The Wales HR Network is has announced two inspirational keynote speakers from the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award in Wales at this year’s Wales HR Awards, just weeks before the deadline for 2018 entries.

Partnership manager for the DofE Award charity Ian Gwilym, who has a 30-year career supporting young people to ensure they succeed in a work environment, will give an insight into the DofE and the fantastic work they carry out, and DofE Young Ambassador Billie Horsey will share her journey and the heartening support she received from the DofE.

Billie completed all three levels of the DofE Awards and has since gone on to become a qualified leader and assessor. At only 22, she is now a Welsh ambassador for the charity and has started two groups of her own in Rhondda Cynon Taf.

Ian Gwilym said: “I am really looking forward to speaking at the Wales HR Awards and meeting some of Wales’ premier HR professionals.

“Helping further develop young people’s soft skills for work is a huge part of the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award programme, something I think will resonate with the HR professionals at the awards.

"More than 11,500 people enrol on a DofE Award in Wales every year, so it’s great to be able to show and talk about the commitment that goes behind achieving the DofE status, which of course is then a truly valuable asset for the workplace.”

The awards, which will be held in Cardiff on March 23, were created by Newport-based recruitment and training agency Acorn, and commercial law firm Darwin Gray, to offer HR professionals the opportunity to acknowledge the commitment, hard work and achievements of colleagues from across Wales.