About EPIC Futures NI
To create a fair, inclusive and prosperous Northern Ireland we must work together to create evidence based solutions to fair and inclusive employment.
Northern Ireland is unique across the UK regions, with the lowest level of unemployment and the highest level of economic inactivity. Economic inactivity includes anyone who is neither working or actively seeking work. Reasons can range from disability or health issues, family responsibilities, education and training or retirement.
This signals a tight labour market, making it difficult for employers to fill vacancies. However, research from Ulster University Economic Policy Centre and EPIC Futures NI (2024) highlights that there is spare capacity and untapped potential. The "hidden unemployed" and "underemployed” can benefit from fair and inclusive employment.
The hidden unemployed are not currently working or on a government training programme but are able and willing to work if inclusive opportunities are available. There are an estimated 50,000 hidden unemployed people in Northern Ireland. The largest groups of hidden unemployed are women, people with disabilities, and those over the age of 50. Additionally, there are over 47,000 people who are underemployed. Those who work part-time or full-time but want to work more hours.
There is potentially 120,000 people in Northern Ireland who could be available for work if supported by fair and inclusive employment opportunities and targeted approaches, such as matching skills level with business need.
This requires collaborative and innovative models between policy makers, education and skills providers, and businesses to create effective and inclusive solutions.
EPIC Futures NI will adopt a collaborative partnership approach to work with policy makers, education and skills providers, industry, community and voluntary groups to understand lived experiences and collectively work towards shared goals. Designed to address NI’s skills, employability and labour market challenges and improve economic and social prosperity in NI.
Facilitate partnership building and co-create research with external partners.
Help address data gaps on current and future skills needs across NI holistically and sub-regionally.
Understand ‘what works’ when supporting the hidden unemployed or underemployed individuals and develop best practice evaluation models.
Explore the use of behavioural insights to understand the lived experiences of individuals furthest from the labour market.
Develop a Labour Market Observatory for NI.
Administer a £1 million commissioning fund.
Enhance understanding of how NI’s unique cultural and political nuances influence our skills, employability and labour market challenges.
