In an increasingly competitive job market, the connection between education and employment readiness has never been more important. Young people across Northern Ireland, the UK, and Ireland are asking a critical question: “Is my education actually preparing me for the world of work?” Through our Learning, Skills and Work surveys, Voices for Impact has gathered valuable insights directly from young people about their experiences, concerns, and hopes regarding career preparedness.
The Current State of Career Preparedness
Our data reveals a mixed picture regarding how well young people feel their education is preparing them for future employment. While some express confidence in their educational journey, others highlight significant gaps between classroom learning and workplace requirements.
How Well Is Education Preparing Young People?
When we asked young people aged over 14 to rate how well their school or college prepares them for future employment, the responses revealed important insights:
- Many young people gave middling ratings, suggesting they see room for improvement in how education connects to employment
- Only a minority gave the highest possible ratings for career preparedness
- A concerning number of respondents rated their preparation as poor or very poor
This suggests that while education systems are providing some career preparation, there’s significant room for improvement in building the bridge between school and work.
Skills Development: The Confidence Gap
Our survey data shows that 59.3% of young people agreed that their education had given them the skills needed to get the job they want. This means that more than 40% of young people don’t feel confident that their education is equipping them with the necessary skills for their desired career path.
Interestingly, confidence levels varied significantly across different community backgrounds:
- 69.3% of young people from Catholic backgrounds felt their education provided the needed skills
- 58.6% from Protestant backgrounds agreed
- Only 38.9% of ‘Other’ community backgrounds felt confident in their skill development
These variations suggest that educational experiences and career preparation may differ substantially depending on community context, raising important questions about educational equity.
The Career Guidance Challenge
Career guidance services play a crucial role in helping young people navigate the transition from education to employment. However, our data indicates this is an area with significant room for improvement.
Current State of Career Advice
When asked about the effectiveness of the career advice they receive:
- Only 45.3% of respondents agreed they had received good careers advice about available options
- 30.0% remained neutral on this question
- Around a quarter (24.5%) explicitly disagreed that they had received good careers advice
The gender disparity in these responses is particularly striking:
- 31.1% of females disagreed that they received good careers advice
- Only 13.8% of males expressed the same sentiment
This suggests that young women may be experiencing challenges in accessing quality career guidance that meets their needs. There were also notable differences across community backgrounds:
- 27.1% of Protestants disagreed that they had received good career advice
- 20.0% of Catholics disagreed
- 23.5% of those from ‘Other’ backgrounds disagreed
Awareness of Alternative Pathways
One promising finding is that many young people do recognise there are multiple pathways to career success. When under-14s were asked “Do you know about different ways to learn a job or skill, not just at school?”, many indicated awareness of alternatives like apprenticeships, vocational training, and work-based learning.
For over-14s, we specifically asked about awareness of vocational training options. The results showed varied levels of awareness, suggesting more could be done to ensure all young people understand the full range of educational and training pathways available to them.
Employment Opportunities: Optimism vs Reality
Young people’s perceptions of job opportunities in their country reveal important insights about their career confidence and future planning.
Limited Job Prospects
A significant majority (62.1%) of young people agreed that there were limited job opportunities for young people in Northern Ireland. This perception was:
- More common among those who had previous work experience (66.2%) compared to those yet to be employed (55.2%)
- More prevalent among females (66.2%) than males (55.2%)
- More common among Catholics (69.3%) compared to Protestants (58.6%) or Others (58.8%)
Future Planning and Mobility
The perceived limitation in job opportunities appears to be influencing young people’s future plans:
- 41.8% of respondents agreed they planned to move outside Northern Ireland for work or further study
- This intention to leave was higher among those with work experience (45.5%) than those without (35.6%)
- A striking 58.8% of young people who identified as ‘Other’ reported plans to leave Northern Ireland, compared to 46.7% of Catholics and 37.1% of Protestants
These figures suggest that concerns about limited job opportunities may be contributing to a potential “brain drain” of young talent from Northern Ireland, with particular impact among certain community groups.
