mean by the public sector? It is people who

empty are Burns, police our streets, look after us when we are real. We

are seeing a fall in the number of people employed by Welsh and local

Government. Recruitment has all but dried up. That is especially tough

on those at the start of their careers. By now, this lady had to

have a full-time a teaching post. But she has got is a contract as a

teaching assistant at this school. By met her working one to one with

a pupil in the school's communication unit for children

with autism. For two was a week, she does the job she trained for,

teaching religious education. the cuts in the public sector, I

think teaching will be the one that gets hit the most. You

automatically think when you to your degree, you will get your own

house, he will be able to afford to to start a mortgage, but obviously,

without getting that full-time post, it does put a stop on things like

saving up for a house, paying your pension, things like that. This is

better than working at a supermarket. But for her, to have

this experience, she should really be teaching. She should be using

her expertise in classrooms and been paid a teaching rate. Last

year, the number of advertise teaching post fell by 20%. This man

has not started looking for a job. He is still a trainee teacher now

on teaching practice. He has come to teaching later after a first

career with the Environment Agency. Not so long ago, he would have

expected to more less walking to a full-time post. He is optimistic,

but he knows he will have to lower his sights. It is going to be very

difficult. It is a competitive market. There are a lot of teachers

who are finding it hard to find work. Having said that, you have to

be realistic and you have to be flexible. He may have to move

around the country to find work. It may be a case that I will end up

doing supplied work with the hope that eventually, that temporary

contract will become a permanent one. That kind of uncertainty is

very new. It is borne out of real change. More of us working the

public sector than in the UK as a whole. Through the 1919 said and er

the 2000, the number of public sector jobs grew steadily, peaking

in 2009. Since then, the trend has gone into reverse and there is a

forecast that 21,000 more public sector jobs will go by 2015.

have lost something like 4,000 people in the last two years.

Unfortunately, the employment of Ian people is starting to dry up.

That is been reflected in the unemployment state -- statistics. I

do not think the future looks particularly bright. The worrying

thing is that long-term trends do not suggest any great signs of

We want to see the private sector help the public sector become more

efficient, so you have an efficient public sector and more importantly,

private sector growth and wealth creation hopefully within local

businesses. Will private business be able to absorb those jobs being

lost in the public sector we have come to rely own for so much? The

debate rests on what we can afford, or rather afford to do without. A

chill wind, indeed. We are joined by an expert now.

Lesley Rees is from Careers Wales. Thank you for joining us this

evening. We saw teachers struggling to find work in that report. What

advice can you give? There are a couple of key messages. One is to

get yourself a CV and get it does well prepared as possible because

it is the building block to a application process. If you are

worried that there are gaps in your CV, whether it is skills,

qualifications or experience, and I think that is the major one,

particularly for 16-18 year-olds and up to 24 year-olds, the gap in

experience, look up voluntary work, use the time wisely, see if the

voluntary sector will to be some opportunities. How useful his

voluntary work, very briefly? shows you can do a job, it gives

you a reference and the opportunity to save you have attended and

helped people, worked as a team and identified you had skills which

previously you didn't have. I think the main thing there is that it

gives you that background and the opportunity to show potential

employers that you can do something. We will hear more from Lesley later

in the programme, but there was positive news in Newport today,

where a multi-million pound shopping planned to build a new

complex in the city centre was submitted to the council. This is

how the Friars Walk development in John Frost Square could look come

up with shops, restaurants and a cinema. The original plans were

shelved in 2000 the 9th when the deal collapsed, but the new

developers hope that it planning is approved, they could start work on

site early in 2013 -- shelved in 2009.

And tomorrow we will get the first clues of just how tough this

Christmas is going to beat, but because the retail index comes out,

which shows how much we have been spending on the High Street. From a

high and boutique high streets like here in that Narberth, to the more

bucket-and-spade seaside report -- resorts like here, a few miles down

the road in Tenby, I will find out how shopkeepers are weathering the

storm, and what the polyp -- politicians can do to help. That is

Wales Today tomorrow evening at 6:30pm, but there will be more from

us on the employment picture across the country on this programme later

The rest of the day's news now. All operations at Llandough Hospital in

the Vale of Glamorgan have been cancelled today because copper

cables from a back up generator were stolen last night. 81

operations, including eight for cancer patients, have been

postponed, but they will resume as normal tomorrow.

