National Careers Week: careers advice gives Rhyl learner confidence

Jack, who is autistic and has ADHD, first met his careers adviser, Tom Gibson-Jones, while attending an equality and diversity lesson. After completing a short survey, Jack was offered a one‑to‑one appointment with Tom, who is based at his school.  

At the time, Jack was unsure about what life after school might look like. His first conversation with Tom focused on understanding his interests and the different pathways available to him after finishing his exams this year.

“We spoke about my future and what I was going to do,” Jack said. “I told Tom I was quite interested in things like media and sports journalism.

“We talked through different routes, including courses, entry requirements and grades, and looked at what my steps could be.”

As the sessions continued, Jack says the support became about more than just qualifications. Having a trusted adviser to talk to regularly helped him to feel more comfortable discussing his plans.

“I found the sessions helpful in so many ways,” he explained. “I found my confidence a bit more.

“It really helped me to be able to go and speak to people more openly and discuss things that I wouldn’t have done before I’d met Tom.

“If I didn’t know what my next step was, I could just go to Tom. It’s nice to know there’s somebody I could talk to urgently about those things.”

With Tom’s support, Jack has been able to explore more than one possible pathway, keeping his options open while staying focused on what interests him most.

He has applied for a Level 2 media course, which he hopes will support his ambition to work in sports journalism. At the same time, he has also considered painting and decorating as an alternative route, drawing on experience from his family.

Alongside his studies, Jack has taken proactive steps to gain experience, reaching out to local football clubs to volunteer. This led to him covering a local football match as a guest writer for the Rhyl Journal – an experience that helped him put his skills into practice.

Reflecting on his journey, Jack says the biggest change has been how confident he now feels about planning ahead and speaking to new people.

He said. “I feel like I’m ready for the future, and I can go into interviews and things like that.”

For other young people who may be unsure about asking for careers support, his advice is clear.

“If they’re not confident in what they’re going to do in the future – or even if they are confident – I’d still encourage them to go to Tom,” he said. “It’s definitely worth it, just to get that reassurance to know what you’re going to do in your next steps.”

For more information, or to explore your interests and opportunities with a careers adviser, please get in touch with Careers Wales today.  

“Rwy’n teimlo fy mod i’n barod ar gyfer y dyfodol!” – mae cyngor gyrfa yn rhoi’r hyder i ddysgwr o’r Rhyl i ddilyn ei angerdd

Mae Wythnos Genedlaethol Gyrfaoedd 2026 yn ôl gyda’r thema ‘Llunio Eich Dyfodol’, yn arddangos sut y mae cyfarwyddyd gyrfaoedd ac adnoddau addysgol am ddim ledled y DU yn helpu pobl i gymryd perchnogaeth o’u llwybr gyrfa. 

I Jack Cruse, unigolyn ifanc 16 oed o’r Rhyl, gwnaeth cymorth gyrfa personol wrth Gyrfa Cymru ei helpu i deimlo’n hyderus am ei ddyfodol.

Cyfarfu Jack, sy’n awtistig ac sydd ag anhwylder diffyg canolbwyntio a gorfywiogrwydd (ADHD), â’i gynghorydd gyrfa, Tom Gibson-Jones, am y tro cyntaf wrth fynychu gwers cydraddoldeb ac amrywiaeth. Ar ôl cwblhau arolwg byr, cynigiwyd apwyntiad personol i Jack gyda Tom, sy’n gweithio yn ei ysgol. 

Ar y pryd, roedd Jack yn ansicr ynglŷn â sut olwg fyddai ar fywyd ar ôl yr ysgol. Canolbwyntiodd ei sgwrs gyntaf gyda Tom ar ddeall ei ddiddordebau a’r gwahanol lwybrau sydd ar gael iddo ar ôl gorffen ei arholiadau eleni.

“Gwnaethon siarad am fy nyfodol a’r hyn roeddwn i’n mynd i’w wneud,” meddai Jack. “Dywedais wrth Tom fod gen i ddiddordeb mawr mewn pethau fel y cyfryngau a newyddiaduraeth chwaraeon.

“Gwnaethon siarad am wahanol lwybrau, gan gynnwys cyrsiau, gofynion mynediad a graddau, ac edrych ar beth allai fy nghamau at hyn fod.”

Wrth i’r sesiynau barhau, dywed Jack i’r cymorth ddechrau cwmpasu mwy na chymwysterau yn unig. Roedd cael cynghorydd dibynadwy i siarad ag ef yn rheolaidd yn ei helpu i deimlo’n fwy cyfforddus yn trafod ei gynlluniau.

“Roeddwn i’n teimlo bod y sesiynau’n ddefnyddiol mewn cymaint o ffyrdd,” eglurodd. “Gwnes i ddod o hyd i ychydig yn fwy o fy hyder.

“Helpodd fi i wir allu mynd i siarad â bobl yn fwy agored a thrafod pethau na fyddwn i wedi’u gwneud cyn i mi gwrdd â Tom.

“Os nad oeddwn i’n gwybod beth oedd fy ngham nesaf, gallwn i fynd at Tom. Mae’n braf gwybod bod rhywun ar gael lle y gallwn i siarad ar frys am y pethau hynny.”

Gyda chefnogaeth Tom, mae Jack wedi gallu archwilio mwy nag un llwybr posibl, gan gadw ei opsiynau ar agor wrth barhau i ganolbwyntio ar yr hyn sydd o’r diddordeb mwyaf iddo.

Mae wedi gwneud cais am gwrs cyfryngau Lefel 2, ac mae’n gobeithio y bydd hynny’n cefnogi ei uchelgais i weithio ym maes newyddiaduraeth chwaraeon. Ar yr un pryd, mae hefyd wedi ystyried peintio ac addurno fel llwybr amgen, gan dynnu ar brofiad teuluol.

Ochr yn ochr â’i astudiaethau, mae Jack wedi cymryd camau rhagweithiol i ennill profiad, gan gysylltu â chlybiau pêl-droed lleol i wirfoddoli. Arweiniodd hyn at iddo adrodd ar gêm bêl-droed leol fel awdur gwadd i’r Rhyl Journal – profiad a’i helpodd i roi ei sgiliau ar waith.

Wrth fyfyrio ar ei daith, mae Jack yn dweud mai’r newid mwyaf a fu oedd mor hyderus y mae bellach yn teimlo ynglŷn â chynllunio ymlaen llaw a siarad â phobl newydd.

Dywedodd: “Rwy’n teimlo fy mod i’n barod ar gyfer y dyfodol, a gallaf fynd i gyfweliadau a phethau fel hynny.”

I bobl ifanc eraill a allai fod yn ansicr ynghylch gofyn am gymorth gyrfa, mae ei gyngor yn glir.

“Os nad ydyn nhw’n hyderus yn yr hyn maen nhw’n mynd i’w wneud yn y dyfodol – neu hyd yn oed os ydyn nhw’n hyderus – byddwn i’n dal i’w hannog nhw i fynd at Tom,” meddai. “Mae’n bendant yn werth chweil, dim ond i gael y sicrwydd hwnnw i wybod beth rydych chi’n mynd i’w wneud yn eich camau nesaf.”

Am ragor o wybodaeth, neu i archwilio eich diddordebau a’ch cyfleoedd gyda chynghorydd gyrfaoedd, cysylltwch â Gyrfa Cymru heddiw.