Careers Wales has announced the eight winners of the 2026 Valued Partner Awards at a ceremony held on 28 January 2026 at the Senedd in Cardiff Bay.
In Cardiff and south central Wales, four employers or individuals have been recognised for their significant contribution to careers education:
- Best Ongoing Relationship with a School: voco St. David’s Cardiff
- Most Supportive Small Business: Caffi Y Cwt Potiau / The Potting Shed Café, Cardiff
- Outstanding Personal Contribution: Conor Lynn – Berry Smith Lawyers, Bridgend
- Most Supportive Work Experience Employer: Cambrian Village Trust, Rhondda
The annual awards recognise organisations that have gone above and beyond in working with schools to deliver high‑quality, engaging and meaningful careers experiences that help pupils connect classroom learning with real‑world opportunities.
Over the past year, the winning employers have provided workshops, mentoring, workplace visits and a wide range of activities designed to inspire pupils, broaden their horizons and support them to make informed choices about their future.
The winners, who are from locations across Wales, were revealed live by event host, Sian Lloyd.
Nikki Lawrence, chief executive at Careers Wales, said: “We are very proud to celebrate this year’s winners, whose support has made a real and lasting difference to young people across Wales. Their willingness to share their time, knowledge and experience plays a vital role in engaging with pupils and helping them to explore career pathways that are available to them and understand the world of work
“On behalf of myself and everyone at Careers Wales, I want to extend our warmest congratulations and thanks to all of our winners and nominees for the invaluable support they provide.”
Minister for Skills, Jack Sargeant said: “Congratulations to all the winners and nominees of this year’s Valued Partner Awards. These organisations demonstrate the power of partnership between employers and schools in opening doors for our young people.
“I’m pleased to see Atlas Copco recognised as Best Newcomer – as my former employer, I know first-hand the value they place on developing young talent. By sharing their expertise and providing real-world experiences, they are helping to build a skilled and confident workforce for Wales’s future.”
Conor Lynn, Family Law Solicitor at Berry Smith Lawyers, said: “I was genuinely honoured and quite overwhelmed to have won the award. Giving young people the opportunity to understand their options and feel more confident about their future is something I care deeply about.
Richard Howard, head chef at voco St. David’s Cardiff, said: “For me, it’s all about inspiring the next generation, bringing the children in and teaching them, showing them a working kitchen and just getting them involved and allowing to see what a career looks like in hospitality.”
Jon White, manager of The Potting Shed Café, said: “We’re delighted to have won this award. It’s incredibly rewarding to see the positive impact of our work and to know that the young people genuinely enjoy their time with us. We strongly believe in engaging young people in careers that encourage creativity and offer something in hospitality”.
Brittony Price, community development coordinator at Cambrian Village Trust said: “We feel ecstatic to have won a Valued Partner Award. As an organisation, we do a variety of things with young people. We have alternate education, we have the football club, we have the Lakeside café onsite, then we run programmes for the community as well. We’re such a small team and we know we make a big impact, but for it to be recognised is fantastic, and to win is even more amazing.”
The full list of categories and winners are:
Outstanding Achievement Award:
Hafren Dyfrdwy / Severn Trent
Best Newcomer:
Atlas Copco
Best Ongoing Relationship with a School:
voco St. David’s Cardiff
Most Supportive Work Experience Employer:
Cambrian Village Trust
Most Supportive Small Business:
Caffi Y Cwt Potiau / The Potting Shed Café
Best Promoter of Welsh in the Workplace:
Bwrdd Iechyd Prifysgol Bae Abertawe / Swansea Bay University Health Board
Best Supporter of the Net Zero Agenda:
Morlais
Outstanding Personal Contribution:
Conor Lynn – Berry Smith Lawyers
You can read more about the Valued Partner Awards on the Careers Wales website.
For more information on employer engagement with schools, visit the Careers Wales employer pages or contact employerengagement@careerswales.gov.wales.