Across the UK, over 900,000 young people are classified as NEET - not in education, employment, or training. For businesses looking to make a meaningful difference, employability programmes like those run by Northampton Saints Foundation offer more than just a recruitment opportunity. They provide a chance to support local communities, enhance social value, and empower employees to engage in purpose-driven work. In addition to transforming young lives, these initiatives help build stronger, more inclusive workplaces and foster long-term community resilience.
For Northampton Saints Foundation - the charitable arm of the rugby club - their mission is clear: give every person the chance for a positive future using the power of sport and rugby values to inspire, support, and educate communities.
Craig Phillips, Employability and Skills Manager at Northampton Saints Foundation, has witnessed firsthand how business involvement in these programmes creates transformational outcomes. Since 2018, the foundation has maintained an impressive 92% positive progression rate, helping bridge the gap between education and employment through strategic partnerships with organisations like Barclays, the British Army, Northamptonshire Fire and Rescue Service and even Reed.
The evidence is compelling: businesses that engage with employability programmes don't just fulfil corporate social responsibility goals, they secure access to motivated, trainable talent while addressing critical skills shortages. This partnership approach creates a win-win scenario that smart employers are increasingly recognising as essential to their recruitment strategy.
About the Northampton Saints Foundation
Craig Phillips leads employability initiatives at Northampton Saints Foundation, the charitable arm of the renowned rugby club.
Since its inception in 2018, the foundation has leveraged the power of sport and rugby values to inspire, support, and educate community members. As Craig explains: "Our aim really is to give everyone an opportunity to do something better, something positive and a chance to do something that they didn't think they would have the opportunity to do."
Since its formal establishment, the foundation has partnered with local training providers including Northampton College, Tresham College, and West Northamptonshire Council. Their employability programmes serve as wraparound support to core GCSE subjects like maths and English, functioning as what Craig describes as: "a bridge to the next step to that mainstream setting in education or that bridge into a work placement where they can gather a real understanding of what's needed."
The foundation's approach recognises that employability programmes are more than just training - they're about preparing young people for adulthood and helping them move forward in life with confidence and skills.
The business case for employability programme involvement
Addressing critical skills gaps
British businesses face mounting pressure from skills shortages across multiple sectors. Employability programmes offer a direct route to address these gaps by developing a talent pipeline specifically tailored to industry needs. Craig emphasises this strategic advantage: "We purposely work with certain individuals and organisations to narrow that skills gap in the county, as well as nationally."
The foundation's approach demonstrates how businesses can shape the workforce they need. This year alone, they've facilitated work experience across 14 different sectors, exposing participants to diverse career opportunities while giving employers access to enthusiastic, trainable candidates.
Access to motivated, coachable, diverse talent
Perhaps the most compelling argument for business involvement is the quality of candidates these programmes produce. In his interview with us, Craig describes the unique opportunity employers gain: "They can take an individual and they can coach them and mentor them into how they want them to be within the organisation. It's almost like a having a blank canvas – you can share a wealth of knowledge to encourage individuals to thrive in your company.”
This "blank canvas" approach offers businesses something increasingly rare - employees without preconceived notions or bad habits picked up elsewhere. They arrive eager to learn and are grateful for the opportunity, creating ideal conditions for long-term employee loyalty and development.
In addition to the above, young people on employability programmes offer companies greater access to diverse talent because these initiatives often engage individuals from a wide range of backgrounds, including those who may face barriers to traditional employment routes such as socioeconomic disadvantage, underrepresented ethnic groups, or neurodiverse individuals. By partnering with these programmes, employers can tap into fresh perspectives, foster inclusive workplace cultures, and build talent pipelines that reflect the diversity of the communities they serve, ultimately driving innovation and social impact.
Proven success stories
The foundation's track record includes remarkable transformation stories that demonstrate the potential return on investment when it comes to getting involved in employability initiatives. One participant, Craig described as "very quiet, really introverted," progressed to deliver presentations to Barclays’ directors during a bespoke four-week work experience programme. Another individual, who came from a challenging background, with limited parental support, moved into Aldi as a shop floor assistant and is now working towards branch manager level.
These aren't isolated incidents. Criag notes: “But that's the key thing for these organisations. They understand that every individual is different. And as long as you work around their way of learning, and also understand what's needed within your organisation, you can and will get success stories like that.”
