Scheme launched to offer thousands of young people retail work experience

Nation.Cymru staff

Young people in Wales are to be offered work experience with some of Britain’s biggest retailers under a new UK Government-backed scheme aimed at helping more 18 to 24-year-olds into employment.

The Opening Shift programme is being launched by the UK Government’s Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) and the British Retail Consortium (BRC), with more than 11,000 placements expected to be offered across the UK.

Retailers involved in developing the scheme include Tesco, John Lewis, Currys, Marks & Spencer, Boots, Primark, Aldi and Asda.

Participants will receive between 16 and 35 hours of work experience each week for two to four weeks, as well as workplace support and interview experience.

The placements will be voluntary, with the DWP identifying eligible young Universal Credit claimants through Jobcentres. Travel costs will be supported where needed and participants will continue to receive Universal Credit.

Those completing placements could be offered permanent jobs where vacancies are available, added to retailers’ talent banks or directed towards apprenticeships and other opportunities.

The initiative forms part of a wider retail industry ambition to create 100,000 jobs for young people who are not in employment, education or training (NEET) by the end of the current Parliament.

There are currently around 56,800 young people classified as NEET in Wales, according to figures included in the announcement.

The partnership was developed with the involvement of former Marks & Spencer chief executive Marc Bolland, who was appointed by the UK Government earlier this year to work with businesses to increase employment opportunities for young people.

Experience

Work and Pensions Secretary Pat McFadden said: “This partnership will help young people to get the experience employers are looking for.

“Work experience can be life-changing, giving young people the skills, confidence and connections they need to take their first step into work.

“By creating thousands of opportunities in the retail sector, we’re delivering on our commitment to help more young people build brighter futures, backed by our £2.5 billion investment to support the next generation into employment.”

Secretary of State for Wales Stephen Kinnock said: “This announcement will see young people in Wales access those vital first steps on to the jobs ladder, with the benefit of work experience at some of our top retailers.

“This is a scheme designed to kickstart careers and prepare the next generation in Wales for success in the workplace. I’m proud that the UK Government is taking decisive action to support our young people and nurture their talent.”

British Retail Consortium chief executive Helen Dickinson said too many young people were caught in a “no experience, no job doom loop”.

She said retail was well placed to help tackle youth unemployment because of the industry’s scale and presence in communities across the UK.

The UK Government says the programme will complement its wider Youth Guarantee and Jobs Guarantee schemes, with more than 90,000 young people expected to be supported into work through the latter over the next three years.

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