First Employers Back Alan Milburn’s ‘First Chance’ Campaign for Young People

• Nation’s top employers step forward to help more young people into work, spearheaded by Alan Milburn 
• Royal Mail, Octopus Energy, Greene King, Lloyds Banking Group and NatWest are among first employers to back the opportunity drive, spanning energy, hospitality, and banking
• Without action, the number of young people out of education, employment or training could rise by around 25% over the next five years to more than 1.25 million

Some of Britain’s biggest employers are first through the door on First Chance, a new campaign from Alan Milburn’s Young People and Work Review to give young people more opportunities in the world of work.

Launched following overwhelming offers of support from British business – Royal Mail, Octopus Energy, Greene King, Lloyds Banking Group and NatWest are among the first sign-ups as Milburn, the man tasked with solving the UK’s spiralling NEETs crisis, calls on the country’s businesses to give thousands of young people their first chance. 

Prompted by offers from some of the country’s biggest employers, Milburn has now written to more than 100 business leaders, urging them to join the movement to create more first jobs, expand apprenticeships and internships or offer work experience to young people. 

The launch of First Chance comes as routes into work have narrowed sharply. Over the past decade the number of mid- and lower-skilled jobs in the economy has fallen by around 1.6 million, while 6 in 10 young people who are NEET have never had a job. 

Alan Milburn, Chair of the Young People and Work Review, said: 

“Since starting this Review I’ve been struck by how many employers have come forward wanting to help address our country’s NEETs crisis. More and more businesses are stepping up to the plate and looking to take action to stop the risk of a lost generation of young people.

“More than 8 in 10 young people who are NEET want to be in work or training. They just lack the workplace opportunities to get them a foot in the door. The First Chance movement is about closing that gap – bringing together employers ready to respond to young people desperate for a chance to show what they can do.” 

First Chance gives every employer, whatever their size or sector, a simple, practical way to act, through three commitments they can sign up to:  

• Opening up more entry-level jobs to young people who are NEET and facing the greatest barriers to work. 
• Providing meaningful work experience, insight days and mentoring. 
• Creating or expanding apprenticeships, internships, and other structured routes into work.

Employers can choose the commitment or commitments that best fit their business. 

Alistair Cochrane, Chief Executive of Royal Mail, said:  

“Already a quarter of new Royal Mail recruits are aged 16-24, and we have ambitious plans to grow this further. Backing the First Chance movement is a key part of this and we’re committed to finding even more ways to help young people take their first steps into work, particularly those at risk of being left behind.” 

Greg Jackson, Founder and CEO of Octopus Energy, said:  

“We’ve got a generation of young people looking for opportunities, and a clean energy industry crying out for talent. We need to be joining those dots. 

“At Octopus, we’ve already reached more than 21,000 young people through schools, internships, and apprenticeships. With 725,000 clean energy jobs needed by the end of the decade, there’s a huge opportunity to get more young people into the jobs that will power Britain’s future.” 

Nick Mackenzie, CEO at Greene King, said:  

“At Greene King, we believe everyone deserves the chance to fulfil their potential. For young people, that very first opportunity can be the launchpad for a rewarding career and a brighter future. Through our apprenticeship and social mobility programmes, we have seen firsthand the profound difference opportunity makes to thousands of our team members and local communities. We are committed to breaking down barriers and helping more young people discover what they are capable of, which is why we are supporting the First Chance Ambition.” 

Charlie Nunn, CEO of Lloyds Banking Group, said:  

“Every young person should have the opportunity to develop their skills, confidence and experience, and we know that their success is in all our interests. 

“At Lloyds Banking Group, we’ve committed to supporting more than 600,000 young people across the UK by 2030 through our skills, employability and financial capability programmes, and we’re investing £100 million in future-ready skills. 

“We’re proud to support First Chance as a founding employer. By bringing together employers, government and communities, we can create effective pathways into work and ensure more young people realise their potential.” 

Robert Begbie, CEO of NatWest Commercial and Institutional and NatWest Group Executive Sponsor for Socio-Economic Diversity, said: 

“With too many young people currently not in education, employment, or training, creating more pathways into work has never been more important. That’s why we’re proud to support the First Chance Ambition and help young people build the skills, confidence and experience they need to succeed. 

  

“I joined the Royal Bank of Scotland straight from school at 16, so I know first-hand how important that first opportunity can be. Talent exists in every community, and we all have a role to play in ensuring more young people have the chance to fulfil their potential, whatever their background. 

“At NatWest Group, we’re committed to investing in young people through initiatives like our Thrive programme, which reaches more than one million young people each year, alongside apprenticeships, internships and graduate opportunities.” 

Martin Pibworth, Chief Executive of SSE, said: 

“As SSE invests £33 billion in the electricity infrastructure that will support future economic growth, we’re equally focused on developing the skilled workforce needed to deliver it. We’re proud to support the First Chance Ambition and help create pathways for young people to gain the skills, confidence and experience that can open the door to long-term, sustainable careers. Across SSE we’ve seen first-hand how young people bring new ways of thinking that strengthen our business, create opportunities in the communities in which we invest and operate, and help build the workforce of the future.” 

Sue Duke, Managing Director of EMEA & LATAM at LinkedIn, said: 
“Young people today face a tough labour market, with UK hiring down about 10% this year. Almost 9 in 10 say they feel unprepared to find a job, which is why coordinated action across business and government to broaden access to opportunity is so important.  

“We’re working with partners to help NEET young people build the skills, networks and confidence they need to succeed in an AI-enabled economy and putting our data to work to help the Government track workforce dynamics.” 

  

Neil Morrison, HR Director at Severn Trent, said:  

“A first career opportunity for a young person can be life changing, building confidence, and helping them see a future they may not have thought was possible. We’ve seen this first-hand at Severn Trent, so being a founding supporter of the First Chance Ambition is important for us. There’s a huge pool of untapped talent in the Midlands, and young people bring with them new ideas and different perspectives that we benefit from. By working together, we can help turn the tide on youth unemployment and ensure more young people have the opportunities they deserve.” 

Erin Price, Head of Academy at Northumbrian Water Group, said:

“At Northumbrian Water Group, we believe every young person deserves a first chance to achieve their potential. By opening doors and creating meaningful opportunities, we gain fresh perspectives, energy and ideas, while helping young people build the confidence and skills to thrive. We are proud to be a founding supporter of the First Chance Ambition and to help create a fairer, more inclusive route into the world of work.”