Inspiring a future workforce: Talent Match Mark launches to recognise and celebrate outstanding employers

Organisations across the UK are today encouraged to apply for a free national mark to demonstrate their commitment to supporting young people. Join the likes of BAE Systems and Centrica / British Gas who have been awarded the Mark for their commitment to youth friendly employment. Youth Employment UK is launching the Talent Match Mark in collaboration with the Talent Match Programme, led by London Youth with support from the Big Lottery Fund.

The recent Social Mobility Commission Report and static youth unemployment data tells us that there is still much more to do if we want all young people to fulfil their potential and progress into quality employment.

Young people within our network are consistently telling us how hard it is to gain work experience and that many companies look for experience when recruiting for entry level roles. Barriers also exist around the quality of opportunity, fair employment arrangements and the opportunity for development. Youth Employment UK and its partners have committed to addressing some of these challenges with the comprehensive support that sits behind the Talent Match Mark.

We know too, that many organisations already support young people, providing inspiring career activities, work experience and employment yet there is a still a big disconnect in young people being able to find and access opportunities.

The Talent Match Mark is a national symbol for youth friendly employers, recognising their commitment to creating experiences and opportunities for young people. For young people it will become a recognisable and searchable term that will allow them to identify local and national employers with good youth employment practises.

Speaking about the launch Michael Tomlinson MP, Chair of the All Party Parliamentary Group for Youth Employment, said: “The Talent Match Mark is an excellent initiative that will recognise the large number of employers across England who are already supporting young people into employment. We know through the important work of the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Youth Employment that many young people find a lack of experience a barrier to employment. We hope and would encourage that the Talent Match Mark is used to support more employers to create more opportunities for young people and remove unnecessary barriers to employment. The Department for Education is currently reforming technical education and apprenticeships, employers play a big role in this reform as we try to ensure that the pathways for young people are fit for purpose and support the needs of our growing economy.”

The Talent Match Mark Framework has been Endorsed by Goldsmiths, University of London as a comprehensive and quality tool. Built on the 5 core principles of youth friendly employment: Creating opportunity, fair employment, youth voice, recognising talent and developing people the Talent Match Mark takes the first step in helping employers develop best practice to ensure better opportunities for all young people.

Patrick Cantellow – Youth Employment UK Ambassador said “The Talent Match Mark makes it easy for young people to find the best employers who understand the benefits of working with young people”

Find out more about the talent match mark here: https://www.youthemployment.org.uk/membership/talent-match-mark/

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