New research from ECO and The Smarty Train reveals that the number of Early Careers functions that reported substantial buy-in from Stakeholders for their Early Careers strategy has dropped from 68% to just 22% since the start of 2024, signalling a widening gap of internal backing

As Early Careers functions mature, many are finding that the greatest barrier to performance is not process or design, but perception.

A growing challenge for Early Careers leaders in 2026 will be rebuilding trust and investment from within their own organisation, and new data from the 2026 Early Careers Trends Report shows that this alignment is critical: Securing commitment from the right voices can determine whether an Early Careers strategy becomes a growth engine, or remains an isolated initiative.

This steep drop suggests a systemic shift. As organisations face tighter budgets, shifting priorities and competing demands, Early Careers leaders are finding it harder than ever to secure the endorsement, advocacy and sponsorship needed to deliver impactful results.

Unpacking the findings:

A threefold increase in resourcing challenges:

The data suggests that where sponsorship weakens, Early Careers teams lose the people and investment needed to run an effective function: Early Careers Teams that reported low buy-in were nearly three times more likely to cite “resourcing” as one of their top operational challenges, while only 21% of functions with strong buy-in saw resourcing as a major issue.

Less collaboration with internal stakeholders:

Data from the 2026 Early Careers Trends Report shows a striking difference in how well Early Careers teams with and without buy-in work with the rest of the business: EC functions without stakeholder buy-in are 34%pt less likely to review graduate skill requirements, 33%pt less likely to review stakeholder satisfaction, and 25%pt less likely to co-create learning content with business partners.

These gaps point to a downward cycle: limited buy-in leads to reduced collaboration, which in turn makes it harder for Early Careers teams to design relevant solutions that win back stakeholder support.

A major drop-off in training investment:

The most tangible impact of low stakeholder buy-in is financial: Early Careers functions with strong stakeholder buy-in invested £2,500 per person per year in Early Careers training.

Functions without it invested just £850.

This nearly threefold difference in investment has direct consequences for how effectively these functions can support, develop and retain their early talent. 

What are best-practice organisations doing to foster stakeholder buy-in for their strategy?

The years ahead will reward Early Careers leaders who act as translators between business priorities and human potential. The challenge for 2026 is clear: Early Careers leaders who can tell their story both in numbers and in narrative will come out on top. Here’s how:

• Build data narratives: Buy-in begins with credibility. Use evidence (retention rates, cost-per-hire savings, and performance data) to tell a compelling story about the tangible value of Early Careers. Present your function’s impact in the same language used by Finance, HR, and the C-suite: numbers, outcomes, and business risk. Discover how ECO can help your Early Careers function tell compelling stories with data 
  
  
• Involve stakeholders as co-creators, not just approvers: True buy-in comes from participation. Engage key stakeholders early in programme design, from identifying future skills needs to shaping development pathways and selection criteria. In addition, use internal channels strategically: quarterly updates to HR leadership, talent dashboards for line managers, and “impact spotlights” in town halls all help ensure that Early Careers remains on the organisational radar even during budget cycles. Talk to our Solutions Team about designing impactful internal communications that your stakeholders will actually read

Not sure where to start?

The data that informed the 2026 Early Careers Trends Report was collected from over 30 leading global organisations using TST’s Early Careers Optimiser (ECO) methodology. For more information on how ECO has helped organisations build data-driven, human-centred strategies for their Early Careers, talk to our data experts.

Declining stakeholder support for Early Careers represents only part of the challenges facing Early Careers functions in 2026 and beyond. For a comprehensive understanding of all five trends shaping Early Careers, download the 2026 Early Career Trends Report, which includes additional insights, case studies, and actionable recommendations.