Sodexo UK & Ireland has announced a pledge to recruit 100 foundation-level apprentices to help young people begin careers in catering and hospitality services.
The announcement has been made to mark Youth Employment Week 2026 and forms part of the government’s Youth Guarantee scheme, created to ensure every young person is either earning or learning.
Sodexo is one of the first organisations in its sector to pledge support for the scheme.
The business has committed to creating paid, supported entry-level opportunities, primarily for 16 to 21-year-olds, giving young people the chance to gain workplace experience while completing structured training.
The training will cover employability, workplace behaviours, customer service, food safety, hospitality and role-specific technical skills.
The eight-month programme will see suitable existing vacancies converted into supported early careers opportunities.
The apprenticeships are designed to provide a first step onto the employment ladder, while also creating a route into further roles, apprenticeships, Sodexo academies or the wider hospitality industry.
The foundation apprenticeship will be funded through the apprenticeship levy and delivered through a combination of work-based learning, coaching and learning activities supported by a training provider.
Pete Siddle, Director of Talent and Learning at Sodexo UK & Ireland, said: “Too many young people struggle to access that crucial first step into work because pathways into employment can feel unclear, inconsistent or out of reach.
“Through this pledge, we want to give more young people the support, experience and confidence to take that step, whether they go on to build their career with Sodexo or elsewhere in the catering and hospitality sector.
“Our aim is for every learner to finish with stronger workplace readiness, recognised skills and a clearer understanding of where their next career step could take them.”
The pledge forms part of Sodexo’s wider early careers and social mobility strategy, focused on helping young people better understand the world of work and access structured development pathways.
Sodexo will work with partners including HIT Training, Youth Employment UK, Unifrog, Springboard and Movement to Work to connect young people with opportunities, support delivery and better understand the barriers they face when entering employment.
Through its partnership with Unifrog, the online careers platform used by schools across the UK, Sodexo is already helping young people explore future career opportunities through virtual work experience, career insight sessions and employer engagement activities.
On 29 June, Sodexo became the first host organisation for Unifrog’s 2026 Virtual Work Experience Week, providing thousands of students with an introduction to the company and the varied career pathways it can offer.
Initiatives such as this are designed to give students greater exposure to the world of work, while helping them build the confidence, skills and understanding needed to take their next steps into employment.
Laura-Jane Rawlings MBE, Chief Executive Officer of Youth Employment UK, said: “We are delighted to see the commitment Sodexo has to supporting young people through Foundation Apprenticeships.
“We know far too many young people are struggling to find that first opportunity to grow their confidence, knowledge, and skills.
“Foundation Apprenticeships are a great pathway for so many, and with a quality youth employer like Sodexo, we know that experience will make a huge difference to the lives and future paths of many.
“We are grateful that Sodexo is such a committed member and supporter of our work, and we look forward to helping them unlock even more opportunities for young people.”
By working with these organisations, Sodexo said it is helping to remove barriers to employment and create clearer routes into work and long-term career progression for more young people.
The partnerships form part of the company’s wider commitment to improving social mobility and opening up opportunities for future talent.
Minister for Skills Jacqui Smith said: “Sodexo’s commitment to recruiting 100 foundation apprentices is exactly the kind of bold action we need from British businesses and I hope others will follow their lead.
“Foundation apprenticeships work by giving young people the skills and confidence to take that vital first step into a rewarding career, while giving employers the talent they need to grow.
“That’s why we’re backing businesses to do more, with hiring incentives worth up to £8,000 to help create 50,000 new youth apprenticeship opportunities.
“This is part of our £2.5 billion youth employment package to support young people and employers alike.”
Sodexo UK & Ireland is also listed among the top 100 apprenticeship employers in the country, ranking 43rd in the 2026 list announced on 2 July.
The list celebrates apprenticeship employers across England providing high-quality opportunities and helping future apprentices, parents and careers advisers identify leading programmes across multiple industries.
The pledge strengthens Sodexo’s early careers strategy and reinforces the role of hospitality and catering employers in creating accessible routes into work for young people.