Leading independent law firm Brabners has unveiled a major commitment to technical education and social mobility, becoming the UK’s first founding employer sponsor of a Legal Services T Level, including curriculum development, while pledging direct bursary funding through a new groundbreaking partnership with the Aldridge Foundation.
The investment forms the flagship commitment of Backing Ambition, an employer-led initiative delivered by Brabners and the Aldridge Foundation, working with the 650-strong True North business network.
The announcement comes as national attention focuses on the imminent publication of Phase Two of the Alan Milburn Review into youth employment, which is expected to examine the structural barriers facing the UK’s near one million young people not in education, employment, or training (NEET). Brabners and the Aldridge Foundation have taken proactive steps ahead of this publication to demonstrate how employers and educators can build practical bridges to connect opportunity with young talent.
Sir Rod Aldridge of the Aldridge Foundation and Robert White CEO of Brabners are joined by staff and students from the Aldridge Foundation at a recent event to launch the Backing Ambition partnership
Brabners will co-design the curriculum and lead employer engagement for a new Legal Services T Level delivered by Aldridge Education at its Darwen academies, welcoming its first cohort of Year 12 students in September 2027. A high-quality Level 3 technical qualification equivalent to three A Levels, the two-year course blends classroom study with a 45-day on-site industry placement.
Rather than limiting placement capacity to its own offices, Brabners will also use its convening power to establish an employer consortium of aligned law firms across Lancashire and Greater Manchester. The model will ensure all students in the cohort secure structured, practical workplace experience in legal services, while simultaneously opening an accessible, early-talent pipeline for those firms.
Alongside its commitment to technical education, Brabners is investing in the expansion of the Aldridge Foundation’s Next Steps programme.
Next Steps supports young people as they progress from education into university, apprenticeships and employment. It combines financial assistance to overcome practical barriers with mentoring, personal development and access to professional networks, helping young people develop the confidence, connections and opportunities needed to succeed.
To provide comprehensive wraparound support, Brabners colleagues — ranging from CEO Robert White to trainee solicitors, legal apprentices and business operations specialists — will volunteer as 1:1 mentors for bursary scholars. Mentors will receive specialised training from the Aldridge Foundation to guide students through career decisions, application processes and the transition into professional working environments. Brabners will also host regular skills workshops and mock assessment days at its offices in Liverpool, Manchester, Leeds, Lancashire and London.
Robert White, CEO of Brabners, said:
“With the second phase of the Alan Milburn Review set to shine an urgent national spotlight on youth unemployment and transition challenges to work, we cannot afford to sit back and wait to respond.
“The blueprint for bridging the gap between education and employment will not be written in white papers – it has to be built by partnerships between employers and educators in their communities. Across the country, talent and ambition exist in abundance, but access to professional networks, industry advocates and practical experience does not.
“Consistent with our mission to ‘Make the Difference’ – with purpose, performance and personality – we believe business must lead from the front. Through this groundbreaking partnership with the Aldridge Foundation and by sponsoring the Legal Services T Level and funding its Next Steps bursaries, we are getting ahead of the curve and backing the next generation of young talent with real opportunities.
“More widely, through Backing Ambition, we are inviting the 650-strong True North network of like-minded businesses to join us — whether by mentoring, offering work experience, or creating entry-level jobs — to play our part in ensuring the country’s future workforce is connected with the opportunities they deserve.”
Sir Rod Aldridge OBE, Founder and Chair of the Aldridge Foundation, said:
“Talent is everywhere. Opportunity is not. For more than 20 years, the Aldridge Foundation has worked to ensure that a young person’s background does not determine their future.
“Qualifications matter enormously, but they are only part of the picture. Young people also need confidence, practical experience and, critically, the professional networks that too many take for granted.
“What makes this partnership with Brabners so important is that it brings education and business together to provide those opportunities. Through the Legal Services T Level, our Next Steps programme and the wider Backing Ambition partnership, we can help young people develop not only the qualifications, but also the experience and connections they need to succeed.
“Brabners is demonstrating what can be achieved when employers take an active role in developing the next generation. Our ambition is to encourage many more businesses across the North to follow its lead.”
Businesses interested in joining the Backing Ambition partnership or offering student placements, mentoring, or bursary support can register their interest at: hub.brabners.com/aldridge
