On Thursday 25th September, we partnered with PeoplePlus to host a YouthPath Talent Match event at The NEC in Birmingham, a day designed to connect young people not in education, employment, or training (NEET) with real job opportunities across the West Midlands.

With over 30 employers and nearly 200 young people in attendance, the event created a powerful space for conversation, confidence-building, and career exploration.

YouthPath in Action

This event was part of our wider YouthPath initiative, which has been running across the West Midlands since February. Designed to connect young people with accessible pathways into employment, the campaign continues to grow, thanks to the involvement of engaged employer partners offering real opportunities in the region.

We were pleased to be joined by several of these partners at the event. Compass Group UK & Ireland, Severn Trent, and The Berkeley Group (representing St Joseph Homes) showcased career opportunities across hospitality, utilities, and housing. Meanwhile, PGL offered insights into roles in outdoor education, and the Aston Villa Foundation introduced their catering and hospitality programme tailored for young people.

Paul Hughes, Senior Programme Manager, Aston Villa Foundation said: 

“We attended the Talent Match event to support Movement to Work’s YouthPath campaign and promote the opportunities that our Villa Catering Club can provide young people. We’re looking to support them into the hospitality and catering sector with real-life experiences and industry-recognised qualifications.

We were excited to meet and engage with young people through the opportunity that this event has provided us with, especially a targeted approach to 19–24-year-olds, and potentially sparking the start of their career journeys in the sector.”

By the end of the day, 482 meaningful conversations had taken place, 206 candidates progressed to second-stage interviews, and 5 job offers were made on the spot.

These numbers speak to the energy and intent of everyone involved and to the importance of continuing to create these kinds of opportunities across the UK.

A huge thank you to The NEC for hosting us and providing such a great space for the event.

Join YouthPath

If you’re an employer in the West Midlands and want to support young people into work, now’s the time to get involved.

Learn more and get involved: movementtowork.com/youthpath