Early careers recruiting has always required a distinct approach from experienced-hire attraction. But the landscape for organisations hiring apprentices, graduates and school leavers in the UK has shifted considerably, and the gap between what candidates expect and what most employers are offering has widened.
The Apprenticeship Picture in 2026
Apprenticeship starts in England remain significantly below the targets set by the UK government, and well below the levels seen before the Apprenticeship Levy was introduced in 2017. For employers, this means that the cohort of young people actively considering apprenticeship as a route into professional employment has grown, while the number of quality apprenticeship places available has not kept pace.
The opportunity this creates for employers who do invest in apprenticeship programmes is meaningful. The competition for strong apprenticeship candidates among employers who are actively hiring and marketing to this audience is lower than many assume – partly because so many potential employers are either not running programmes or running them without any deliberate candidate attraction strategy.
What Gen Z Candidates Actually Want
The Randstad 2026 Employer Brand Research found that for Gen Z, career progression and equal opportunities rank above salary as employment priorities. For early careers candidates specifically, this translates into a strong appetite for structured development, clear progression pathways, and visible evidence of what a career at your organisation can become.
Vague messaging about “great opportunities to grow” consistently underperforms against specific, evidence-based content. What does the typical apprenticeship or graduate journey look like at your organisation? Where are the people who joined on your early careers programme five years ago? These are the questions early careers candidates are asking, and the answers – presented authentically and accessibly – are among the most powerful employer brand assets available.
School Leaver vs Graduate: Getting the Messaging Right
Many organisations recruit both school leavers and graduates but use the same employer brand messaging and channels for both. The two audiences are meaningfully different in their concerns, priorities and information sources. School leavers are often navigating significant uncertainty about whether employment is the right choice over further education – the employer brand case needs to address this directly. Graduates are typically more focused on the quality of the opportunity, compensation trajectory and employer reputation.
Where to Find Early Careers Talent in 2026
The most effective early careers channels in 2026 combine digital and institutional approaches. LinkedIn’s young professional audience is increasingly active – and early careers content from authentic employee voices performs well organically. University and college partnerships, when managed properly, create pipeline advantages that persist over years. TikTok and Instagram remain relevant for school leaver-focused campaigns where the brief allows for appropriate tone.
RMG helps UK employers develop early careers attraction strategies that are grounded in what today’s young talent actually wants and where they are actually looking. Get in touch to discuss your early careers hiring challenges, or visit our services page for more detail.