Laura-Jane Rawlings

Laura-Jane Rawlings MBE is a dedicated campaigner for youth employment and the rights of young people to access job opportunities and have their voices heard on important matters affecting them.

In 2012, Laura-Jane established Youth Employment UK with a mission to prioritize youth in employment policies and services at both local and national levels. The not-for-profit social enterprise now supports over 180,000 young individuals, employers, educators, third sector organizations, and policy makers each month.

Youth Employment UK focuses on empowering young people to be work-ready, assisting organizations in supporting youth by adopting Youth Friendly Principles, and influencing government policies to align with the actual needs of young individuals.

Laura-Jane Rawlings is a prominent figure in the realm of youth employment, offering her expertise to various groups like the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Youth Employment, Pearson Skills and Apprenticeship Group, The Inspirational Learning Group Enterprise Education and Employability Expert Group, and more. She also contributes to initiatives such as the Cabinet Office Inclusive Economy Partnership and the DCMS Youth Charter.

Apart from being the CEO of Youth Employment UK, Laura-Jane serves as a Board Member of the Youth Futures Foundation, and has previously held roles as a secondary school governor and a Secretariat at the All Party Parliamentary Group on Youth Employment. She has collaborated with several notable organizations including the Department for Culture Media and Sport, Cambridge Local Authority, Northamptonshire Learning Partnership, Chilled Food Association, PiXL, and WorldSkills UK.

Laura-Jane Rawlings has represented Youth Employment UK across various media platforms such as BBC Breakfast, Channel 4 News, BBC Radio 4, FE News, and Personnel Today, among others, showcasing her commitment to advocating for youth employment and relevant issues.