EPIC graduates celebrate the next phase of their careers
Business in the Community Ireland (BITCI) is celebrating the graduation of its EPIC programme participants for 2024. The EPIC programme empowers unemployed refugees and asylum seekers in their job search providing training on CV preparation, mock interviews, advice on navigating the Irish job market and one-to-one career counselling support.
The EPIC programme is predominantly funded by the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth. However, the success and uniqueness of this programme is the collaboration with government, businesses and community. This partnership approach to tackling social issues is high impact and positively impacts individual jobseekers and their families, the business community and wider society. The programme offers group training, one-to-one career counselling and direct engagement with potential employers to give jobseekers a comprehensive set of interventions to set them up for success in securing employment.
Accenture, Bidvest Noonan, BT, Deloitte, and ESB are amongst the companies that actively partner with the programme. They offer support in different ways including running career talks workshops on different types of roles, participating in mentoring programmes, hiring from this talent pool and financial support to BITCI to run the programme.
These companies are aligned with the BITCI mission to create a low carbon economy and inclusive workplaces where everyone can thrive. They are also signatories to BITCI’s Elevate, The Inclusive Workplace, Pledge which has over 65 companies committed to monitoring and assessing the profile of their workforce and taking proactive action to make it more representative of the diversity within society. BITCI urges more companies to join this collective movement.
Tomas Sercovich, BITCI CEO said “today’s celebration is to mark the achievement of our EPIC participants and to acknowledge our partner companies who demonstrate their commitment to being a diverse employer. Our EPIC programme has been operational since 2008 and has helped thousands of refugees and asylum seekers from over 100 countries to secure employment. Having a job is one of the best ways to feel integrated into a new country and significantly aids social cohesion and inclusion”.
This year’s cohort of over 220 participants came from over 50 countries, with Ukraine, Nigeria, Russia, Brazil and India being the post popular. So far, 56% of them have secured employment and a further 33% are involved in training or volunteering. Every participant brings their own skillset and experience, so the roles acquired vary significantly from Engineer, Administrator, Security Officer, Finance Manager and Healthcare Assistant.
Today’s graduation is being hosted by ESB who in 2024 committed to a three-year partnership with the EPIC programme. Speaking at the launch Sinead Kilkelly, Executive Director, People and Sustainability with ESB said “We are delighted ESB is a partner for the EPIC programme which is having such a positive impact. It very much speaks to ESB’s values and in particular supporting equal opportunities for all. We will only deliver our ambitious Net Zero strategy through people and opening up opportunities for people from all backgrounds is critical for this.
Recent EPIC graduate Brussine Nadege Wakeu Kweka added “The EPIC programme helped to increase my confidence and skills in my job search in Ireland. Through participating in mock interviews and workshops, it helped expand my professional network. I applied for Deloitte’s Development Programme and am now working as an intern with them. I also now conduct mock interviews with EPIC participants as it is good for me to give back given how much I benefited personally from the programme.”
The EPIC programme is one of five employment programmes, BITCI delivers to support jobseekers who experience disproportionate levels of unemployment these include people with disabilities, Ukrainians, women returners and members of the Traveller community. All programmes offer that combination of direct support and connection with businesses keen to be a diverse employer.
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