Warwick wins national award for helping young people find work

The University of Warwick has won the Pre-Recruitment Programme of the Year at the UK Social Mobility Awards 2026 (SOMOs).

The award was presented on 6 October at a ceremony in London, to recognise the university’s contribution to advancing social mobility in Britain.

This was partly due to Warwick’s Social Inclusion Early Careers Intern Programme, which forms part of its wider Social Inclusion Group. The group aims to develop a culture that supports students and staff by removing economic, social, and cultural barriers.

Each year up to 20 people take part in a two-week employability programme at Warwick, focusing on CV writing workshops, careers sessions, and mock interviews. The programme gives young people the opportunity to develop practical skills and build confidence in the workplace by gaining experience with teams across the University.

I leave with lifelong skills, valuable professional networks, greater self-belief, and a much clearer vision of the future I want to build

Setaish Popalzai, participant

For up to five participants, the opportunity extends beyond the two-week programme, offering them 12-month paid early-career internships at Warwick.

One participant, Setaish Popalzai, has progressed from participating in the programme to securing a paid internship followed by full-time employment at Warwick. She said: “I leave with far more than work experience – I leave with lifelong skills, valuable professional networks, greater self-belief, and a much clearer vision of the future I want to build for myself.”

This year the SOMOs gala celebrated its 10-year anniversary. Receiving an award signifies having championed ambition and regonised leadership to transform opportunity across the UK.

The host of the SOMOs, Sue Perkins, said: “What’s encouraging is the number of initiatives that confront these issues head-on. The common thread across all shortlisted entries is a belief that where you start in life shouldn’t define where you end up – and a determination to turn that belief into practical, measurable action.”

According to the Social Inclusion Group, the Social Inclusion Strategy will help Warwick to re-imagine the original purpose of the University in 1965, and to ‘increase access to higher education’. The programme aims to achieve the strategic objectives outlined by 2030, as well as becoming an internationally recognised leader in inclusion.