Operations like this are routine in our hospitals, but today at

Llandough, every single one, including breast cancer surgery,

had to be cancelled. The problem was that 100 beetles -- metres of

copper cable have been stolen from a back up generator, meaning one

power cut and there would be no electricity for the hospital.

Despite the best efforts of staff here this morning, they didn't

manage to get the new generator installing dashed installed in time

for afternoon surgeries. In total that means 81 operations had to be

cancelled, which affects eight cancer patients. Am absolutely

appalled, because what has happened could potentially put patients'

lives at risk, and I think it is really important that the people

who took this copper cable understand the seriousness of what

they have done. Metal theft is a growing problem. Just last month,

nearly 300 metres of copper cable were stolen from BBC Wales in

Llandaff. We are looking at �30,000 worth of cable at replacement value,

plus the Labour and associated services and personnel needed to

bring the services back up to where they should be. Those who work with

metal dealers say they are finding it difficult to control what ends

up in their scrapyards. I know the boys in the battle game, they are

doing the best they can. They could only take a registration, urbane,

and if the person is lying to them, they cannot do anything else -- a

game. Operations will begin tomorrow again at Llandough, but

surgeons stuff is the task of rescheduling all 81 procedures. --

the task surgeons face. They hope they will be seen before Christmas

but there are no guarantees. The Education Minister has

announced a review of the exam qualifications market in Wales

after claims examiners working for the de BGC held seminars in which

they told teachers which questions to expect. The WJ EC's says its own

investigation shows exams were not compromised.

The deputy leader of Cardiff Council has been reinstated as a

member of Plaid Cymru. Neil McEvoy was suspended after using Facebook

to accuse a women's aid group of supporting mothers to break court

orders, writing that it was publicly-funded child abuse. He has

apologised and be given a formal warning.

Restaurants, takeaways and supermarkets could soon be required

by law to display their food hygiene ratings. The Welsh

Government says it will give customers more information about

where they eat or buy food. At the moment, businesses do not need to

make their rating public. Matthew Richards reports from Monday the.

-- from Llandudno. When you place a food order, what

is not on the menu is the standard of hygiene you can expect. There

was government wants to make businesses like this Llandudno tea

room display the score from a council check up. 5 is very good

and zero means urgent improvement is needed. It is a win-win for

businesses and consumers. Consumers can make informed decisions about

where they eat and businesses can show their standards and aspire to

standards and ensure they have the fire star ratings we want to see.

All 22 local authorities inspect every business which sells food,

and give ratings. Customers don't know about these. They don't know

and the -- these things. This is to give say food to the public.

Matthew Richards does Inspector -- inspections in Conwy. Cleanliness

is very important for us. We look at cleaning systems, whether

sanitise there is in use, particularly on food preparation

services. Four people including Karen Morrisroe became ill with it

E-coli after eating at the Llay Fish Bar in Wrexham which had a

zero hygiene rating from the council. Consumers can soon make

more informed decisions. If your local takeaway had a zero you would

probably choose not to eat there. At the moment it is much more

difficult. You have to go to the website to look at the food hygiene

ratings. If the track -- draft plans get the go-ahead we'll soon

find out of the food we eat makes the grade.

75 years ago 11 men from Swansea risked their lives by volunteering

to join the Spanish civil war in the fight against fascism. Three

would never return. Today their relatives held a ceremony in their

home city where a plaque was unveiled in their memory.

It is 1937, and 23-year-old Morgan Havard, seen here on the far-right,

is one of the 2500 volunteers from Britain and Ireland who sneaked

across the Pyrenees to Spain and joined the fight against General

Franco's fascists. To destruction of Spaniards on both sides,

fighting for the freedom of their troubled land. Around 170 men from

south Wales, mainly miners and other members of the car biggest

party, made the gruelling journey. It had to be quite Ackland a

starring journey across to Spain, and what they did was -- a cut the

Steininger the cover they had to go to Cardiff, the left-wing bookshop,

and the password was, I want a word with Mr Brown. Then when they had a

word with Mr Brown, who was the bookshop manager, they were then

given money to get a ticket to go to London.

