A major careers event aimed at connecting graduates with employers — and keeping Welsh talent in Wales — is coming to Swansea for the first time this summer.
GradCon South Wales will take over the city’s Albert Hall on Wednesday 1 and Thursday 2 July, bringing students and recent graduates face to face with businesses from across the region.
It follows previous events in Cardiff and Wrexham, and is the third in the GradCon series run by Darogan, which describes itself as Wales’ graduate hub.
The event is built around a problem facing Wales: holding on to its own talent.
Around a third of Welsh students study outside Wales, a figure that rises to roughly 70% among high achievers — and many never return.
The organisers say the event is a chance for those graduates, alongside local ones, to discover career opportunities in Wales they might not otherwise have found.
The two days have been split by theme. Wednesday is a general careers fair open to students and graduates of all disciplines.
Thursday will focus on STEM careers, with a dedicated space for candidates in fields such as engineering, data and cyber to meet employers looking for specialist skills.
Across both days there will be stage presentations and panel talks, an employer networking breakfast before doors open, and a “quiet hour” at the start of each day to support accessibility.
The event is headline sponsored by the South West Wales Regional Learning and Skills Partnership, with Companies House as its headline exhibitor.
Darogan founder Dr Owain James said South Wales had plenty of talent and plenty of employers keen to invest in it.
He said the event was about getting those people under one roof to make connections happen, and that hosting it at the Albert Hall was a bonus.
Jane Lewis, of the South West Wales Regional Learning and Skills Partnership, said the region had outstanding graduate talent and a business community with real ambition.
She said the event was a chance to bring the two together and help graduates see the career opportunities that exist in the region.
The first GradCon, held in Cardiff in 2025, drew more than 500 students and graduates from over 40 UK universities, along with 50 employers.
Tickets for students and graduates are free and can be reserved through the GradCon South Wales website, with spaces also still open to employers wanting to take part.
