The 5% Club Recognises Employers Leading the Way on Youth Employment and Workplace Learning

The 5% Club has presented two Special Recognition Awards for Youth Employment during its Summer Reception at the House of Lords on 3 June 2026, celebrating employers demonstrating exceptional commitment to creating opportunities for young people through workplace learning.

The retrospective awards, based on evidence submitted through the 2025 Employer Audit Programme, recognise the organisations with the highest percentage of young workplace learners within their workforce categories.

The awards were developed in partnership with Youth Futures Foundation as part of the “Make it an Apprenticeship” campaign, highlighting the vital role employers play in tackling youth unemployment and economic inactivity through accessible “earn and learn” opportunities.

The awards were presented to:

• Large Employer Award – Dalcour Maclaren
• SME Employer Award – Clive Owen LLP

The recognition comes at a particularly important moment following publication of the Milburn Review Interim Report on 28 May 2026, which reinforced growing national concern around rising levels of youth unemployment and economic inactivity among young people across the UK.

The 5% Club’s Employer Audit evidence demonstrates that employers investing significantly in apprenticeships, graduate schemes, sponsored student programmes and wider workplace learning pathways are helping to create meaningful routes into employment, progression and long-term career development.

After presenting the award, Nishi Mayor, Director of Employer Engagement & Partnership at Youth Futures Foundation said:

“With more than one million young people in the UK currently not in education, employment or training, there’s a huge opportunity for employers to be part of the solution. By investing in accessible, high-quality entry-level pathways like apprenticeships, businesses can unlock talent, support social mobility and strengthen their future workforce. We’re delighted to be working with The 5% Club to champion this agenda, and it’s fantastic to see employers being recognised for the leadership they’re showing in creating meaningful opportunities for young people.”

Mark Cameron OBE, Chief Executive of The 5% Club, added:

“These awards recognise employers that are not simply talking about opportunity but actively creating it at scale for young people through structured workplace learning.

“At a time when youth unemployment and economic inactivity are rightly attracting national attention, employers have a critical role to play in opening doors, developing talent and creating accessible pathways into sustainable careers. Dalcour Maclaren and Clive Owen LLP are excellent examples of organisations turning commitment into meaningful action.”

These new awards will now endure and form part of The 5% Club’s wider work with Youth Futures Foundation to promote apprenticeships and other earn-and-learn pathways as practical solutions to skills shortages, social mobility challenges and workforce development needs.

The Club’s latest Impact Report, also launched during the House of Lords reception, highlights that member employers collectively support more than 94,000 apprentices, 23,000 graduates and 12,500 sponsored students across the UK economy.

By recognising and celebrating employers that are investing heavily in young people, The 5% Club aims to encourage wider employer participation and reinforce the importance of inclusive, high-quality workplace learning opportunities.