Career Connect gives employers the platform to support and give opportunities to care-experienced young people in Northern Ireland.
Career Connect is a new Business in the Community (BITC) and Include Youth initiative, funded by the Bright Path Fund, supporting care-experienced young people across Northern Ireland. Running from February 2026 to March 2027, the programme will support more than 40 young people across Northern Ireland to
- develop their skills and work-readiness through a series of workshops
- build confidence at networking events
- engage with meaningful work experience opportunities
Why should employers get involved in Career Connect?
Children who’ve been in care experience much higher levels of unemployment and are more likely to receive benefits in the eight years after leaving school. Career Connect addresses growing inequality faced by care-experienced young people and aims to improve long-term employment outcomes while preventing homelessness.
Practical interventions support the transition into the world of work for care-experienced children to improve their long-term outcomes. Young people express interest in, and benefit from, the opportunity to make connections with role models. This project provides a tangible way for your business to demonstrate social value in action.
What is involved for employers in Career Connect?
Your business can get involved in any or all of the five parts of the programme. There is no cost to participate.
Workshops
Volunteers can support for one hour in Belfast, North West or Fermanagh. Each young person will attend four practical workshops that will focus on
- building a CV
- preparing for an interview
- navigating the workplace
- managing a budget
Speed networking events
Businesses can send representatives. Two-hour events in Belfast, North West or Fermanagh.
Each young person will also have the option to attend a speed networking event in their area. BITC’s business partners will attend these events, which are a fantastic opportunity for young people to learn more about the different pathways to employment directly from the individuals who have taken them.
Offer work experience opportunities
The Career Connect programme aims to offer each young person involved a workplace visit or experience to allow them to see behind the scenes of a local business. These experiences are another excellent way for young people to learn more about different pathways to employment. Employers are encouraged to open their doors to a group for a morning or support a young person on placement for up to three days.
Online hub
Share valuable work tips and advice with the young people involved via BITC’s online hub. Make your early career pathways visible for young people and help answer their questions, giving them the confidence to enter the world of work.
Benefit from training
BITC offers all corporate partners care experienced training. This valuable element to the programme ensures your workplace is supported in the best way possible to help people who may have a different lived experience from you and your team.
How to participate in Career Connect
For more information, see Career Connect or contact mhairi.sim@bitcni.org.uk.
Information webinar
BITC is hosting a webinar to introduce Career Connect, outline how businesses can get involved at no cost, and show how participation delivers real social value in action.
Date Thursday 21 May 2026
Time 11 am to 1130am
Venue Online
Cost Free
Register to attend the Introducing Career Connect webinar.
First published 7 May 2026
