I chaired the Employability Conference at the end of the month, on behalf of Welsh Government.

To paraphrase JFK, ‘while they are the youth of today, they shall be the leaders of tomorrow’ - and this is a sentiment that was very much in evidence throughout the event, which was opened by Business Minister Edwina Hart, at Cardiff’s City Hall.

Highlights for me centred on the engagement of young people and the partnerships and initiatives that Welsh businesses are forging with future generations.

I am particularly impressed with the ‘Business Class’ initiative that Business in the Community is spearheading across Wales and Gwent. The programme helps businesses to support young people facing social disadvantage by forming long-term partnerships with the young people’s schools.

It provides an opportunity for families; is good for youngsters and is also good for businesses and I would urge all business leaders to get involved.

The programme chimes with what many of our IoD Wales members are concentrating on: creating a better future for the youth of today who will be the leaders of tomorrow.

For me, the event brought to focus a meeting I attended with the Business Advisory Group for the Duke of Edinburgh’s Awards Scheme; which is a charity I have been involved with for a number of years.

Every young person who participates in The Duke of Edinburgh's Award volunteers within their local community for a minimum hour a week; which equated to an incredible 605,800 voluntary hours in Wales last year or £4,755,530 worth of working hours, if we base it on 2014’s £7.85 living wage. On top of this, the benefits to local communities across Gwent are obviously immeasurable.

I feel passionately about the amazing work that this charity offers youngsters up and down Wales and the life skills, initiative and other values that the scheme instils within its participants.

I have even planned a Duke of Edinburgh style fundraising event and will be joining others members of the group climbing Snowdonia and Cadair Idris during the Summer of 2016. I have started training already and look forward to playing my part.