A new Artificial Intelligence Fellowship at Ulster University Business School is helping students develop AI skills, with participants already securing employment as a direct result of their involvement in the programme.
The inaugural Forging AHEAD AI Fellowship, delivered in partnership with SmarterX (AI Academy) and the Artificial Intelligence Collaboration Centre (AICC), connects second-year business students preparing for their placement year with local employers and AI specialists.
Over ten weeks, 16 student fellows collaborated directly with industry partners on live challenges, applying emerging technologies to deliver practical business solutions. Through a mix of hands-on workshops, expert mentorship, and employer-led projects, the Fellowship provided students with vital AI skills while helping organisations explore the potential of artificial intelligence in a safe and responsible way.
The initiative is already delivering visible results, with two students securing employment directly through the programme.
Speaking about the programme, Dr John Bustard, Senior Lecturer in Digital Transformation and Principal Investigator, Ulster University Business School, said:
“With AI skills becoming essential in the graduate job market, Ulster University’s Strategic Policy Unit notes that Northern Ireland suffers from a severe capability gap. Despite 83% of the public reporting AI awareness, only 10% have received training, resulting in a 73-percentage-point disparity. We want our students to enter the workplace with more than just technical knowledge - we want them to have the confidence and experience to help them stand out. The Forging AHEAD AI Fellowship does exactly that by equipping students with essential AI literacy that enhances their career prospects.
“Over the last ten weeks our Fellows have moved through Ulster's AHEAD framework, from conceptual understanding to strategic application. They have gained far more than an Academy Certification and knowledge; they learned how to place that knowledge inside a human-centred model of AI transformation. When employers meet our Fellows, they are meeting confident professionals who can walk into a workplace and responsibly advocate for how AI can actually drive the business forward.”
The programme has attracted interest from employers across a range of sectors, with DAERA, CME Group, Impact PR, Micro Learning Labs and Seedling Learning among the industry partners.
Brittany Breslin, Director, Impact Communications, commented:
“Spending time with the Forging AHEAD Fellows has left me feeling inspired for the future and re-energised about how our own organisation can better use AI in our workflows. Seeing how the students have created and implemented their own AI innovations has opened my mind to the many practical ways AI can be applied to strategy and admin work to better facilitate company time and resource to creativity. I was also reassured to see the emphasis that many students placed on ethical usage, setting internal guidelines and guardrails to protect sensitive data and ensure the tools at their disposal are being used thoughtfully.”
The Fellowship culminated in the Fellows Forum at Ulster University’s Belfast campus, where ten weeks of real employer-facing work came together. During the showcase event, students delivered short presentations to employer partners, academic staff and stakeholders, on the solutions developed during the programme covering AI workflows and tools, business cases and strategic roadmaps.
Ulster University BSc Marketing Student Emily said:
“The Forging AHEAD Fellowship has been a brilliant experience and has really expanded my knowledge and confidence in using AI. I particularly enjoyed learning about new AI tools and then applying them to real-life business problems, which helped develop my problem-solving skills and showed me how AI can be used responsibly in the workplace. The Campus+ days were always enjoyable, and it was great meeting new people, building friendships and learning together. John and Judith were incredibly supportive throughout the programme, and finishing with the opportunity to present our work to employers was a great way to build my confidence and make new professional connections. I would definitely recommend Forging AHEAD to future students - it was a fun, practical experience that has given me skills and knowledge I can take forward into my placement and future career. Thank you again for such a great experience!”
Ulster University BSc Finance and Investment Management student Megan added:
“The Forging Ahead AI Fellowship changed the way I think about AI by showing me that it is not just technology, but a practical tool for solving real business problems. Working on real challenges helped me build confidence, think more creatively, and understand how I can use AI in my future career. It also helped me create my own AI tool that will help optimise my CV for graduate roles.”
Upon completing the programme, participants received an AI Fellowship Certificate, Professional Certificates in Piloting and Scaling AI from the AI Academy, and the Ulster University Edge Award.
A formal research study is now underway to track how Fellow's AI capabilities have developed over time. The findings will inform the AHEAD Framework, with results published next year.
