Working Wales, a Welsh Government-funded careers service, celebrates supporting its 200,000th customer by sharing inspiring stories of recovery and career transitions.

One of these 200,000 customers was Anna from Swansea. After leaving her job following mental health difficulties, 52-year-old Anna took time out to focus on her wellbeing.

With support, she gradually started to feel ready to explore her options for returning to work.

Anna was referred to Working Wales after attending an event for people over 50, where she met employability coach Aaron. “We spoke at the event in the job centre, and I later had a video appointment with Aaron to talk about what I needed to do to get back into work,” she said.

With Aaron’s support, Anna updated her CV, practised interview techniques, and signed up for job alerts. “He gave me advice on answering questions when I’m under pressure and how to cope with answering them and getting through the interview,” she said.

She also received help from a Communities for Work employment mentor and joined Cyfle Cymru, a peer mentoring service for people in recovery from mental health issues. This holistic support helped Anna rebuild her confidence and take small, manageable steps towards employment.

Anna was later referred to a part-time receptionist role at a local GP surgery. “I started training there a few weeks ago. I’ll officially begin my part-time receptionist role in May. It’s just 9.5 hours a week, so it’s not too much for me,” she said.

Reflecting on her journey, Anna added: “There is help out there. You just need to look for it. My advisers were very supportive. They understood my circumstances and never pushed me to do something before I was ready.”

Pauline Smith from Cardiff, was the 200,000th customer, who turned to the service after taking voluntary redundancy from her radio production role earlier this year.

57-year-old Pauline Smith was unsure whether to continue freelancing or pursue her passion for yoga teaching. Encouraged by a friend, she explored the ReAct+ scheme and booked an appointment with careers adviser Gareth Richards at her local Working Wales centre.

Gareth helped Pauline understand the support available through ReAct+, a Welsh Government-funded programme offering tailored guidance and grants for training, travel, and care costs. The session gave her clarity and confidence about her next steps, and she’s now waiting to hear back about funding for further training.

Reflecting on both experiences, Pauline said: “It’s much more about giving people confidence that they are okay. It was just nice to talk through with somebody the fact that I’ve taken redundancy, and to look at where I was at and where I was going to go.”

“Everybody has something to offer when they walk through those doors - it’s just finding out what that is and how confident they are in those.”

Nikki Lawrence, chief executive of Careers Wales, said: “Reaching our 200,000th customer is a major milestone for Working Wales and a clear reflection of the impact we’re having on individuals and the wider Welsh economy.

“Anna and Pauline’s stories highlight how we help people at every stage of life to build their confidence, develop their skills, and find meaningful work. Whether leaving school or college, navigating redundancy, or changing direction, our advisers are committed to supporting a resilient, skilled workforce that keeps Wales moving forward.”

Working Wales, delivered by Careers Wales, offers personalised support to anyone aged 16 and over - whether they’re just starting out, facing redundancy, or looking to retrain or change direction.

The service is available online, over the phone, and face-to-face across Wales. It helps people explore their options, build confidence, and take practical steps towards their next opportunity.

Whether you’re 16 and unsure what’s next, or if you’re later in life and facing redundancy, or ready for a change - Working Wales is there to help.

Find out more at https://workingwales.gov.wales/.