Nearly one million 16 to 24-year-olds in Britain are not in education, employment or training, a landmark report published last month found – and M&S has announced it will create 1,000 new jobs for that age group in response.
The major retailer launched a six-month training scheme for 18 to 24-year-olds in stores nationwide, with no university degree required. The trainees will learn retail management skills and gain hands-on experience, with the chance to progress to store manager.
“M&S creates 1,000 jobs as UK youth unemployment crisis sees nearly one million NEETs.”
M&S chief Stuart Machin, who began his career pushing trolleys in a supermarket aged 16, said: “A Saturday job can change a young person’s life. I know, because it transformed mine. But when I think about the challenges facing young people today, I worry that many won’t have the same opportunity.”
The announcement comes as a separate report – authored by former health secretary Alan Milburn – warned that one in six young people could become Neet within five years unless urgent action is taken. The Netherlands, by contrast, has one of the lowest Neet rates in the world at 4.9% among 18 to 24-year-olds. The equivalent figure in the UK is 15.1%.
Milburn identified that the Dutch approach was one the UK could learn from. The Dutch system is built on the principle of “no dead ends” – every stage of a young person’s journey is designed to lead somewhere. Under Dutch law, children must attend school until 16, then remain in education or training until they secure a qualification or turn 18.
One of the Netherlands’ key tools is the kwalificatieplicht, or qualification requirement. From around age 12, pupils are streamed into one of three secondary tracks, based on teacher recommendations and test results – a system critics say can harm self-esteem.
Amelie, who was told at 10 to choose the vocational VMBO track, said that took a toll on her confidence. But when exploring secondary schools at 12, she felt more optimistic: “We had a textiles class, there was a blacksmithing area.” She later studied fashion but struggled to find an internship and left her course at 17. She spent six months working and travelling, and said that if leaving education had been an option – as it is in the UK – she might have taken it.
M&S retail director Thinus Keeve said: “Retail is one of the few careers where you can start young, learn fast, lead teams early and build an incredible future through hard work and ambition. You do not need a degree to succeed here; you need attitude, energy, resilience and the willingness to learn.”
Applications for the M&S traineeship open on 27 July, with placements available on a rolling basis over the next 18 months.