You Mr Havard, from Craig Cefn Parc, was injured and lost an arm during

the battle. Today his daughter was among those at the ceremony in the

Civic Centre. It takes people like that, doesn't it? With a bitter

passion and believes, to try to make the world a bit better. You

could not ask for a better dad, really, could you? This plot will

be here for many years, obviously, and people will never be allowed to

forget, Lord Tebbit is very important.

Three of the 11 volunteers from Swansea never returned, but the

role each of them played now has a permanent memorial in the city.

Jenny Rees reporting. Some places have seen a bit of the

white stuff. There could be much That is right, Lucy, we could get

the first proper snow of the winter tomorrow night. What's going on. If

you think the hailstones we've had recently are big, look at this, it

fell at Cardiff Airport in July 1968. It is about the size of a

tennis ball. Imagine that falling on your car! Tonight more rain and

showers on the way, heavy in places with hail and thunder possible,

snow in Mid Wales and Montgomeryshire, stung -- strong

wind and the south-west and inland temperatures close to freezing with

a risk of ice. If you're travelling tomorrow morning be aware that some

roads could be a bit slippery. By 8am most of the country should be

dry, that goes for most of the North, Powys and the south-east,

starting off drive. The few mist and fog patches possible, however

in the south-west, showers are likely, affecting Pembrokeshire.

Quite windy as well on the coast with temperatures in Cardigan

around six Celsius. During the day these showers in the south-west

will spread across Wales, mostly rain or hail, a snow confined to

the highest ground, I think. Becoming dry for a time but then

rain will reach the sound -- Southend West -- south-west before

dusk, highs of a doornail Celsius. In the Atlantic more trouble is

brewing. This low pressure will turn nasty as it moves north-east

towards southern England. Tomorrow night more rain across Wales, and

an increasing risk of snow. We could get the first proper snow of

the winter, 10 centimetres or 4 inches possible in places, that

goes for the South Wales Valleys, Mid Wales and the North could be

worst hit so there could well be disruption on Friday morning.

Friday itself, the rain and snow will clear and it will brighten up

with showers and a brisk and cold north-westerly wind. The weekend

will bring a mixture of sunshine and showers, some frost and icy

patches as well, so there is wintry weather on the way. Rain and more

Lucy. Plenty for the warning. Back now to our top story, the warning

about jobs across Wales. Back to Sian in Baglan.

I have now moved into the loading area. All these Christmas parcels

and letters have been sorted and are being taken to the lorries

ready to be taken to people's homes. So some certainty for the people

here who have been offered work over Christmas. They included

graduates. Many graduates are struggling to find work. Alexander

Davies from Swansea has an undergraduate degree and a Masters,

but still cannot find a job. The financial crisis at the moment

just exacerbates everything so much, because businesses are cutting

staff. People don't want to hire people unless they have to. We are

at Swansea University at the moment, this is the Vivian tower. I studied

psychology and criminology here at university. I graduated in 2009. I

have found it difficult and I found it difficult find work at the time.

It is very frustrating. I put in three years of work for a degree

and put a lot of money in took, and could not find paid work afterwards

to make use of my skills -- him as well. It turned out academic at a

voluntary job because nobody felt they could employ me. The up --

brother prices lower still applying for jobs unpaid work. I couldn't

think what I wanted to do for my career so I was applying for non-

graduate jobs, jobs at the bottom of the pile of an organisation.

Once you have a job it is easy to apply for jobs but you've are

continually getting experience -- because you are continually getting

experience but breaking in is the hardest thing. The sector I was

hopeful for was the public sector, and a lot of people were going for

jobs there were not available at all. There was fiercer competition

because of that. I have decided to return to university to do a

master's in business management. I recently finished that that there

way of looking for work again. It is just really difficult at the

moment! Regardless of how much experience I have or how much ago,

it is quite frustrating, yes, not been able to do that when you are

willing to do it. Let's get some final thoughts now

from Lesley Rees, R Careers Adviser. We saw what a graduate's story

there. What hope is there? The main thing is that there is advice and

help out there. Go to a Careers Adviser, whether you're a school

leaver or a graduate or had been made redundant, or look at how

website, Careers Wales .com, there are examples of CVs and quizzes on

how to behave in an interview. There is advice out there. Thank

you for joining us and giving us that advice is evening. That is