UK retail youth unemployment initiative

Overview

The UK retail sector, in collaboration with the British Retail Consortium and the Department for Work and Pensions, has launched the ‘Opening Shift’ initiative to address youth unemployment among those not in education, employment, or training (NEETs).

The program aims to create 100,000 jobs for young people by the end of the current Parliament. To address what researchers describe as an ‘experience trap’—where a lack of prior work history prevents employment—the initiative initially offers 11,000 voluntary work experience placements lasting two to four weeks. Participating retailers, including Tesco, John Lewis, Currys, and Costa Coffee, provide mentoring and interview training, with many offering interviews at the conclusion of the placements to facilitate long-term hiring.

Economic data suggests that the lack of experience among NEETs costs the British economy up to £14.4 billion annually in lost output. The initiative arrives as the retail sector faces rising costs, including a 19% increase in the cost of employing part-time staff on the National Living Wage over two years, which has contributed to the loss of over 100,000 retail jobs.

Entities

Department for Work and Pensions · British Retail Consortium · WPI Economics · Pat McFadden · United Kingdom

Timeline

1 day ago

[BUSINESS] 2 sources
UK retail sector launches drive to tackle youth unemployment
UK retailers and government agencies have launched the ‘Opening Shift’ programme to help young people break the ‘experience trap’ and create up to 100,000 jobs for those not in education or employment.
5 days ago

[BUSINESS] 7 sources
UK retailers launch ‘Opening Shift’ to tackle youth unemployment
UK retailers have launched the ‘Opening Shift’ initiative, pledging thousands of work placements to help tackle youth unemployment and provide experience for nearly one million NEETs.

Sources

alltopstartups.com · bigissue.com · catererlicensee.com · dailymail.co.uk · easterneye.biz · eeo.com.cn · independent.co.uk · labourlist.org · retailtechinnovationhub.com