More than one million young people in the UK are not in employment, education or training – the highest level in over 12 years, equating to roughly one in eight. Now, Marks and Spencer is launching a new training scheme aimed at 16- to 24-year-olds in a bid to tackle what it called the “growing youth unemployment challenge”.
The retailer said it would create 1,000 paid training places across the UK and Ireland over the next 18 months. The scheme is designed for young people trying to get on the career ladder, particularly those who are Neet – a term for those not in employment, education, or training. Participants will receive six months of training, with successful candidates then offered further training to become a store manager. No degree is required.
“M&S launches paid traineeship for 1,000 young people to tackle record youth unemployment and shrinking entry-level jobs.”
The move comes after a key review warned that one in six young people will be Neet within five years if action is not taken. The review, authored by former minister Alan Milburn, found that job and career opportunities for those hoping to enter employment are “not growing, they’re shrinking”. Milburn warned of a potential “lost generation”. The review said there was no single factor behind the crisis, citing the Covid-19 pandemic, smartphones, health issues and a sharp drop in entry-level positions.
High Street retailers and hospitality businesses have often provided the first experience of work for many young people. Thinus Keeve, M&S Retailer Director, said: “We want more young people to see retail not just as a first job, but as a career with real opportunity, real responsibility and real progression… This programme is about opening doors for the next generation and giving talented young people the chance to thrive.”
The announcement coincides with the government launching a partnership with industry and trade unions to examine how artificial intelligence is affecting entry-level roles. The government said it will look at how these jobs are changing and offer businesses advice on redesigning roles while maintaining routes into the workforce. Separately, 400,000 students in disadvantaged schools in the UK will receive AI and tech training to help them into further education, employment or training.
Last year, Chancellor Rachel Reeves announced that young people who have been out of a job or education for 18 months would be offered a guaranteed paid work placement to help them prepare for a full-time role. Whether these combined efforts will be enough to reverse the trend remains to be seen.