Social Mobility Commission vows to deepen understanding of opportunity in Northern Ireland during visit

More localised approaches are essential to driving opportunity and reducing regional inequalities across Northern Ireland, according to the Social Mobility Commission. 

Robert Wilson, Deputy Chair of the Social Mobility Commission, met senior business representatives and local leaders in Belfast and Derry/Londonderry during a two-day visit to explore how Northern Ireland can strengthen social mobility, support economic growth and break down barriers to opportunity across Northern Ireland. 

During the visit, the Commission confirmed it had secured access to data that will enable a regional breakdown of social mobility within Northern Ireland over the last two-decades for its highly anticipated 2026 State of the Nation report. This new analysis will show more detailed trends and identify regional disparities that exist within Northern Ireland – unlocking a crucial new evidence-base for policymakers to design targeted interventions.

The Commission’s latest State of the Nation analysis shows that Northern Ireland overall ranks among the lowest-performing parts of the UK on key measures of social mobility, including labour market progression, earnings and educational outcomes. 

Robert Wilson, Deputy Chair of the Social Mobility Commission said: 

“Regional inequalities are becoming a huge concern. For too long, ‘one-size-fits all’ approaches have struggled to address deeply embedded local challenges. Without local insight, policy risks missing the mark. 

“Increasing opportunity must be central to raising living standards, increasing workforce participation and strengthening local economies. Social mobility is not separate from growth – it is fundamental to it.  

“There is no quick fix. But durable progress will only come from solutions shaped and driven locally – with businesses, the public sector and civil society working together to a shared long-term plan.  

“Northern Ireland has extraordinary talent and resilience. The task now is to ensure that where someone grows up does not determine how far they can go.” 

Business leaders, policy-makers and representatives from the voluntary sector and academia  joined the roundtable discussions, including:

• Nichola Creagh, Director for Community Empowerment, at the Department for Communities
• Katie Matthews-Furphy, Founder at The Mind Tribe 
• Stephen Dallas, Director of The Byte Project and Executive Committee Member at NICVA (Northern Ireland Council For Voluntary Action) 
• Katherine Thorn, Head of Talent and Culture at Navantia UK (formerly Harland & Wolff)
• Craig Glover, Head of Disputes at Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer 
• Louise Smyth, Group Chief Commercial Officer, Peter Stevens, Group Bid and Insights Manager, at MCS Group
• Bronagh Fletcher, VP of Delivery, at Napier AI
• Joanne Murray, HR Services Manager, at Translink
• Attracta Mathews, Social Impact Manager, at GRAHAM
• Orla Major, Head of Government Partnerships at King’s Trust NI
• Aileen O’Kane, Head of People and Purpose, at Belfast City Airport
• Briege Arthurs, CEO at Forward South Partnership 
• Vivian McKinnon, Trauma Growth Therapist at Hydro-ease

The visit was part of the Commission’s tour across the UK’s nations and regions, making the case that inclusive local growth, built on innovation, investment and widening opportunity, must be a central priority for employers, policymakers and leaders.

Nichola Creagh, Director for Community Empowerment, Department for Communities said:

“‘The Department for Communities Neighbourhood Renewal Programme invests over £20m per year in our most disadvantaged communities to help break down long standing barriers to opportunity, this investment helps improve access to skills, employment and community support networks that are essential to improving social mobility”

Belfast City Airport Head of People and Purpose, Aileen O’Kane said:

 “Social mobility is fundamentally about fairness and unlocking opportunity for everyone, principles that are closely aligned with our values at Belfast City Airport. Through initiatives such as our High Flyers Apprenticeship Programme, we are committed to creating accessible pathways into the aviation industry and supporting skills development for people from all backgrounds. As a regional gateway and employer, we see firsthand the difference that access to education and career development can make to individuals and our community.

 “While significant progress has been made, barriers remain around awareness of career pathways and confidence in pursuing opportunities. We welcome the continued leadership of the Social Mobility Commission and believe collaboration between education, industry, and government is key to ensuring talent and ambition shape a person’s future.”

Navantia UK Head of Talent and Culture, Katherine Thorn said: 

“We are proud to support the Social Mobility Commission’s roundtable in Belfast. Shipbuilding has always been a route to skilled, well-paid employment for people from all backgrounds, and we are determined to renew that tradition for the next generation.

 “Across our four UK yards, including here in Belfast, we have committed to expanding our apprenticeship programme to 500 apprentices by 2030. From Level 2 to higher level qualifications, these programmes provide clear pathways into long term careers in advanced manufacturing, digital shipbuilding and complex engineering.