How businesses can engage effectively
The foundation has developed a comprehensive ‘journey to work’ theory of change model that demonstrates how businesses can contribute at different stages of preparation. This systematic approach ensures participants arrive at work placements genuinely ready for employment.
The scheme unfolds in carefully planned stages. As Craig explains: "Journey to work is about job readiness and giving young people the understanding of what's needed in the stages of running up to a job." This includes practical elements like CV enhancement, interview skills, and workplace etiquette, combined with deeper preparation around professional boundaries and conflict resolution.
As part of the Northampton Saints Foundation’s employability programme, Barclays provide CV surgery workshops, helping enhance the CVs participants have already written and offering insights into what employers actually want to see. Their involvement extends to bespoke work experience programmes tailored for individuals who have no experience of a workplace setting and may have barriers, such as anxiety or communication difficulties.
On the other hand, the British Army delivers team building days that develop core employability skills like teamwork and communication, as well as showcasing the diverse career opportunities within military service. This dual approach addresses immediate skill development needs while expanding participants' career horizons.
Northamptonshire Fire and Rescue Service created a bespoke four-week programme covering real-life scenarios and contemporary issues like knife crime. This involvement helps participants develop resilience and flexible thinking, qualities essential in any workplace.
The key to successful business engagement lies in understanding the immediate impact these programmes create. In our interview, Craig described the transformation that occurs: "Someone coming in for the first time, full of anxiety, doesn't like mainstream education, hates education, struggles with social interaction - they walk away at the end of the day having a full conversation with someone they've never met before, ready to return the next day."
This transformation extends beyond individual participants to the business representatives involved. Craig recalls Reed’s very own Rebecca Moore – Business Manager for Reed’s Northampton office - who "walked away from delivering a workshop on interview skills with complete job satisfaction." The simple act of teaching students to tie ties, something none of them knew how to do, left participants interview-ready while giving Rebecca visible fulfilment from contributing to their development.
Benefits beyond corporate social responsibility
Businesses that engage with employability programmes naturally enhance their reputation within their local communities. This visibility helps attract other quality candidates who see the organisation as one that invests in people's development and community welfare.
The authentic commitment these schemes require creates genuine employer branding opportunities that resonate far more powerfully than traditional marketing approaches. Employees and potential recruits recognise organisations that take meaningful action to support young people's career development.
Involvement in employability programmes contributes to long-term workforce planning. Businesses can identify and develop talent early, creating succession planning opportunities on top of building relationships with training providers and community organisations.
This strategic approach to talent development proves particularly valuable for SMEs competing against larger employers for the same candidate pool. By investing in employability programmes, smaller businesses can access motivated candidates before they enter the broader job market, while simultaneously strengthening their brand presence within the community.
Taking action: the next step for your business
The Northampton Saints Foundation demonstrate how strategic partnerships between businesses and employability programmes create transformational outcomes for all stakeholders. Their 92% success rate proves that when businesses commit to meaningful involvement, the results justify the investment.
Think your business can’t afford to get involved with employability programmes? The bigger risk might be not getting involved at all. With over 900,000 young people currently not in education, employment, or training, the talent pipeline is there. The infrastructure exists through organisations like the foundation. What's needed now is business leadership that recognises the strategic value of this approach to talent development.
With Britain’s ageing workforce, businesses face growing pressure to develop younger talent. Employability schemes offer a proactive solution, creating pathways for young people who might otherwise be excluded from the job market. This is especially valuable in industries with skills shortages or technical roles that benefit from early development.
Participants in these programmes often demonstrate resilience and adaptability - qualities shaped by overcoming barriers and preparing for the workplace. Employers gain access to individuals who are already primed for growth and continuous learning.
Engaging early with these programmes also gives businesses a competitive edge. It opens up access to high-potential talent before they reach traditional recruitment channels.
The transformation Criag Phillips describes - watching anxious, withdrawn young people develop into confident, workplace-ready individuals - represents more than individual success stories. It represents a sustainable approach to addressing Britain's skills challenges, at the same time, creating opportunities for businesses to access motivated, trainable talent committed to long-term success.
You can watch our full interview with Craig Phillips on the Northampton Saints Foundation’s employability programme here:
If you are looking for a talented professional to join your team, or seeking a new opportunity yourself, get in touch with one of our local recruitment specialists today.
