Elevate your Business in Wrexham 2026: meet Jobsee

On Friday 6 November 2026, business owners and decision makers from across the county will gather at Bangor-on-Dee Racecourse for the third Elevate your Business in Wrexham Conference. It is a free, full-day event run by Wrexham Council, and it is one of the best chances all year to meet the people who shape local business in one room.

Jobsee is a jobs platform built for young people, and we are starting in Wrexham. So a day where local employers come together to talk about growth, skills and the future of the county is exactly where we want to be part of the conversation. Mike Howard, Jobsee's founder, will be attending the conference on behalf of Jobsee, and he would love to meet you there. Here is what is on, why it matters for young people looking for a first job, and how to find Mike on the day.

The key facts

Places were limited to one representative per business, and they have all gone. If you missed out, the conference page is the place to check about the reserve list. Last year's event drew around 200 delegates, from micro businesses to large companies.

What is on the programme

According to the council's speaker line-up, the day mixes national keynotes with local success stories and updates on the big projects coming to the county.

Keynote speakers

• Jamie Murray Wells OBE, founder of Glasses Direct
• Jo Fairley, co-founder of Green & Black's

Local business speakers include Ravi Limaye OBE of Wockhardt, Cheryl Reeves of Agri-cation CIC, Lucy Thomas and Helene Bøe of Hydro Aluminium Wrexham, John Pattinson of Air Covers, Nicola Sawford of Brymbo Heritage Trust, Solveiga Pakštaitė of Mimica Lab, and Martin and Katie Pritchard of Dead Good Scran.

Project updates cover the Wrexham Placemaking Plan, the UK City of Culture 2029 bid, the Flintshire and Wrexham Investment Zone, Wrexham Business Improvement District, Ambition North Wales and the North Wales Growth Deal, and AMRC Cymru.

The council says further speakers may still be added, so the line-up page is worth a look before the day.

Why this matters for young people in Wrexham

A business conference might not sound like a youth employment story. It is.

Look at what is being discussed. Hydro's session covers careers in manufacturing. Wockhardt's covers its plans for growth and skills. The Investment Zone session is about opportunities in advanced manufacturing. The City of Culture bid is about culture-led growth and what it could mean for local businesses. Every one of those plans needs people, and many of the people who will fill those roles over the next few years are in Wrexham's schools, colleges and university right now, or looking for their first job today.

Growth only sticks if local young people can get a foot in the door. That first step is where it most often goes wrong: employers say they cannot find people who are ready, and young people say nobody will give them a chance without experience. Jobsee exists to close that gap.

Where Jobsee fits

Jobsee is built the other way round from most job sites. Young people start with the kinds of work they could see themselves doing, not a blank CV, and send one short, complete application that tells an employer what they actually need to know. Sport, caring, volunteering and side hustles count as experience, because they are. It is always free for young people.

For employers, we are starting in Wrexham with a small group of Founding Employers. During the pilot they post roles for free, get help writing them, and receive applications that are complete and relevant, from young people who chose that kind of work. You can read more on our page for employers.

If you are thinking about taking someone on, two earlier guides are worth a read first:

• Why hiring young people now is a smart move, on the National Insurance savings for under 21s and apprentices under 25
• The £3,000 Youth Jobs Grant: a plain guide for employers in Wales, on the new grant for hiring 18 to 24 year olds who have been out of work

Come and find Mike on the day

Mike Howard, Jobsee's founder, is based in Wrexham and will be at Bangor-on-Dee Racecourse on Friday 6 November on behalf of Jobsee. We would much rather meet local employers face to face than send another email, so if you are going, come and say hello.

• Find Mike at Elevate. Look out for Mike during the networking breaks, or send us a message before Friday and we will arrange a time to meet on the day.
• Missed out on a place? The conference is fully booked, but the council keeps a reserve list. If you cannot get in, get in touch anyway and Mike will meet you for a coffee in Wrexham instead.
• Become a Founding Employer. If you hire in hospitality, care, retail, the trades, leisure or childcare in or around Wrexham, join the pilot here.
• Tell us what you think. Our employer survey takes about five minutes and asks what would make a platform like this worth your time, and what would not.

And if you are a young person reading this: the businesses in that room are the ones building Wrexham's next few years. Join the Jobsee waitlist and be first to hear when roles open near you.