Flexible Skills Programme

Flexible Skills Programme — FY2026/27

Funds Welsh employers to build workforce capability, including specialist training in artificial intelligence tools.

The Flexible Skills Programme is a Welsh Government workforce training co-investment scheme delivered through Business Wales that reimburses 50% of eligible accredited training costs to Wales-based private-sector and third-sector employers, capped at £50,000 per application. A time-limited AI skills training pilot, running through 30 June 2026, provides an enhanced 75% reimbursement rate for businesses investing in artificial intelligence training; that pilot is accessed via dfesrm@gov.wales. The programme was part of a £30 million innovation and skills package announced by the Welsh Government in June 2023, with SMART FIS (£20 million for R&D) and Flexible Skills (£4.5 million committed from Welsh Government) representing the two primary business-facing streams. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis, with no fixed submission window, and decisions are issued within approximately 10 working days.

Eligible applicants are employers based in Wales — businesses and third-sector organisations of any size. Universities, research institutes, and public sector bodies are not eligible. Training must be delivered by accredited or industry-recognised providers; self-designed in-house training does not qualify. All training must be completed by 31 March 2027, the hard tranche deadline. Reimbursement is paid in arrears after staff complete the course and the employer submits proof of attendance and payment receipts. Multiple applications per year are permitted, each subject to the £50,000 cap. Approval is discretionary even for eligible applicants.

Employers maximise their chance of approval by proposing training directly tied to documented workforce skills gaps, selecting accredited providers, and demonstrating how the training will improve business competitiveness or productivity in Wales. Businesses targeting the AI pilot rate should apply before 30 June 2026 and contact dfesrm@gov.wales for the enhanced-rate application route. Organisations with multiple cohorts should stage applications across the year to remain within per-application caps while utilising the full programme budget available before the March 2027 training completion deadline.