WITH TAILORED careers support, 18‑year‑old Jude Curtis‑Roberts from Conwy, has felt understood and is now positive about his future.
Jude, who has additional learning needs, had already met his Careers Wales adviser, Alison, through school.
Over time, his mum, Lucy Curtis, began to understand just how valuable consistent, personalised careers support was for her son.
As Jude got older and his annual reviews began to focus more on preparing for adulthood, Alison became more involved. This helped everyone build a clearer picture of what would – and wouldn’t – work for Jude.
Lucy said: “Alison quite quickly got the measure of him She’s got to know that actually he’s really outdoorsy. He’s not very academic, but he’s very practical.”
Jude has very clear ideas about what he enjoys and what he doesn’t, something Alison respected from the start.
Lucy continued: “He’ll tell you very straight whether he’ll do something or not. So Alison realised quite quickly that she needed to work with what really motivated him.”
One thing that stood out for Lucy and Jude was how carefully Alison listened.
Lucy recalls: “If he was telling her that he didn’t want to do something, she wouldn’t push him into it. She actually listened to what he wanted to do and found something that suited him.”
Jude agreed saying: “They were good, the sessions. Alison is really friendly and she listens.”
Because Alison understood Jude’s love of mountain biking and being outdoors, she focused on opportunities that matched those interests. After ruling out options that weren’t right – including outdoor centres involving water sports – Alison contacted local bike‑related businesses to explore work experience.
In Autumn 2025, Jude started work experience at Alpkit, an outdoor bike shop. He spent one day a week working alongside a bike mechanic. What began as three weeks, soon turned into five after staff saw how well he fitted in.
Lucy explained: “They were really pleased with him. They even contacted Alison to say that if they had enough work, he could come back again in the spring.”
For Jude, the experience made a real difference. He particularly enjoyed being hands‑on.
He said: “I did learn loads. I helped sell a couple of bikes and I washed bikes. I did loads of different stuff. They were also really friendly.”
Lucy added: “He was able to actually do things – he wasn’t just standing and watching,”
“I wasn’t worried about him there. He felt almost like part of the team while he was there.”
While Jude’s next steps are still being explored, Alison has continued to help by making contacts with colleges and exploring realistic options that match Jude’s strengths and interests. Jude has recently been accepted on to an entry level course at Llysfasi College.
Lucy feels reassured knowing they’re not navigating the future alone.
Lucy explained: “It’s difficult when you fall in between – when you’re not suited to independent living skills but you’re not academic either,. But it really helps having someone who understands that and is looking out for Jude.”
For Lucy, the biggest benefit has been knowing that someone else understands Jude as an individual.
She concluded: “You’ve got nothing to lose, really. It’s free advice, and they know about things that you don’t. It’s just nice to have someone else looking out for you.”
If you would like to find out more about how a careers adviser could help a young person in your care, please contact Careers Wales today.
