New statistics published by local insights consultancy FN Research has revealed growing unease among young people in Greater Belfast about their future employment prospects. The study, which forms part of an ongoing series exploring the real-life concerns of 18 to 34 year olds across the region, presents a detailed picture of the hopes, frustrations, and worries facing this generation as they navigate the path from education to employment.
Some the stats included:
- 65% of students found the graduate job hiring process too complex
- 81% were concerned about future job prospects, especially with impact of AI replacing many graduate entry positions
- 63% of those who were concerned, were worried about an extremely competitive job market
According to the research, a significant number of young people feel overwhelmed by the complexity and competitiveness of the job market. Many of those surveyed spoke of feeling underqualified, despite holding degrees or vocational qualifications, and struggling to find meaningful work that aligns with their career ambitions. Participants highlighted challenges such as a lack of job opportunities locally, an oversaturated market, limited access to practical experience, and increasing concerns about the impact of artificial intelligence on graduate-level roles.
Among students and recent graduates, there was a strong sense of frustration about the hiring process itself, with many describing it as overly complicated and unnecessarily drawn out. They reported spending weeks or even months completing applications, online assessments, and multiple interviews, often without any meaningful feedback or success.
Fiona Norman, Managing Director at FN Research said: “What we’re hearing from young people in this research is a mix of determination and disillusionment. They are motivated and eager to succeed, but they feel the system is stacked against them. They’re told to get a degree, build their CV, and put themselves out there – and yet they’re faced with long, complicated recruitment processes, unpaid internships, and a constant pressure to stand out in a job market that feels impossible to break into. When you combine that with wider societal and economic pressures, like rising costs and the uncertainty around AI’s impact on employment, it’s no surprise that young people are feeling increasingly anxious. Our hope is that this research will spark some honest conversations within businesses about how we can collectively do more to support this generation and help them move forward with confidence and clarity.”
The statistics could lead to several recommendations for stakeholders across education, business, and public services, suggesting practical ways to improve the employment journey for young people. These include simplifying hiring processes, offering paid work experience opportunities, and ensuring career support is accessible and realistic.
This research is part of FN Research’s wider commitment to uncovering and sharing the lived experiences of people in Northern Ireland, and to using high-quality data to help inform and improve decision-making across sectors.
For a copy of the insights report on which these stats are based, email Fiona@fnresearch.co.uk