Young entrepreneurs who work with the likes of Aviva, Google, and the UK Government to help them connect better with young people are lending their knowledge and expertise to businesses in Northern Ireland, including EY, which recently announced plans to create 1,000 new jobs here.
EY Northern Ireland announced plans in September to create 1,000 new jobs in NI over the next five years, aiming to attract school leavers, graduates, experienced hire candidates and those seeking to reskill into areas such as cyber security, data analytics, Artificial Intelligence and emerging technologies as well as tax, audit and business consultancy. To support this growth EY will establish a hub in the North West to attract talent from across the region.
Youth Group which was recently named one of the Top 25 Start-Ups in the UK, has developed a partnership with EY elsewhere in the UK and is extending that partnership to EY NI. This will help EY shape how it engages with young people here to attract them to work for the company.
The organisation, which was founded by Jack Parsons and Leon Marseglia in 2019 and has 1.7 million youth members in the UK, met with EY principals this week to learn more about the exciting opportunities these new roles will bring to the young people of Northern Ireland.
As part of their visit this week, Jack and the team interviewed a number of EY employees for Youth Group’s dedicated career show “My Duvet Flip”, which has featured a wide range of prominent people, including UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak.
The team also hosted conversations with key members of the professional services firm to share important knowledge and information on the challenges being faced by the young people of today, helping to shape conversations around how these new roles are best positioned within the market.
Youth Group was founded by the young entrepreneurs with a mission to enable young people to add more GDP to the economy by increasing youth employment, making salaries more transparent, growing digital skills among young people and helping them build workplace resilience. It works in close partnership with just under a thousand corporate partners.
EY became a ‘Youth Verified’ brand in the UK in 2023, an accolade awarded by Youth Group in association with McKinsey & Company, becoming the inaugural Big Four accountancy firm to receive this mark of trust.
As part of the partnership with EY, Jack, Leon and colleagues from Youth Group were in Belfast to meet with senior representatives from EY, including Managing Partner Rob Heron and COO Jonathan Williamson.
Jack said: “It’s fantastic to be partnered with EY and to be learning more about the incredible recruitment plans in Northern Ireland. Over the past two years, EY and Youth Group have collaborated closely in the UK to raise awareness, showcase stories of EY employees, and help EY attract young talent who might not have previously considered a career with the company. A significant aspect of this initiative has been the creation of our dedicated career show called “My Duvet Flip.” This show has featured interviews with prominent leaders, including UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, and has garnered an audience of over 10 million young viewers seeking career advice and inspiration from CEOs across the country.
“Youth Group’s expanded mission for 2024 aims to empower young individuals to make a more substantial contribution to GDP. This goal will be achieved through our comprehensive youth engagement platform and the opportunities it generates through strategic partnerships with companies like EY,” he adds.
Rob Heron, Managing Partner of EY Northern Ireland said: “I am delighted to welcome Jack, Leon and the team from the Youth Group to EY Northern Ireland this week. Following our announcement in September to create 1,000 new roles at EY NI over the next five years, it is important for us to share information and knowledge on what young people expect from their career and to discuss the challenges many young people face today. At EY, we take our responsibility as a training firm very seriously, and we are committed to providing the best possible opportunities for young talent across NI to have an exceptional career experience.”
