Ministers Unite to Launch Northern Ireland’s Careers Action Plan 2025 -2028
Northern Ireland’s Economy Minister, Dr Caoimhe Archibald, and Education Minister, Paul Givan, have jointly unveiled the Careers Action Plan 2025–2028, a landmark three-year initiative designed to enhance careers education and guidance for people of all ages and abilities.
The national Careers Action Plan is underpinned by a robust evidence-base and is a clear demonstration of Northern Ireland’s renewed commitment to addressing local community needs and workforce development. The plan explicitly targets children, teenagers, adults, and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) or alternative learning needs, leaving no group behind.
A Shared Vision Across Departments
The powerful symbolism of two ministers from distinct portfolios coming together underscores the government’s unified approach. Dr Archibald emphasises that reforming careers provision “so that even more people can benefit, and from a younger age,” includes introducing careers education in primary schools, bolstering SEND support, and building a new digital careers portal. Meanwhile, Mr Givan highlights the importance of embedding meaningful engagement with the world of work at every stage of education, particularly for learners who face systemic barriers. “This Action Plan provides a framework for ensuring careers teachers have the appropriate training and support… for all learners at all stages.”
A National‑Local Collaboration for Lifelong Career Support
Central to the plan is the creation of a careers ecosystem that bridges local delivery with national standards and digital tools. The Careers Plan aims to enhance and reform delivery models spanning school settings, adult learning environments, situated within community-based local services. This is underpinned by a national careers infrastructure which supports multiple priority groups. This structure ensures every citizen can access personalised guidance, whether in urban Belfast, Derry–L’Derry or rural communities. It empowers users with tools and progression pathways linked to available opportunities, supported by career guidance delivered by professionally trained and qualified advisers who understand regional labour markets and are reinforced by national training and quality standards.
Seven Strategic Outcomes Driving Change
Outlined within the Action Plan are seven strategic outcomes featuring related practical actions:
- A connected careers ecosystem spanning all ages and stages.
- Primary-level careers education and age-appropriate support.
- Establishing quality standards and professional development.
- Reformed delivery to better support those most in need.
- Enhanced SEND and those with alternative learning needs’ services, including digital innovation.
- A new digital careers portal to bridge education, skills, and the economy.
- Engaging parents, carers, and key stakeholders as influencers.
The Impact: Inclusion, Progression, and Workforce Resilience
By starting early and sustaining support throughout life, the plan seeks to establish a lifelong career trajectory for every individual. SEND learners and those with additional needs will gain tailored interventions and technology-enhanced solutions. Adults mid‑career or retraining will access relevant, high-quality guidance, addressing both economic opportunity and personal empowerment.
The digital portal, once operational, promises to link users seamlessly to local services, vacancies, training options, and career planning tools – integrating human advice with tech‑enabled accessibility. Combined with national quality standards and ministerial backing, this initiative fosters regional equity and economic growth.
A Milestone of Collaboration
The joint launch by two ministers from pivotal government departments sends a clear and powerful message: careers support is not just a focus on workforce development, but a strategic investment in the social, economic, and cultural fabric of local communities. It underscores that building a skilled, resilient workforce is essential for fostering inclusive growth and a thriving society. Their shared vision bridges education and economic policy, ensuring that Northern Ireland’s talent pipeline is nurtured and supported.
The lessons learned from this process offer valuable insights that can inform the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) and the Department for Education (DfE) in their efforts to create a more unified and coherent approach to all-age careers support across England.
In an increasingly complex and fast-changing labour market, Northern Ireland civil servants are now championing an open and ambitious commitment to a partnership model – bringing together government, career development professionals, and industry. This Action Plan embodies an inclusive, collaborative, and forward-looking vision. It lays down the essential building blocks for empowering individuals, strengthening communities, and ultimately contributing to a more resilient and prosperous Northern Ireland.
The views expressed in this document are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of any affiliated organisation or government department.
By Associate Professor Dr. Deirdre Hughes OBE, Director dmh associates and CareerChat (UK)
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