 “Our investment in modern facilities and new technologies is matched by investment in people. By working closely with schools, colleges and local communities, we are helping ensure that major industrial programmes translate into real opportunity, supporting social mobility and strengthening sovereign capability for the long term.”

Forward South Partnership CEO, Briege Arthurs said:

“Forward South Partnership works with many communities, schools, businesses, public and private sector partners to help regenerate and sustain a healthy, prosperous South Belfast.

We welcome the roundtable discussion today and the opportunity to  bring those  many partners who are committed to the principles of social mobility together .

“FSP works to create the conditions where we can work collaboratively to support those with the least access to be skilled and have the confidence to move from lower income to improved standards of living.

We especially acknowledge the changing landscape of Belfast and find it fitting that through these conversations we can reflect the voices of our new communities yet equally challenge us all to frame our work in a model that is sufficiently flexible to meet the growing needs and structural gaps”

Napier AI Chief Technology Officer, Noel King said: 

“I have long believed in the benefits of diverse teams, and all too often the social mobility component of diversity is overlooked. But there are initiatives that tackle the barriers at all stages of careers. I volunteer as a mentor with the Raspberry Pi Foundation Coolest Project, whose aim is to encourage young people to have fun with coding and drive creativity. Kids can only aspire to the career paths they know exist, and creating exposure for technology skills in early years means they can make choices about their education that put them on the right track to take advantage of social mobility opportunities at a later stage.

“At Napier AI, we have worked with Invest Northern Ireland to establish a centre of excellence in Belfast for our RegTech technology team, and we partner with them to ensure we have a pipeline of local talent joining developers, software engineers and data scientists. We support alternative routes into these careers, such as providing placements for Data Science apprenticeship students, as well as our Chief Data Scientist, Dr. Janet Bastiman acting as a supervisor for Ulster University’s funded PHD opportunity, Generative AI for AML Investigator Training: Synthetic Scenario Development. We also offer more informal work experience and shadowing for school and university students across a range of technology and business teams in Belfast and our London office, and encourage them to get in touch.”

The Mind Tribe founder, Katie Matthews-Furphy said: 

“At The Mind Tribe UK, we believe social mobility is not simply about moving people “up”. It is about widening access to opportunity in the first place. Across Northern Ireland, talent is evenly distributed, but access is not. Structural barriers including poverty, disability, mental ill health, caring responsibilities and limited social capital continue to restrict economic participation long before potential is recognised.

“Social mobility must be understood as a systems issue, not an individual deficit. Aspiration alone is not enough; pathways must be psychologically safe, trauma-informed and designed around real lives and experiences. We are calling for earlier preventative intervention, inclusive co-design, stronger alignment between economic and wellbeing policy, investment in trusted community connectors, and data that measures inclusion, not just outputs.

“Inclusive growth will only be realised when opportunity is co-designed with those who have historically been excluded from it.”

Translink Stakeholder Engagement Manager, Gary Marshall said: 

“Belfast Grand Central Station is opening up real opportunities by making it easier for people to reach jobs, education and services. Its inclusive design and strong community programmes, from school engagement and skills development to support for under‑represented groups, has helped remove barriers to access and participation while creating lasting social value. Public transport is a powerful driver of social mobility, helping to better connect people to opportunity and supporting healthier, more sustainable lives.”

Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer, Head of Disputes, Digital Legal Delivery, Craig Glover said:

 “We were delighted to participate in the roundtable on Social Mobility. We want to attract and retain the very best people, and that means ensuring everyone has the chance to reach their full potential, regardless of personal circumstances. Our social mobility programmes in the UK open doors to possibilities, inspire confidence and provide the skills and experiences young people from low socio-economic backgrounds need to thrive. We continue to focus on building real transparency and clarity, making it clear what we expect of our people, how opportunities are accessed and how progress is achieved. This is essential to ensure that talent, not background, determines success.”

The King’s Trust, Head of Government Partnerships for Northern Ireland, Orla Major said:

“When The King’s Trust first began fifty years ago, it was responding to a generation of young people growing up with uncertainty about their futures. Today, the world may look very different but for many young people that underlying fear has not gone away. It’s crucial that we work together as a society to help young people access the training and jobs they need, which will not only transform their lives, but support and benefit the local communities they live in and help drive the local economy. By helping them build skills, belief and resilience, we can open doors, break cycles of disadvantage and help the next generation of young people in Northern Ireland to thrive.”

For press inquiries please contact: smcmedia@socialmobilitycommission.gov.uk.