{"id":58545,"title":"Retailers pledge 100,000 jobs to address youth unemployment","publisher":"Stockmark.IT","author":"Stockmark.IT Website","published":"2026-09-08T06:44:03+00:00","modified":"2026-09-08T06:44:03+00:00","canonical_url":"https://stockmark.it/tesco-and-boots-lead-100-000-jobs-pledge-to-tackle-neets-crisis/","markdown_url":"https://stockmark.it/tesco-and-boots-lead-100-000-jobs-pledge-to-tackle-neets-crisis.md","json_url":"https://stockmark.it/tesco-and-boots-lead-100-000-jobs-pledge-to-tackle-neets-crisis.json","category":"Retail","categories":["Retail","UK Government","Unemployment"],"featured_image":"https://i0.wp.com/stockmark.it/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/retailers-pledge-100-000-jobs-to-address-youth-unemployment.png?fit=1536%2C1024&quality=80&ssl=1","format":"news","language":"en-GB","content":"A coalition of major British retailers, including Tesco, Boots, Asda, John Lewis and Marks and Spencer, has committed to creating 100,000 new permanent roles for young people. The initiative is designed to combat the rising crisis of youth unemployment, a situation described by industry leaders as trapping young individuals in a cycle of inactivity. The scheme involves offering unpaid work experience placements to those not in education, employment or training, followed by interviews for paid positions. This collaborative effort is coordinated through the British Retail Consortium and aims to provide a structured pathway into the workforce for the next generation.\n\nThe programme was developed in partnership with the government to ensure that participants can continue to claim benefits while undergoing their work experience. Placements will typically last between two and four weeks and are targeted at young people aged between 18 and 24. Upon completion of the placement, candidates will be offered an interview for a permanent role if one is available. The retailers have already organised more than 11,000 placements under this new framework. Tesco alone has pledged to provide 5,000 of these opportunities, reflecting the significant scale of the industry’s response to the challenge. The goal is to secure 100,000 permanent jobs for graduates of the scheme by 2029.\n\nFormer health secretary Alan Milburn, who led a recent government review on the issue, stated that the number of young people not in employment, education or training is likely to worsen without such interventions. He described the new partnership as a welcome development that will provide young people with their first step onto the jobs ladder while giving employers a larger pool of candidates to recruit from. Milburn expressed hope that other sectors would follow the retail industry’s lead in embracing this model. He warned that the current figure of Neets, which dipped below one million in June, could rise above 1.25 million over the next five years if action is not taken.\n\nPrime Minister Andy Burnham has publicly urged retailers to address the youth unemployment crisis, citing the need to break the vicious cycle where young people require experience to get a job but need a job to gain experience. He stated that such opportunities help young people gain the confidence, skills and connections necessary to start their careers. The commitment from the retail sector follows a letter sent in June by the bosses of more than 80 retailers, who urged the government to take immediate action to secure the ladder of opportunity for young people.\n\nOther businesses supporting the initiative include food and drink companies Greggs, Costa and Pret a Manger, as well as retailers Amazon, JD Sports and Next. John Lewis has also announced that it will prioritise young people when hiring 10,400 seasonal workers over the Christmas period. Helen Dickinson, chief executive of the British Retail Consortium, said that retailers have come to the rescue of young people trapped in a no experience, no job situation. She added that work experience is a crucial first step and that, with the right conditions for business investment, employers across the economy can help tackle the crisis. Pat McFadden, the secretary of state for work and pensions, welcomed the partnership, noting that work experience can be life-changing by providing the skills and confidence needed to take the first step into work."}