Healthcare employers join forces with education leaders to tackle skills gaps and inspire next generation of workers

EMPLOYERS and education leaders are joining forces to address workforce shortages and encourage more young people into careers across the health and social care sector.

Almost 200 school pupils and college students explored employment and training opportunities at Coleg Cambria’s Healthcare Heroes 2026 event in Wrexham, supported by leading organisations from across the industry.

The showcase brought together eight employers, four guest speakers and representatives from the North Wales Tertiary Alliance (NWTA), a partnership involving Coleg Cambria, Wrexham University, Bangor University and Grŵp Llandrillo Menai.

With recruitment, retention and skills development continuing to present challenges for healthcare providers, the Alliance is working to strengthen links between education and industry, creating clearer routes into employment and helping meet future workforce demands.

Held at Cambria’s £14 million Nant building at Yale, the event welcomed more than 100 school pupils and around 80 college students, giving them direct access to employers and an insight into the qualifications, skills and experience needed to succeed.

Among the organisations represented were WeCare Wales, Pendine Park, Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board (BCUHB), PSS Shared Lives Wales, Mental Health Care UK and Llewelyn Healthcare Group.

Through practical activities, talks and discussions with industry professionals, participants explored the breadth of career opportunities available, from nursing and frontline care to specialist support services and wider healthcare roles.

The event also showcased Cambria’s industry-standard simulated hospital wards and specialist teaching facilities, which help students develop practical skills before entering the workplace.

Dr Steven Peacock, Vice Principal for STEM and Academic Studies at Coleg Cambria, said: “Healthcare Heroes is about showing young people what a career in this sector can look like and giving them the confidence to consider opportunities they might not have thought about before.

“There’s a huge variety of roles available, and events like this bring those opportunities to life. Meeting employers, hearing their experiences and getting involved in practical activities can make a real difference when students are thinking about their next steps.

“We’re grateful to Medr, our NWTA colleagues and guest speakers and the employers who supported the event. Their involvement helps us connect education with the skills and experience needed across health and social care.”

The event forms part of wider efforts to build a stronger pipeline of skilled workers for one of the region’s most important employment sectors.

Earlier this year, Coleg Cambria strengthened its longstanding relationship with BCUHB through an agreement focused on expanding education, training and employment opportunities across North Wales.

Medr has also supported the development of the Advanced Skills Hub, a separate initiative involving Coleg Cambria and Wrexham University, aimed at bringing education and industry closer together and responding to changing skills requirements.