Connecting Young People to Opportunity in North Wales
English | Cymraeg
The Milburn Review highlights a growing national challenge. Too many young people are not in education, employment or training, and the system can be difficult to navigate. For many, it is not clear what is available or how different routes connect.
We see similar challenges in North Wales.
Through workshops with young people across colleges and training providers, we explored how they view their future, the opportunities open to them, and the skills they need. The sessions also gave us a better understanding of how they experience the system.
What stood out is that young people feel strongly connected to the region. Many would stay if they could see a clear future here.
At the same time, there is uncertainty about what is actually available locally and how to access it.
Many were unsure where to start. Some did not know where to look, while others could see individual options but could not work out how they linked together or where they might lead. Entry level roles were often seen as having limited progression rather than a starting point.
When that bigger picture is missing, it affects how opportunities are viewed. It becomes easier to assume that better options exist elsewhere, even where there is more available locally than people realise. Young people were clear about what would help:
“Make local opportunities easier to find and understand” (Youth Insights Report 2026 North Wales RSP)
For providers and employers, this brings the focus back to communication as much as provision.
A few practical things can help:
- make entry points clear, especially roles that do not need experience
- show what comes next, not just the first step
- keep information simple and easy to follow
- link training to real jobs and local opportunities
These are the details that shape whether an opportunity feels relevant and worth applying for.
The North Wales Skills Portal is designed to support this. It brings together jobs, training and opportunities from across the region in one place, making it easier to see what is available.
Used consistently, it can help people:
- see what exists locally
- understand where they can start
- get a clearer sense of how routes connect over time
It also gives providers and employers a shared place to promote opportunities, helping to create a clearer and more consistent picture of what is on offer in the region.
Young people in North Wales are open to building a future here. The challenge is making that future easier to see and easier to understand.
For access to the full report, or to discuss how these findings could support your work, please contact info@rspnorth.wales
North Wales Regional Skills Partnership
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