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A new career discovery and guidance platform to help young people from our inner cities discover what is possible and start the journey to the best life they can get.
How many times were you asked that age-old question as a teenager: “What do you want to be when you grow up?”
On the other hand, how many young people do you ask about their aspirations, only to be met with blank stares, shrugs, or “I don’t know”. It’s not that they’re lazy or unambitious. They’re often just lost in a system that gives them no clear direction.`
Meanwhile, over a third of UK youth aged 10–19 live in poverty (End Child Poverty Coalition, 2023). These young people are disproportionately pushed into low-paid, unstable work, or worse, no work at all. In 2022, 6% of 25 to 29-year-olds from lower working-class backgrounds were unemployed, double the national average of 3% for that age group (Social Mobility Commission). Interestingly, six of the ten boroughs with the highest youth unemployment were also top-ranked for serious youth violence.
The Career Guidance Gap
Career guidance isn’t a luxury; it’s essential. A UK study by Education and Employers (2020) showed that students who had four or more career-related interactions at school were 86% less likely to become NEET (Not in Education, Employment, or Training). That’s a statistic that needs to be spoken about.
Yet in the UK, 63% of 18–25-year-olds say they don’t know where to find career advice (Youth Group, 2022), and 48% feel blocked from accessing it altogether. While 36% of secondary students get work experience (already a sadly low number), only 38% of those, get to do it in a job they’re actually interested in (FE News, 2022). So, essentially, most career guidance is not helping our youth to find what they want to do or showing them how to get into it.
And with ongoing cuts to youth services, the streets are increasingly stepping in to offer opportunities - often dangerous, illegal, and violent ones.
When the System Doesn’t Work, Build a New One
A while back, I took two bright young people, both of whom hadn’t completed their GCSEs, to a Youth Careers Fair. The goal? Get inspired. The result? Soul-crushing disappointment. Every single stand was aimed at university students or graduates. No apprenticeships. No alternative routes. No real hope. One of the teens summed it up perfectly: “It’s hard to be motivated when you can’t find the answers to your questions.”
I’ve spent nearly a decade working in recruitment and volunteering with youth. I’ve watched too many young people fall through the gaps. My team and I were tired of waiting for the system to change, so we decided to change it ourselves.
So, we built the answer: Shine AI.
Shine AI is the only career discovery platform made for young people by people who understand them. Not for schools. Not for universities. Not for parents. Just them. It’s designed to help inner-city youth aged 16–24 figure out where they want to go—and exactly how to get there. Shine AI is flexible and accessible for everyone, including those who don’t have the standard qualifications behind them.
We’re not talking about outdated job quizzes or dusty pamphlets from the ‘90s. We’re talking about a tangible, practical guidance tool, built for young people wandering without direction, falling through the cracks when going from secondary school into further education or work.
From uncovering lesser-known career paths to connecting users with real, achievable opportunities, Shine AI walks with them every step of the way.
We cover the “how,” the “why,” and even the soft skills to make it all possible—because a CV without the confidence to speak to someone, without knowing what is expected in an interview, doesn’t take you very far. Skills such as goal setting, planning and executing build a young person’s confidence. Which can ultimately lead to employment and financial sustainability. Empowering young people to break free from cycles of poverty and crime by offering access to real opportunities and increasing their social mobility.
Letting Young Talent Shine
To celebrate Shine AI's launch, we ran a logo design competition for 16–24-year-olds across the UK. We would like to take the time to congratulate our winner, Ihsan Ullah, a second-year BA (Hons) student in Advertising and Brand Design at Ravensbourne University.
He discovered the competition on Instagram and entered – excited at the idea of helping other young people navigate their futures. Ihsan said he wanted to “test his skills in a real-world challenge” and dreams of one day founding his own design studio. This is the kind of self-belief and drive we hope Shine AI inspires in thousands more.
Logo Competition Runners Up
Thank you to every young person who participated in our logo design competition. We had so many wonderful entries that it was a difficult decision for the panel. We were blown away by the talent and wanted to take some time to recognise the artworks that stood out the most.
The Countdown Begins
We’re launching SHINE AI on 1st August 2025.
Sign up at www.shineai.tech to get early access and help shape the platform through your feedback. You will then get early access to the app, and have the chance to give your feedback and ideas on how we can make it even better for the young users.
Because if we can show young people that a financially sustainable life is possible, regardless of where they start, we can change lives. We can keep more of them off the streets and see them go onto career paths that genuinely lead somewhere.
They say, “It’s not what you know, but who you know.” But what if you don’t know anyone? Now you know us.
Let’s change career education forever and let the young people of London SHINE.AI.
Anna Mbwese, Founder, Shine AI
www.shineai.tech
