The First of it's Kind Digital Tool
The Good Youth Employment Benchmark tool allows you, as an employer, to measure and monitor your current youth employment practices, and get access to tailored information, advice and guidance to grow the quality of your early careers interactions and programmes.
The Benchmark provides a unique and comprehensive system for employers to understand what is working within their youth employment practices and how they can develop additional processes that will further support them to create quality opportunities, particularly for young people from disadvantaged backgrounds.
Improve Your Youth Employment Practices | Stay Ahead of Your Competition
On completion of the Benchmark, you will receive a bespoke, comprehensive report with actionable next steps for areas to expand and improve your early careers offering.
Awards Open Exclusively for Members
The Benchmark will open annually for our employer Members. Join now to be entered into the Good Youth Employment Benchmark Awards 2025/26, presented at our in-person symposium.
Become recognised in our Benchmark Awards and gain access to invaluable information that will support your organisation in attracting and retaining young talent.
Become a MemberThe 2024/25 Good Youth Employment Benchmark Award Winners
The 2024/25 winners were awarded their accolades based on their scores on completion of the Benchmark question set. Employer Members all dedicated time and effort to delving into their current employment practices, and answered questions based on the following categories: Explore (including employer outreach and engagement) Experience (including work experience and job shadowing opportunities), and Employment (including their current retention and HR practices).
Benchmark Winner: Explore Category
Benchmark Winner: Experience Category
Benchmark Winner: Employment Category
Benchmark Winner: SME of the Year
Benchmark Winner Corporate Employer of the Year
The 2024 Good Youth Employment Benchmark Findings
Using data from those who completed the 2024 Benchmark, we are able to provide a unique data set that gives us deeper insight into the current youth employment landscape and the work employers are doing. Crucially, it tells us where the gaps are, insights that are invaluable for any employer looking to:
✔ Counteract an ageing workforce
✔ Improve their early careers offering to engage new talent
✔ Retain young talent and build an inclusive culture
Connecting Networks
Employers are using mediators and networks to engage young people, focusing on ages 13-19.
The Benchmark data showed that many employers lacked a targeted approach to reach those who have protected characteristics or come from disadvantaged backgrounds. Employers required additional resources to put best practices into place.
Youth Voice activities were largely underutilised. Only 8% of employers offered the opportunity to stay connected after work experience.
Creating Evidence and Evaluation
Employers need support for robust design, evaluation and impact measurement.
Measuring and connecting programmes ensures a pathway for young people from when they start exploring employment to gaining paid employment. Benchmark findings show that 22% of employers have established learning outcomes for their programmes and 17% assess the effectiveness and impact of activities.
Committing to Good Work
Investment in employment is yielding results, with improved programme quality this year.
Employers are providing inclusive recruitment, pre-employment support, and sufficient training opportunities for young workers.
74% of roles are designed to ensure that they are inclusive of young people. This supports data from the Youth Voice Census that found that 83% of young people in work felt the environment was supportive.
Gain Access to the Good Youth Employment Benchmark
Find out how your organisation can take a strategic step forward with Membership, including all the benefits you’ll receive.
Take a look at our tutorial on how to complete the benchmark, or log in below to get started once the Benchmark reopens.
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The Good Youth Employment Benchmark is Supported By:
