The Board of Career Choices Dewis Gyrfa (CCDG) meets quarterly. The board is responsible for the governance and compliance with the corporate governance code. Below are the minutes of the CCDG Board meeting held on 3 March 2026.
Board Members Present
- Erica Cassin (Chair)
- Joni Ayn-Alexander
- Tony Smith
- Azza Ali
- Nan Williams
- Viv Laing
- Helen White
- Hayley Jacobs
- Natalie Richards
- Rhian Roberts (RhR)
From Careers Wales
- Nikki Lawrence
- Ruth Ryder (RR)
- Amie Field
Welsh Government
Sam Evans
In attendance
- Chris Percy – PhD (item 9)
- Christopher Stevens – Welsh Government (item 10)
Absent
- Andrew Clark
- Rokib Uddin
- Neil Surman
Secretariat
Donna Millward (DMM)
1. Apologies/Declarations of interest
Apologies were received from Andrew Clark, Rokib Uddin and Neil Surman.
No new declarations of interest were noted.
2. Minutes of the previous meeting, 11 December 2025
The minutes of the previous meeting were approved as an accurate record.
3. Matters arising
Action 1. Complete Companies House director identity verification and send the code to DM for Careers Wales records. Completed.
Action 2. Circulate regional staff conference dates with board members. This action to be carried forward to the next CCDG Board meeting.
Action 3. The Chair and Chief Executive to review Board’s Terms of Reference. Completed.
Action 4. DMM to arrange Chairs’ meetings to discuss committees’ Terms of Reference and annual Workplan priorities. Completed.
4. Chair’s update – verbal
4.1 Board and Committee Terms of Reference
The Chair updated members on a recent governance meeting with the Chief Executive and Chairs of each sub-committee to review their terms of reference. Work is now underway to refine and confirm each committee’s terms of reference and corresponding annual work plans for the coming year. The company’s risks have also been mapped to the most appropriate committees with FAR retaining overall responsibility for reviewing the company’s risk register.
4.2 Board Changes
The Chair updated members that Rokib Uddin resigned from the Board.
4.3 Board Terms of Conditions
The Chair confirmed that board members will now be remunerated and board terms will now move to four year terms. New contracts will be issued extending board terms.
5. Chief Executive’s report
Members discussed the previously circulated report.
5.1 Key Company Risks
The report highlighted five key risks.
5.2 Pay Award
2025/26 pay award had successfully concluded and included in the December 2025 pay.
5.3 Stakeholder Engagement
Stakeholder engagement remains strong, with upcoming ministerial meeting and continued work with Medr, the Regional Skills Partnerships and Colegau Cymru.
The Chief Executive gave further detail on the training facilitated by Professor Tristram Hooley, including connecting Careers Wales with colleagues in New Brunswick, Norway, and Estonia. Early conversations have already taken place.
5.4 Executive Team
The Chief Executive announced that Amie Field had been appointed as the Director of Service Delivery. The Director of Resources and Transformation has recently resigned and would be leaving at the beginning of August.
5.5 KPIs
An update was provided on the company KPIs. Members noted that performance is on track, with a minor exception: Trainee Careers Advisers qualifying within two years was only eight days beyond the expected timescale.
6. Welsh Government (WG) update
6.1 Elections
Preparations for the election are underway internally.
7. Draft budget 2026/27
Board members reviewed the updated draft budget for 2026/2027, noting a small number of minor amendments from the draft version considered by the Finance, Audit and Risk Committee. The Chair of Finance, Audit and Risk committee provided assurance on behalf of the Finance, Audit and Risk Committee.
Board members approved budget for next financial year.
8. Financial regulations
Board members received the updated financial regulations. Minor updates were noted, which had been discussed and approved by the Finance, Audit, and Risk Committee.
The Chair of the Finance, Audit, and Risk Committee recommended the updated financial regulations to the Board and the Board gave its approval.
9. Management accounts
The Director of Resources and Transformation presented the management accounts, The version shared with Board members included amendments based on committee feedback to provide additional detail in the narrative.
The Chair raised the issue of legal costs and suggested exploring insurance options to mitigate future unexpected expenses.
Action 2: Investigate the possibility of obtaining an insurance policy to cover unexpected legal costs.
Board members approved the management accounts.
10. Return on investment
Dr Chris Percy provided a comprehensive update on the refreshed Return on Investment analysis for Careers Wales, building on earlier work completed around 2021–22, confirming that Careers Wales continues to deliver strong fiscal value.
Board members noted the updated model now covers around two thirds of organisational activity, up from half in the previous cycle following improvements in data and reporting, including the ability to analyse group activity.
Return on Investment remains robust across key service areas.
Dr Percy emphasised that the analysis is conservative, noting that significant benefits are not included particularly wellbeing impacts, which previous research shows independently deliver a 1× return for Working Wales, suggesting true returns are materially higher. Chris Percy referenced a 2023 study showing that well-being benefits alone could justify the investment, especially for unemployed adults.
Dr Percy shared emerging research linking observation scores to learner outcomes, showing that advisors rated “excellent” achieve significantly higher positive post 16 outcomes than those rated “satisfactory”. Board members noted similar data for Working Wales.
Board members welcomed the update and emphasised the importance of how the return on investment findings are being applied, including comparisons with other nations.
11. Vocational education and training – strategic direction
Christopher Stevens from the Welsh Government provided an update on the Welsh Government’s emerging strategic direction for vocational education and training, shaped through a new ministerial board involving cross portfolio leadership from skills, education and economy ministers.
The work sets out five national priorities including growing our economy, improved visibility, participation and progression, strong partnerships, and supporting educators and training providers, drawing on the Economic Mission and Curriculum for Wales as guiding frameworks.
The strategic direction document is pending ministerial approval and publication is expected shortly, after which the document will be shared with Board members.
12. Premises
The Chief Executive presented an update on the organisation’s premises portfolio, outlining current owned and leased properties, lease end dates and associated costs, and confirming revised signatory arrangements.
Regular updates on premises are provided to the Board, and the Finance, Audit, and Risk Committee will continue to monitor the property portfolio.
The paper is brought to Board to seek approval of the financial approval threshold and the governance process. Members noted that the threshold refers to lifetime not annual costs.
Board members approved both items.
13. Q4: Finance, Audit and Risk Committee – Minutes (Draft) – January 27, 2026
The minutes of the last meeting were shared, and the Chair outlined the key points of the meeting for members.
14. Q4: Performance and Impact Committee – Minutes (Draft) – February 9, 2026
The minutes of the last meeting were shared, and the Chair outlined the key points of the meeting for members.
15. Q4: People Matters Committee – Minutes (Draft) – February 19, 2026
The minutes of the last meeting were shared, and the Chair outlined the key points of the meeting for members.
16. Any other business
16.1 CCDG Board Meeting – 13 May 2026
The Chair reminded Board members that the next CCDG Board meeting will take place on 13 May 2026 and will be held in person in Cardiff.
Action log
- Action 1. Circulate regional staff conference dates with board members. DMM. As soon as possible.
- Action 2. Investigate the possibility of obtaining an insurance policy to cover unexpected legal costs. RR. 13.05.2026
- No further actions recorded
Documents
This page contains links to the Minutes of CCDG Board meetings.
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