Back to Work Connect exists to support midlife workers, returners, and career changers across Ireland to re-enter, transition, and thrive in the workforce. Over the past year, demand for our services has grown significantly, reflecting both the scale of the challenge and the value our community places on accessible, trusted support.
This report highlights our reach, engagement, and impact over the last 12 months.
Community Engagement & Events
We held 10 community events delivered across the year, with 1,492 registered attendees. An increase of 12.5% of 2024.
We saw strong participation from midlife professionals, Returners, and career changers. The number of male attendees also increased.
Events focused on:
- Confidence rebuilding and career clarity
- Skills refresh and upskilling pathways
- Employer insight and returner-friendly workplaces
- Peer connection and community support
Impact:
Our events created safe, practical spaces for people navigating career transition—many for the first time in decades. Attendee feedback consistently highlights increased confidence, reduced isolation, and clearer next steps following participation.
Access to Returner-Friendly Employment
3,500 roles promoted on our Returner Friendly jobs board.
These opportunities were:
- Open to everyone, especially candidates with career breaks or non-linear CVs
- Aligned with flexible, inclusive working practices
- Shared by employers committed to retaining experienced talent
Supporting Inclusive Hiring Through AI
Back to Work Connect also supports employers through an AI-powered job description tool, designed to help organisations review and adapt job adverts to be more inclusive of returners and midlife career changers.
Impact:
By actively connecting midlife workers and Returners with inclusive employers, Back to Work Connect helps shorten time out of work, rebuild economic participation, and ensure experience is not lost from the workforce.
Growing Community Reach
There are more than 19,000 active users across the Back to Work Connect platform. Steady month-on-month growth, indicating sustained relevance and trust.
Impact:
This growth reflects a rising awareness of the challenges faced by midlife workers and the role Back to Work Connect plays as a trusted hub for guidance, opportunity, and reassurance.
Community Care & Direct Support
We saw an increase of 20% in calls to our Community Care Team.
Impact:
The increase in direct support requests signals both growing demand and growing trust. Many callers seek reassurance, practical advice, and human connection during periods of uncertainty. Our Community Care Team plays a critical role in ensuring individuals are not navigating career transition alone.
Knowledge & Resource Access
There were over 30,000 views of our online resource library in the past 12 months.
Resources include:
- Career transition guides
- Return-to-work tools
- Employer insights
- Upskilling and education pathways
Impact:
High engagement with our resources demonstrates the importance of accessible, self-directed support—particularly for those balancing caring responsibilities, health considerations, or confidence gaps.
This report tells us that demand is growing. Midlife career transition is no longer a niche issue; it is a mainstream workforce challenge.
Human support matters – Increased calls to our Community Care Team show that people value empathy and real conversation alongside digital tools.
Prevention is powerful – Access to the right information at the right time reduces isolation, builds confidence, and shortens time out of work.
What’s next?
As we move into the next year, Back to Work Connect our goal is to,
- Continue to expand our community’s reach
- Strengthen partnerships with Returner-friendly employers
- Continue investing in community care and support
- Grow our resource library to reflect evolving labour market needs
For 2026, however, our focus remains the same: keeping experienced people connected to opportunity, dignity, and work that works for their lives.
