 Skates was born in Wrexham, Wales, and attended Ysgol y Waun in Gwernaffield and the Alun School, Mold, where he studied A-levels in physics, maths, English and politics.After achieving four A grades he went to Sidney Sussex College, Cambridge to study social and political sciences, specialising in European regional policy and economics.After graduating, Skates took a gap-period in the United States, before joining "The Leader" (Wrexham) newspaper.