Welsh school children develop career skills with BT’s Work Ready programme

Press Release

Young people in Llanelli have been putting their creativity and problem-solving abilities to the test as part of an interactive BT event helping pupils prepare for the changing world of work.

A total of 48 pupils from St. John Lloyd Catholic Comprehensive School took part in BT’s Work Ready programme, getting hands-on with how technology is shaping careers and exploring the skills they may need in the years ahead.

The activities included a real-world innovation challenge, which tasked pupils with designing a product to help young people study effectively. Working in teams, pupils developed ideas before presenting their solutions back to the wider class.

BT staff joined pupils throughout the day, supporting them through the challenge and bringing the world of work to life by sharing their own career experiences – offering insights into their day-to-day roles, the skills they use most often and the different routes they took into their careers.

The Llanelli workshop is the latest Work Ready session to be hosted in Wales. Created by BT to help prepare young people for their future careers, Work Ready is a programme for 11 to 14-year-olds that builds the practical, digital and human-centric skills needed for the changing world of work.

Since June 2025, 178 young people have taken part in face-to-face sessions across Wales. A further 157 pupils have participated in online sessions, taking the total number reached in Wales to more than 330 students.

Michael Kent, Assistant Headteacher at St. John Lloyd Catholic Comprehensive School, said: “It was great to see pupils getting involved in the activities working together and having the confidence to share their ideas with the class. Opportunities like this can make a real difference and having support from organisations like BT gives our pupils the chance to meet people from the world of work, hear about their experiences and get a better sense of the different paths open to them.”

Susi Marston, Head of Public Sector Wales at BT Business, added: “Technology has the power to create opportunity across Wales, but only if people have the skills and confidence to make the most of it. That’s why programmes like Work Ready are so important. By giving pupils practical experience and encouraging them to think creatively, we’re helping them explore future career opportunities and build skills that will support them throughout their lives. It’s fantastic to see young people in Llanelli engaging with these opportunities and developing the confidence to succeed in an increasingly digital world.”

The Work Ready programme is part of BT’s purpose to Connect for Good and its wider ambition to reach 30 million people and businesses with the digital skills, tools and support they need by 2030. It sits alongside the rollout of new gigabit-capable broadband delivered by Openreach as part of Project Gigabit, the government’s programme to bring fast, reliable broadband to hard-to-reach areas.

Across Wales, BT Group is investing in the digital infrastructure that underpins opportunity across Wales. More than eight in 10 Welsh homes can now access full fibre broadband through Openreach’s network, while EE’s 4G and 5G networks reach 99% and 93% of the Welsh population respectively, including through work in rural communities such as Penmachno and Clocaenog. Backed by more than £40 billion of planned UK infrastructure investment between 2020 and 2030, BT Group is helping people, businesses and communities build the skills and connectivity they need to thrive in a digital world.

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