Pembrokeshire Coastal Forum and Pelagos have launched a new report examining how social mobility can be improved within Wales' marine conservation sector.
The report, Improving Social Mobility within Wales's Marine Conservation Sector, explores how factors such as geography, access to opportunity, financial pressures, confidence and career awareness can influence whether young people pursue careers in marine conservation.
Drawing on research with young people, employers and stakeholders across South West Wales, the study identifies a shortage of entry-level opportunities, limited vocational pathways and wider structural barriers that can affect access to the sector.
Marine conservation plays an important role in Wales's environmental future, yet the report highlights concerns that talented young people may be excluded from opportunities because of circumstances beyond their control.
The research was carried out collaboratively by Pembrokeshire Coastal Forum and Pelagos between January and March 2026. It included a comprehensive desk review, stakeholder interviews, interviews with young people aged 16–26, and a co-creation workshop exploring accessible pathways into marine conservation and wider blue economy careers.
Among the findings, the report highlights:
- A shortage of entry-level opportunities across the sector
- Limited vocational routes into marine conservation across South West Wales
- The influence of ocean and nature connectedness, awareness of opportunity, community aspirations and academic confidence on career choices
- The impact of wider factors including class, geography, transport, finance and access to professional networks
The report argues that improving social mobility within marine conservation requires action across education, policy, employment, funding and environmental engagement.
The report concludes with recommendations to strengthen vocational pathways and improve support for people pursuing careers in marine conservation.
Nadia Tomsa, Charity Director, Sea Trust Wales, said:
“This report is extremely important in pushing towards a fairer, more accessible marine conservation sector in Wales. The conservation sector is becoming increasingly difficult to access, with a huge shortage of entry-level opportunities, and work placements/internships to gain experience in the sector are incredibly competitive. Unpaid internships or those with a fee attached create a barrier to lower-income individuals gaining experience. A lack of funding for conservation and a highly competitive funding market mean that charities rely heavily on these unpaid internships.
“I’m from a working-class background in the South Wales Valleys and, through university, often felt disadvantaged because I couldn’t access the exciting internship opportunities my friends could. Now, running a Marine Conservation Charity, I see both sides of the problem – I see a charity that struggles to keep the funding coming in to fund the core team and continue its local conservation, education & research work, and I meet numerous talented, passionate, young people, who are struggling to find a role in the marine conservation world. As an example of the issue, we received over 100 applications for a 2-month in-person volunteer role, many of which were BSc and Master's graduates aiming to gain additional experience to access career opportunities in the highly competitive job market. More funding opportunities for internships in Wales would support both the individuals completing the internships and the organisations hosting those interns.”
The work was supported through the Welsh Government's Marine Resilience Fund.
The full report is available at: https://www.pembrokeshirecoastalforum.org.uk/improving-social-mobility-within-waless-marine-conservation-sector/