Challenges in Career Progression
Even for those who wish to build their careers locally, there are perceived obstacles to advancement.
Difficulties in Career Advancement
Nearly 40% (39.8%) of respondents reported finding it difficult to progress in their chosen career in Northern Ireland. This difficulty was reported more frequently by:
- Females (43.8%) compared to males (33.3%)
This gender disparity raises important questions about potential structural barriers that may be disproportionately affecting young women’s career advancement.
Addressing the Challenges: What Young People Want
When asked how they would improve the education system in Northern Ireland to better prepare them for employment, young people provided insightful suggestions. While their specific recommendations varied, several clear themes emerged:
More Practical, Real-World Learning
Many young people expressed a desire for education that more closely resembles the realities of the workplace, including:
- More hands-on, practical learning experiences
- Greater emphasis on workplace skills like teamwork, communication, and problem-solving
- Increased opportunities for work experience and industry exposure
- More project-based learning that mirrors real-world challenges
Better Career Guidance
Young people called for improvements in career guidance, including:
- More personalised advice tailored to individual interests and strengths
- Earlier introduction to career planning and exploration
- More comprehensive information about diverse career pathways
- Greater exposure to a wide range of possible careers and industries
Curriculum Reform
Many respondents suggested changes to what and how they learn:
- More flexibility in subject choices to align with career interests
- Greater emphasis on digital and technological skills
- Better balance between academic knowledge and practical application
- More focus on financial literacy and other life skills essential for work
Bridging the Gap: Recommendations for Action
Based on the insights from our surveys, several approaches could help bridge the gap between education and employment:
For Educational Institutions
- Enhance workplace connections: Develop stronger partnerships with local employers to provide more meaningful work experience opportunities
- Modernise career guidance: Ensure career counselling is personalised, comprehensive, and begins early enough to inform educational choices
- Update curriculum design: Incorporate more project-based learning and real-world applications of academic content
- Diversify success metrics: Recognise and celebrate diverse pathways to success beyond traditional academic achievements
For Employers and Industry
- Strengthen school partnerships: Actively engage with local schools and colleges to provide insights into workplace needs and opportunities
- Support work experience programmes: Create structured, meaningful placements that give young people authentic workplace exposure
- Contribute to curriculum development: Share industry expertise to ensure educational content remains relevant to current workplace needs
- Develop clear entry pathways: Create transparent routes into employment for young people at different stages of their educational journey
For Policymakers
- Review career guidance standards: Ensure all young people have access to high-quality, impartial advice about the full range of career options
- Invest in alternative pathways: Strengthen apprenticeship programmes and vocational education routes
- Address regional disparities: Develop strategies to create more equitable career opportunities across different communities and regions
- Target support for underrepresented groups: Address the specific barriers faced by young women and other groups in certain career paths
Be Part of the Solution
At Voices for Impact, we’re committed to ensuring young people’s perspectives shape the policies and practices that affect them. The insights from our surveys are helping to inform education and employment strategies across Northern Ireland, the UK, and Ireland.
For Young People
Your experiences and opinions matter! By sharing your thoughts on education and employment, you can help create positive change for yourself and future generations. Visit the Voices for Impact website to participate in our surveys and make your voice heard.
For Educators, Youth Workers, and Employers
The data from our surveys offers valuable insights that can inform your work with young people. Whether you’re developing curriculum, providing career guidance, or creating employment opportunities, understanding young people’s perspectives is essential. Explore our data further and consider how you might implement some of the recommendations in your own context.
For Policymakers and Decision-Makers
The gap between education and employment readiness requires systemic solutions. Our data provides evidence directly from young people about what’s working and what needs to change. We invite you to engage with these insights as you develop policies and programmes to support young people’s transitions to employment.
Together, we can build education systems that truly prepare young people for fulfilling careers and help create vibrant, opportunity-rich communities where young people can thrive.
This article was produced by Voices for Impact, a collaborative initiative between youth organisations across Northern Ireland, Ireland, and the UK working to amplify the voices of young people in decision-making processes. Read more of our blogs at www.voicesforimpact.ai or www.bytes.org.
