Our Foundation

How we help young people build the knowledge, confidence and networks they need to succeed.

In 2021, we set out to solve a clear problem: too many talented young people from low-income backgrounds were being locked out of the careers they deserved. The Early Careers Foundation was born to change that – working with schools, employers and volunteers to level the playing field.

Our story

Where We Started

As the Foundation grew, so did the appetite from our partners. Employers weren’t just asking how they could support social mobility outside their walls – they wanted to know how to embed it inside them. Ladder Consulting was created to answer that call: offering bespoke, data-led support to organisations that wanted to drive change across their workforce, culture, and communities.

Why We Exist

To date, the Foundation’s mentoring programme has supported over 1,000 young people, with hundreds more reached through insight days, work experience, and employability support. We work with over 90 employers, from global brands to innovative start-ups, and every partnership helps us push the movement forward.

What Drives Us

The Early Careers Foundation exists to support young people directly. Ladder Consulting exists to help organisations do the same – from the inside out. Together, they form the two pillars of The Ladder Group: a unique ecosystem that tackles social mobility from both sides of the opportunity gap and delivers measurable impact in the process.

"Being a part of The Early Careers Foundation's trailblazing mentoring programme has meant that seventeen BA colleagues have been able to share their lived experiences and wisdom, supporting the educatoin of their mentees on skills, career paths and more."

Sam McGrane, Emerging Talent Partner, British Airways