One year since launching a landmark research partnership, Career Connect and Edge Hill University are paving ahead with their AI-driven mission to support young people at risk of falling out of education or employment.
The Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP), funded by Innovate UK, is harnessing advanced data science to develop a first-of-its-kind predictive platform. By identifying young people at risk of becoming NEET (Not in Education, Employment, or Training) before they reach a crisis point, the project aims to transform how local authorities, schools, charities and other agencies deliver life-changing interventions.
With the number of young people aged 16-24 in the UK who are classed as NEET currently at 957,000, and Career Connect witnessing more young people facing increasingly complex barriers, that charity says that targeted early intervention is more important than ever.
Sheila Clark, CEO of Career Connect, said:
“This project has the potential to equip young people’s services, schools, and local authorities with real-time insights to improve decisions, target support, and free up more time for face-to-face support, helping more young people to thrive.
“The NEET crisis is acute, as recognised by the recently announced government enquiry. Research shows that if a young person isn’t in employment, education or training at the age of 16, they are more likely to face long-term unemployment and low wages, and to experience mental health challenges and poverty.
“Rising NEET numbers is not just a ‘young people’ issue’ – it impacts all of us. That’s why earlier and improved identification and intervention, which we hope to develop through this KTP, is so important. Early intervention is an investment – in people’s futures, and in easing the financial and resource pressures public services face. In the longer term, this project could also change how data is used to support other vulnerable groups.”
Sheila Clark,
Career Connect CEO
Leading the technical development is Edge Hill Alumnus and KTP Associate Simon Hackett-Evans, who graduated with a first-class BSc (Hons) in Computing from Edge Hill University before completing an MSc in Data Science. For Simon, the project is more than just a technical challenge; it is a personal mission to use his skills for the greater good. Reflecting on his first year in the role.
Simon said:
“I viewed the job advert, and everything about it just screamed ‘me and my passions.’ When I was scrolling through the job advert, I was interested in what NEET meant and why it is a problem. The current amount of people who are NEET in the UK is nearly reaching one million.
“In life, I adore helping people and society because I believe it is the right thing to do. This opportunity allowed me to achieve that dream because I am making a difference to people’s lives, because the tool I am developing should help reduce that statistic.”
Simon Hackett-Evans,
Data Solutions Engineer, KTP Associate
The new project shifts the focus from recording data in the present to forecasting the future. Having successfully completed the initial feasibility stages, the project is now moving into advanced data analysis and the construction of deep learning models.
“Right now, I have managed to do a few initial data driven experiments, and it shows promising results. This basically confirms that the project is 100% achievable; it’s just going to take time.”
Simon Hackett-Evans,
Data Solutions Engineer, KTP Associate
The project is planned to span three years, with completion scheduled for 2028. The KTP framework serves a dual purpose: embedding high-level expertise within a charity while accelerating the career of a talented graduate.
As the project enters its next phase, the focus is on the long-term legacy of the tool. Once fully implemented, the platform will provide Career Connect with smarter, data-driven insights to support young people across the country, with the potential to apply to any geography or cohort.
Professor Yannis Korkontzelos from Edge Hill University emphasised the importance of this work:
“By working with Career Connect, we aim to build a technology platform that improves how they identify and respond to the risk of young people becoming NEET. It’s a chance to use data science to make a real difference.”
Professor Yannis Korkontzelos,
Edge Hill University
Looking ahead, Simon is hopeful that this work will set a new standard for social mobility:
“By the end of this project I will have helped our economy because the tool will be able to identify people that are the most risk of becoming NEET, and it will also help support people’s mental health. Having a chance to use my skills to benefit others is not only a gift, but a privilege in life I will not forget.”
Professor Yannis Korkontzelos,
Edge Hill University
