Wales must strategically invest in career guidance to ensure it meets its potential in sectors including technology, green energy and advanced manufacturing.
That's according to the Career Development Institute (CDI), which has launched its Valuing Careers campaign at the Senedd.
The Valuing Careers campaign is underpinned by a comprehensive UK-wide YouGov survey of 5,004 working-age adults commissioned by the CDI, and aims to highlight the pivotal role of career development in supporting individuals, strengthening the economy, and addressing key challenges.
Although the Valuing Careers research covers the whole UK, the approach to career services differs across nations. People in Wales can benefit from support from Careers Wales, a national, government-funded, all-age guidance service. This provides a more integrated structure, and the CDI's findings emphasise that continued strategic investment and policy focus are essential to ensure career development effectively addresses skills challenges and supports individuals and the Welsh economy.
David Morgan, Chief Executive of CDI, said:
“Wales is brimming with potential in sectors like technology, green energy and advanced manufacturing. To fully capitalise on this potential, it must continue to strategically invest in career guidance for young people and adults. Career development support empowers individuals, enabling them to develop the right skills to navigate this rapidly changing landscape.”
The CDI's UK-wide research reveals that while 66% of adults feel positive about their careers to date, only 54% feel optimistic about their future prospects. Specific findings for Wales show similar trends, though often related to a slight shift towards lower socio-economic groups. For example, 64% of adults in Wales feel positive about their career to date (vs 66% UK), and 49% feel positive about their career prospects (vs 54% UK).
However, despite eight in 10 UK adults having career aspirations or anticipating barriers, only 15% have accessed professional career guidance since leaving education. Encouragingly, 73% of people in Wales feel they know their strengths and weaknesses and state they take courses, attend networking events, and update their CVs at rates similar to the UK average.
Crucially, 86% of those across the UK who do receive professional career guidance report a significant benefit, underscoring the transformative power of this support. This highlights the importance in Wales of recognising that those facing the most barriers often have the least propensity to seek help, and the CDI says this is a key challenge to be addressed as the Welsh Government continues to address inequality.
Nikki Lawrence, Chief Executive of Careers Wales, said:
“The Valuing Careers research highlights what we see at Careers Wales every day – that high-quality, person-centred careers guidance transforms people’s lives.
“We commit to putting the customer at the heart of everything we do, making sure people get the right impartial support, at the right time, in a way that works for them.
“From school pupils making those initial decisions about their next steps, through to adults considering career changes, facing redundancy or needing employability support, our all-age, bilingual service helps individuals to build brighter futures, and contribute to the economy of Wales.”
The Valuing Careers campaign advocates for:
- Increased access to high-quality, professional career development for individuals at all career stages, so they are well equipped to manage their careers throughout life.
- Stronger collaboration between educators, employers, career development professionals, and policymakers to align skills development with evolving industry needs and labour market trends specific to Wales.
- Policy recognition and further investment in career development as a key driver of economic growth, workforce resilience, and social mobility in Wales.
The CDI’s recommendations to address the gaps in career support identified by the research are detailed in the full report and include:
- Increasing awareness and understanding of career development services, including those provided by Careers Wales and other partners, particularly among those facing systemic barriers. This includes actively promoting the benefits of such services to encourage uptake among harder-to-reach groups.
- Integrating career management skills during education to prepare individuals for lifelong career development.
