University Campus Students at NPTC Group of Colleges gained valuable career insights and practical employability skills at the College’s Graduate Careers Forum, held at Neath College.
The event brought together industry professionals, entrepreneurs and guest speakers to help students explore career pathways, build confidence and develop the skills employers value most.
The event was hosted by Welsh creative producer, presenter and performer Stifyn Parri, who has more than four decades of experience in the creative industries. An entrepreneur and entertainer, he is the founder of the creative consultancy MR PRODUCER, which he established in 2001, and has produced some of Wales’ most prominent live events, including the opening celebrations of the Wales Millennium Centre and the Ryder Cup opening concert at the Millennium Stadium. Alongside his work as a producer and mentor, Stifyn has also enjoyed a successful career in theatre and television, including performing in the West End production of Les Misérables and appearing in Channel 4’s Brookside.
Students then heard a powerful keynote speech from Sherrie Woolf, whose inspiring career journey to become Chief Financial Officer demonstrated that career paths are rarely linear. Her talk encouraged students to recognise their strengths, build confidence and approach their ambitions with resilience and determination.
Following the keynote, students had the opportunity to take part in a series of interactive workshops designed to develop practical workplace skills.
Welsh entrepreneur Ben Room, founder of the Mountain Boarding Centre on the Gower, delivered a session titled Idea to Impact – Enterprise Skills for Graduates. Drawing on his experience of building a successful adventure-sports business, he explored how ideas can develop into thriving ventures and how skills such as innovation, resilience and problem-solving translate directly into employability.
In another workshop, Sherrie Woolf led Confidence & Career: Unlocking Your Potential, helping students identify their strengths and understand how to reflect their experiences and achievements effectively on their CVs.
Meanwhile, a high-energy practical session led by the Ministry of Defence saw students take part in physical team challenges designed to develop communication, problem-solving and collaboration skills essential for any workplace.
The event concluded with a panel discussion hosted by Stifyn Parri, where industry leaders shared honest insights into their careers, the challenges they have faced, and the qualities employers look for in graduates today.
Panel members included:
- Simon Brighouse, Senior Project Manager at Associated British Ports
- Sherrie Woolf, Chief Financial Officer at Sudocyber
- Mike O’Callaghan, Global Head of IT at Siderise
- Solitaire Pritchard, Director of Regeneration at Codi Group
- James Rowlands, King’s Guard
- Ben Room, Owner of BRD Sports
Their discussion provided students with a valuable opportunity to hear first-hand experiences from professionals across a range of sectors and to gain practical advice about entering the world of work.
Victoria Burroughs, Assistant Principal: Higher Education at NPTC Group of Colleges, said:
“Our Graduate Careers Forum was a fantastic celebration of aspiration, talent and opportunity. It gave our Higher Education and Access to HE students the chance to hear directly from inspirational industry leaders about the realities of graduate life, the ‘squiggly career’, and the many pathways available to them.
Having such high-calibre contributors, including keynote speaker Sherrie Woolf, alumnus Mike O’Callaghan, and our host Stifyn Parri, brought real depth to the discussion and helped our students recognise what is possible with confidence, resilience and the right support.
Events like this are invaluable in preparing our students for their next steps, and it was wonderful to see them engaging so thoughtfully throughout the workshops, with the panel and with one another.”
Jessica Baitup, BA (Hons) International Tourism & Events Management student, HE Student Officer and HE Student Governor at NPTC Group of Colleges, said:
“It was a fantastic opportunity for Higher Education students to engage in a range of workshops and develop vital skills needed in the workplace, such as teamwork and CV writing.
Stifyn Parri, Sherrie Woolf and the other amazing panel members were incredibly inspiring, and students could really see the dedication and determination they possessed.
It was also very reassuring to hear that career paths do not have to be linear, with panel members openly sharing their experiences of success, failure and growth.”
