Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) (BSE: 532540, NSE: TCS), a global leader in IT services, consulting and business solutions, has committed £250,000 in apprenticeship levy funding to support the development of the future youth work workforce, helping youth organisations across England invest in professional training and qualifications for their staff.
The funding, made available through TCS’ apprenticeship levy transfer, will support around 12 learners to undertake the Level 6 Youth Worker Degree Apprenticeship, enabling them to gain a recognised degree-level qualification while continuing to work with young people in their communities. This aligns with TCS’ mission to nurture next-generation talent, a commitment already reflected in its ‘Partnering for Skills’ initiative, which aims to reskill more than 12,000 individuals for STEM roles, and with its Ignite My Future program, which last year empowered over 83,000 students to develop key computational thinking skills. It also sits alongside TCS’s wider commitment to building a future-ready UK workforce, including a pledge to create 5,000 new jobs across the country over the next three years.
The investment forms part of the National Youth Agency’s (NYA) strategy to strengthen the youth work workforce and create more accessible routes into and through the profession.
Early insights from this year’s National Youth Sector Census report (due to be published later this month), show that demand for youth work support continues to grow. Meanwhile NYA’s workforce survey shows that little over a third (37%) of respondents have a professional youth work qualification.
This much needed investment in upskilling the youth work workforce also chimes with the ambitions of the Government’s National Youth Strategy, which strives to enable half a million more young people to have access to a trusted adult outside their home by 2035. Having supported a £3.3 billion contribution to UK GDP in FY2024, TCS believes that sustainable economic growth must be matched by meaningful investment in the communities that underpin it. Developing more professionally qualified youth workers is a vital part of building the capacity needed to achieve that ambition.
The TCS funded apprentices are employed by a range of youth organisations across England and are due to begin their apprenticeships from Hydref 2026.
”The NYA is committed to building back a stronger, more resilient youth work sector - one that has the skilled, confident and professionally recognised workforce needed to meet young people’s needs today and in the future.
“Youth workers play a pivotal role in early intervention - supporting young people’s mental health and wellbeing, employability and personal development, while helping to address escalating challenges facing young people such as violence, exploitation and online harms.
“This commitment from Tata Consultancy Services shows the important role the private sector can play in investing in young people’s futures. By using apprenticeship levy funding to support youth work qualifications, businesses can help strengthen local services, widen access to the profession and make a lasting difference to young people and communities across the country.”
Abbee McLatchieInterim Chief Executive, NYA
”Serving as a trusted technology partner for key enterprises in the UK for over 50 years, TCS has been deeply invested in the long-term success and resilience of the country. We are proud to support the National Youth Agency in its efforts to professionalise the youth work sector, an initiative that aligns closely with our mission to nurture future talent and help ensure more young people can benefit from the guidance and support of skilled youth workers, equipping them with the confidence and opportunities they need to thrive."
Vinay SinghviHead of UK & Ireland, Tata Consultancy Services
Youth work apprenticeships are fast becoming one of the most important routes into the profession, helping employers respond to rising demand by building a skilled, confident and locally rooted workforce, while removing barriers for career changers, carers and others who may otherwise be locked out of youth work because they cannot afford traditional university routes. It combines academic study with professional practice, giving learners the skills, confidence and recognition to deliver high-quality youth work and progress into leadership roles.
”The Level 6 Youth Worker Degree Apprenticeship has helped staff in our youth service to develop skills, gain confidence and bring different styles into their youth work practice. The ability to work alongside their study has allowed staff to directly implement their learning into a real-world setting and test different approaches out in clubs, sessions and activities.”
Leo CopseyYouth Services Manager, YMCA Lincolnshire
”This partnership with Tata Consultancy Services is a powerful example of the social value businesses can unlock through apprenticeship levy transfers. Alongside the generous support of NatWest Group, this investment is helping youth organisations grow and retain the skilled practitioners young people need. It will open doors to a more diverse youth work workforce, including people with lived experience who can build trust, relate to young people’s lives and strengthen grassroots provision where it is needed most.”
Kevin Jones Pennaeth y Gweithlu, NYA
