A group of Ceredigion businesses are working together to help stem the outward migration of young people and support the growth of local companies by highlighting the opportunities and attributes of employers in Ceredigion.

Funded by the UK Government’s Community Renewal Fund with the support of Ceredigion County Council, ‘A Place to Work’ is being coordinated by independent economic development company, Menter a Busnes.

Working with a variety of employers in Ceredigion, the innovative scheme will investigate how employer branding methods can be used to highlight the unique career and lifestyle opportunities available locally. In doing so, the scheme will help break the often-held perception among young people of needing to move away to pursue career prospects.

Employer branding is not about selling a product or service to customers but instead marketing an employer’s values, attributes, and culture to potential employees. Having a strong employer brand helps businesses and organisations stand out in the labour market, enabling them to recruit and retain the right people.

Ceredigion’s economy has traditionally been reliant on public sector jobs as well as key industry sectors such as agriculture and tourism. In more recent years, the private sector, in particular, has been strengthening, with several notable ambitious businesses establishing in the area.

Research undertaken by Ceredigion Council shows there are currently 2,810 active enterprises in Ceredigion, with the vast majority being micro-enterprises employing up to nine people.

The professional, scientific, and technical activities sector is particularly buoyant, with around 285 businesses in this field*. Combined with Ceredigion’s strong knowledge economy, this sector creates the conditions for higher-paid jobs and economic growth.

Ceredigion benefits from business survival rates that are amongst the highest in Wales. Sustaining this in the long term and the broader ambition of creating additional higher paid employment opportunities is largely dependent on maintaining an engaged and committed workforce, as well as supporting the growth of businesses to be in the medium-sized category of employing between 50 and 249 people.

Menter a Busnes believes employer branding can be an effective tool in highlighting positive messages about Ceredigion as an attractive and affordable place for people to live and work.

Also, the approach can tackle some of the issues that rural communities are facing more than ever before, such as – economic growth, diversity and resilience, and the maintenance of strong communities in terms of identity, culture, and language.

Councillor Rhodri Evans, Ceredigion County Council Cabinet Member for Economy and Regeneration said: “We are pleased that this funding gives us the chance to invest in and foster employment opportunities in Ceredigion. This aligns with our local priorities and addresses the vision of our Economic Strategy to bolster career prospects for local people while strengthening the local economy.”

Says Menter a Busnes chief executive, Alun Jones, “The aim of ‘A Place to Work’ is to ensure that young people who wish to stay and pursue a career in Ceredigion have the opportunity to do so, while also capitalising on the experience, skills, and information of those who have left Ceredigion but now wish to return to live, work or create new businesses here.

“This is very much aligned with our ethos in Menter a Busnes. The company started in Aberystwyth over 30 years ago with four employees. We have grown to employ some 130 people across Wales, a significant majority of whom live in and around Ceredigion. Over the years, we have invested in the professional development of people, a factor that remains crucial to our success as a company.

“To that extent, we are eager to work with all manner of employers across the region, which is why we have made the commitment of creating a Development Manager role, who will be tasked to help work with the employer group and explore the development of their employer brand.”

A free-to-attend series of six masterclass workshops around themes of employer branding are starting from the 24th of February.