Belfast Labour Market Partnership strategic overview

Published in November 2025

This document is a summary of Belfast Labour Market Partnership's action plan for 2025 to 2026.

The plan gives an overview of the actions we’ll carry out to support people who aren't in the labour market; as well as what we can do to help them find employment and help employers recruit Belfast residents to fill vacant jobs.

The action plan has four strategic intents which are aligned to the Department for Communities (DfC) themes for Employability NI (ENI), which funds Labour Market Partnerships. These are: Economic Shock, Economic Inactivity, Long Term Unemployment, Youth Unemployment, Disability and Skilled Labour Supply.

Strategic priorities

The action plan has three strategic priorities:

Strategic Priority 1: To form and successfully deliver the functions of the local Labour Market Partnership for the area.
Strategic Priority 2: To improve employability outcomes and labour market conditions locally.
Strategic Priority 3: To promote and support delivery of existing employability or skills provision available either regionally or locally.

Strategic Priorities	Actions	Outcomes
Strategic Priority 1: To form and successfully deliver the functions of the local Labour Market Partnership for the area.	Ensure a coordinated response to jobs and skills challenges through the Belfast Labour Market Partnership that will help improve employability outcomes and connect employers with employees.	Establish and run an effective Labour Market Partnership in the city.
Strategic Priority 2: To improve employability outcomes and labour market conditions locally.	Develop the Employability and Skills (E&S) Eco-system in the city.	Creation of a connected E&S eco-system which supports those with health conditions get back into work.
	Deliver Gateway to Choices Service (G2CS)	Residents of Belfast will have access to Gateway to Choices. G2CS is a specialist triage support resource which will support residents (including those with a disability) through referrals to appropriate provision, job matching and brokerage and utilise all existing funding mechanisms and interventions, including health, with the ultimate goal of getting more of those further back in the labour market and to engage in provision that will support their employability and skills journey. Gateway will work closely with the Careers Service, JBO Work Coaches, relevant health services and local VCSE organisations for quality, up to date, impartial and independent advice tailored to individual needs and career aspirations.
	Gateway to Choices Service (Development)	A fully worked up plan, working alongside the Development of the E&S Eco-system, how G2CS needs to change to be part of the solution to a better-connected E&S eco-system in the city.
	Deliver a wide range of employment academies and pathways to connect residents with new or better employment opportunities.	Residents of Belfast, especially those furthest from the labour market (including long term unemployed, economically inactive, disabled) get into employment.
	Deliver Bridges to Progression.	Bridges to Progression will offer additional supports to young people who are at a key transition stage in their life and support them into further education, training or employment. The goal is to ensure that these young people do not become NEET.
	Deliver a range of upskilling employment academies for residents to gain the skills required to sustain their employment or get a better job.	Residents of Belfast who are working in low-paid or unsecure employment will have the opportunity to gain higher level skills development and qualifications or licenses, which will allow them to progress in their current work-role or apply for better-paid or more secure employment in another area or growth sector.
Strategic Priority 3: To promote and support delivery of existing employability or skills provision available either regionally or locally.	Increase awareness of employability and skills programmes in the city.	Undertake a coordinated communications campaign (under the Take the Next Step branding) throughout Belfast to promote awareness of, interest in and better understanding of type, location and eligibility of employability and skills provision in BCC. Deliver a series of events which will be used to support the objectives of LMP and showcase work.