CCRSP Launches Refreshed Employment and Skills Plan with Employer and Youth Insights at the Core
The Cardiff Capital Region Skills Partnership (CCRSP) reached an important milestone on 4 February with the launch of its refreshed Employment and Skills Plan at the Steam Academy, Bridgend College. The event brought together employers, education providers, partners, and stakeholders from across the region to explore updated priorities that will guide skills development over the coming years.
A key feature of this year’s refresh is a stronger emphasis on sector opportunities and challenges, ensuring the Plan reflects the rapidly changing labour market and Welsh Government direction. Green Skills and Net Zero ambitions sit at the heart of the update, aligning regional priorities with Wales’s sustainability goals and preparing the workforce for future demand.
A More Responsive, Aligned Plan for the Region
The updated Plan responds to Welsh Government’s expectation for a more agile, demand led skills system. By refining sector priorities, strengthening the focus on green skills, and deepening employer engagement, the Plan aims to keep the Cardiff Capital Region competitive, future focused, and positioned for inclusive growth.
The launch event provided stakeholders with an early opportunity to explore the refreshed direction and contribute to the next phase of delivery planning.
Employer and Provider Engagement at the Centre
As part of the launch, CCRSP hosted an employer engagement session with organisations and education providers from a wide range of sectors. Facilitated discussions and live feedback activities invited participants to test and validate the Plan’s emerging themes.
The same set of questions used during last summer’s Youth Voice Roadshows was used again, enabling direct comparison between employer perspectives and the views of more than 90 young people from Merthyr College, Cardiff and Vale College, Coleg y Cymoedd, and Bridgend College. This approach demonstrated CCRSP’s commitment to collaborative skills planning that incorporates both current and future workforce voices.
Clear Alignment Between Youth and Employer Insights
Findings from the Youth Voice Roadshows aligned closely with insights gathered from the employers, organisations and education providers. Both groups highlighted key barriers that limit young people’s access to opportunities, including transport challenges, limited visibility of local career pathways, and the perception that opportunities in Wales are restricted.
Young people emphasised the importance of interpersonal and transferable skills such as communication, teamwork, and creativity. Employer and provider groups echoed these priorities, while also drawing attention to wider systemic issues that influence progression. Together, these insights reinforce the need for improved access, increased confidence, and greater awareness of the opportunities available across Wales.
Strengthening Pathways and Supporting a Greener Future
A defining component of the refreshed Plan is its strengthened emphasis on Green Skills, sustainability, and Net Zero. Key areas include:
- Preparing learners and workers for emerging green jobs
- Supporting employers as they transition to low carbon practices
- Ensuring training provision reflects new technologies and sustainable methods
- Encouraging collaboration to map future green workforce needs
The launch event enabled employers and partners to explore what these shifts mean in practice, highlighting both challenges and opportunities.
A Collaborative Start to the Plan’s Next Phase
By placing engagement at the centre of the launch – and elevating both employer and youth voices – the event demonstrated CCRSP’s commitment to a joined up, responsive approach to skills planning.
As CCRSP moves into the delivery phase, these insights will continue to shape implementation, ensuring the region’s skills system remains:
- aligned with industry needs
- guided by learner voices
- focused on sustainability and future growth
- consistent with Welsh Government direction
The launch marks not only the introduction of the refreshed Plan, but the beginning of a renewed collective effort to build a skilled, confident, and future ready workforce across the Cardiff Capital Region.
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