By Cat McCusker, Northern Ireland Market Leader - Partner PwC UK
In Northern Ireland, we have so much potential with one formidable challenge – the skills gap.
As industries evolve and progress, the demand for new skills raises the question of how Northern Ireland can nurture the talent necessary to thrive in growth areas such as life sciences, advanced manufacturing, and creative industries.
It is paramount that we bridge this skills gap and create new pathways for the emerging workforce, especially young girls, who hold the key to diversifying and strengthening our future. PwC research has shown that only 3% of young women aspire to a career in technology as their first choice, while 22% of young women also could not name someone female working in technology.
To address this, we need to build stronger links between education providers and businesses to ensure that curricula not only reflect current industry needs but also predict future growth sectors.
Take the creative industries, for instance. It was amazing to see the recent BAFTA win for Belfast born and filmed, Blue Lights. With hundreds of crews and technology enabled team behind the scenes, we want to keep these industries fulfilled with the most talented people with the skills for success.
By integrating industry insights into the educational narrative, schools can prepare students with relevant expertise and align academic experiences with the demands of local employers. This alignment will help students envision their careers not as far-off possibilities but as achievable realities.
READ MORE: ‘Women must not allow incorrect perceptions about working in tech to stand in their way’
Outreach and mentorship programs are equally crucial. A significant barrier for young girls entering STEM fields is the lack of visible role models and guidance. Initiatives like SistersIN and PwC's Her Tech Talent are steps in the right direction.
These mentorship programs give young girls the opportunity to interact with female leaders across professions, who offer not just encouragement but tangible examples of success. By sharing their journeys, these women illustrate the pathways young girls can take, empowering them with the confidence to pursue their ambitions, especially in lesser travelled or emerging careers like AI, data, analytics, and software engineering.
Witnessing the transformative effect of mentorship firsthand has been inspiring. I was proud to be a SistersIN mentor myself this year – and I got as much out of it as my young mentee did. It is essential to broaden these initiatives, making mentorship and leadership programs accessible across Northern Ireland, creating a robust network of support for aspirational young people. As the phrase goes, ‘You cannot be what you cannot see’.
Additionally, we must prioritise hands-on industry experience to cement the bridges between the classroom and the workplace. Introducing industry-led projects, innovation labs and placements offers students practical experience. These opportunities give young people a taste of real-world practices, the challenges they may face, and the innovative dynamics they will navigate in their
careers.
Together, industry leaders, educators and mentors must build these bridges to support future generations. I believe in the power of community-wide efforts to overcome them. It begins with recognising the skills gap not as an insurmountable barrier but as an opportunity to innovate our educational practices and industry connections. Northern Ireland can not only address the
existing skills gap but also position itself as a role model for other regions facing similar challenges.
The journey may be demanding, but the rewards - a robust, inclusive economy - are within our grasp, ready to be claimed by those willing to innovate and inspire.
Sync NI's Summer 2025 magazine celebrates women in tech across Ireland as we continue to encourage more women to enter the thriving sector and address the current gender imbalance. Read the Summer 2025 Sync NI Magazine online for free here.
