The Employer of the Year contenders are Accenture, Diageo and NatWest, while Compass Group, PGL Travel and Severn Trent compete for Best Newcomer — Employer.
In the Partner categories, Shaw Trust and The Talent People have been shortlisted for Partner of the Year, with EFL and Rise Construction / Thrive nominated as Best Newcomer — Partner.
Individual recognition categories include Outstanding Contribution to Young People, featuring Lotte Bergsma from Marriott, Sharon Braithwaite from BAE Systems, and Teyah Davis from Accenture. The Mentor of the Year nominees are Aaron White (Key4Life), Darren Holland (DWP) and Wayne Sattaur (Springboard).
Rising Star nominees include Lavender Ncube (Severn Trent), Leigh-Anna Betham (BAE Systems) and Ryan Welch (MBDA). Breakthrough Star recognises Abdul Malik Dori (SSP / Centrepoint), Khaled Albitar (St George) and Rachael Higgins (DWP), while Young Trailblazer nominees are Alfie Erfan (Accenture), Brandon Barker (NHS / Street League) and Kyle Bamford (Homes2Inspire / Shaw Trust).
The awards ceremony will take place on the evening of 5th May 2026. The event is supported by a range of sponsors including BritAsia Academy, Compass Group UK & Ireland, Cvent, Talent People, Group GTI, LinkedIn, NatWest Group, Springpod, West Midlands Combined Authority and Youth Futures Foundation.
A big thank you to everyone who took the time to submit a nomination. It was a real privilege to read your stories.
For ticket enquiries or additional information about attending the 2026 Youth Employability Awards, interested employers and youth organisations can contact the team at info@movementtowork.com or events@movementtowork.com.
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