MULTINATIONAL steel firm Tata, which runs plants in Llanwern, Caerphilly and elsewhere, is to be handed £4 million from the Welsh Government for a new training scheme.

The cash will be used to develop a number of new projects helping employees of the company, which also runs a massive facility in Port Talbot, develop new skills.

Announcing the investment, first minister Carwyn Jones said: “We continue to work very closely with Tata Steel to support their plans to develop its business and become more innovative, productive and efficient.

“Tata Steel has made a substantial commitment to roll out a wide-ranging programme of ring-fenced training projects across all sites in Wales.

“The investment I am announcing today demonstrates our absolute commitment to the company in supporting this ambitious agenda.”

A Tata spokesman said: “More than 80 per cent of all our employees in Wales have directly benefitted from training in areas such as health and safety, business and maintenance excellence as well as a host of other areas thanks to Welsh Government funding.

“This allows us to ensure our employees can do more which in turn means they can better support the whole economy of Wales.”