4/04/2025
On March 25, 2025, the IEP, hosted the first meeting of its new AI Working Group—a cross-sector forum dedicated to sharing best practice and exploring the practical use of artificial intelligence to support both jobseekers and the professionals who work with them.
IEP Fellow Liz Sewell FIEP, Director of Belina GRoW, chaired the meeting and will continue to lead the group up to the IEP Summit 2025, where she will be taking part as one of our four chairs on the day alongside fellow AI Working Group member, Claudine Adeyemi-Adams FIEP of Earlybird.
“Our goal is to create a space where people can share real, usable ideas—what’s working, what’s emerging, and what can be improved,” said Liz. “AI should make our work better and more efficient, not more complicated.”
A Space to Learn, Share and Collaborate
The AI Working Group has been formed to:
- Share best practice in AI use across the Employability Sector.
- Identify and develop practical tools that improve frontline practice.
- Help both organisations and individuals get the most from AI in realistic and accessible ways.
The group represents a wide range of voices—from service designers and delivery experts to training providers, researchers, and frontline practitioners. Our AI Working Group members are Liz Sewell FIEP, Director, Belina Grow (Chair), James McKenna MIEP, IEP Project Manager, Heather Ette FIEP, IEP Head of Marketing , Ania Mendrek FIEP, Cameron King, Skills and Employment Programme Lead, Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames; Dominic Atkinson, RBK Careers and advice delivery partners and Stay Nimble creator; Claudine Adeyemi-Adams, Founder and CEO, Earlybird; Dr Emma Forrest-Leigh FIEP, Education Sector Lead, Diane Vernon MBE FIEP, CEO, EmployabilityUK; Carolyn Shepherd, AI L&D Specialist; Alice Clements-Platt, Director of Operational Excellence, Ingeus; Bradley Ebsworth-Willis, Associate Director of Continuous Improvement & Innovation, Reed in Partnership; Victoria Wales BEM FIEP, Regional Operations Manager & Employment SME, Walking With The Wounded, Jemma Orange MIEP, Senior IPS Employment Specialist, Blackpool Council and Foysol Miah AIEP, Employability Trainer/ESOL Co-ordinator, Serco.
Initial discussions showed strong alignment around the potential of AI to:
- Enhance efficiency and responsiveness in service delivery
- Support advisers with faster document creation and better access to resources
- Improve the participant journey through more tailored and accessible support
- Empower teams to feel confident using technology as part of their everyday practice
Three-Month Development Plan
The group has committed to a three-month action plan, on which we will provide regular sector updates, focusing on:
- Developing case studies of AI in action
- Identifying hot challenges and opportunities in current practice
- Creating a practical framework for using AI in employability
- Differentiating between jobseeker-facing and organisational AI use
The group is also expected to break out into smaller working sections, with members leading micro-projects across three key themes: Jobseekers; Practitioners; and Organisations.
Next Steps and Meeting Info
The group will meet monthly, with a pre-Summit session scheduled in the lead-up to IEP Summit 2025. A WhatsApp group is already active, enabling members to share reflections and useful tools in real time.
This new Working Group marks an exciting step forward for the sector—creating a practical, forward-thinking space for learning, sharing, and exploring how AI can genuinely improve the way employability support is delivered.
