WIREDGOV

Deputy Minister for Skills and Technology, Julie James officially opened Wales’ largest interactive skills and career exhibition, SkillsCymru, in Cardiff earlier today.

Held in two locations, at opposite ends of the country, over fifty of the UK’s biggest name employers are exhibiting in SkillsCymru Cardiff, including Barclays, BBC, Deloitte, Sony and South Wales Police.

The Cardiff event, held in the Motorpoint Arena, will welcome nearly eighty school groups over two days. In total, over 9,000 people are expected through the doors of the Cardiff show and a previous SkillsCymru event that took place in Llandudno, two weeks ago.

SkillsCymru, which is part funded by the European Social Fund, is designed to be highly interactive, with workshops, question and answer sessions, activities and talks to inspire visitors to consider learning options, career paths or sectors that they may have never thought of before.

In addition to careers advice, skills demonstrations, master classes and opportunities for visitors to engage with some of the UK’s most high profile employers, approximately 3,500 live job vacancies and opportunities are being advertised at the Cardiff event.

During her visit this morning, Deputy Minister, Julie James met with exhibitors and visitors and said:

“We all know that effective skills are the passport to a rewarding career or further study and that tomorrow’s jobs will demand a more highly skilled workforce.

“We are absolutely committed to improving skills levels and raising awareness of the wide range of careers and training opportunities that are available all over Wales. SkillsCymru is just one important way that we are delivering on this commitment.

“SkillsCymru is about changing perceptions.  It is about opening people’s eyes to what is happening with skills development. By engaging with our future workforce in a direct and meaningful way we can show them all the superb learning and skills opportunities that exist here in Wales.

“It is also an ideal opportunity for employers to build new relationships with schools and other exhibitors.

“The number and diverse nature of employers exhibiting at SkillsCymru, both here in Cardiff and at our previous event in Llandudno, clearly demonstrates their support and understanding that they have an important role to play in engaging and inspiring young people who are, after all, the workforce of the future.”