{"id":127134,"date":"2026-10-17T08:30:00","date_gmt":"2026-10-17T07:30:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/en.econostrum.info\/uk\/?p=127134"},"modified":"2026-10-17T00:23:58","modified_gmt":"2026-10-16T23:23:58","slug":"young-workers-could-land-jobs","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/en.econostrum.info\/uk\/young-workers-could-land-jobs\/","title":{"rendered":"100,000 Job Placements Announced for Young Brits as Major Brands Join Scheme"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>Bars, clubs and restaurants are set to create up to <strong>100,000 job placements<\/strong> for young people aged 18 to 24 who are not in employment, education or training. The three-year initiative, backed by the <strong>Department for Work and Pensions (DWP)<\/strong>, aims to give participants workplace experience and help them move towards employment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Major Hospitality Brands Join The Scheme<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Businesses including <strong>Wagamama, Nando&#8217;s, Burger King, Premier Inn, Fuller&#8217;s and Mitchells &amp; Butlers<\/strong> are taking part. Participants will be able to take placements lasting up to <strong>four weeks<\/strong>, with the programme designed to build workplace skills and confidence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The initiative is due to be launched by Prime Minister <strong>Andy Burnham<\/strong> during a visit to a hospitality venue.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Up To 100,000 Jobs Planned Over Three Years<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The programme is aimed at young people classified as <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bbc.com\/news\/articles\/cly9rq35de8o\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Neet<\/a><\/strong>, meaning they are not in employment, education or training. The government says the hospitality sector can give participants an initial experience of working life and a route towards longer-term employment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Work and Pensions Secretary <strong>Pat McFadden<\/strong> said the scheme would help young people \u201cget their first step on the ladder\u201d and develop their careers. He also pointed to the UK&#8217;s employment rate, which he said is now the <strong>second highest in the G7<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"480\" height=\"320\" src=\"https:\/\/en.econostrum.info\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2026\/10\/HQtTTs4XsAAEN-_.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-127119\" srcset=\"https:\/\/en.econostrum.info\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2026\/10\/HQtTTs4XsAAEN-_.png 480w, https:\/\/en.econostrum.info\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2026\/10\/HQtTTs4XsAAEN-_-380x253.png 380w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 480px) 100vw, 480px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Work and Pensions Secretary Pat McFadden. Credit: Shutterstock<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Youth Unemployment Could Reach 1.25 Million<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The initiative comes ahead of a report by former health secretary <strong>Alan Milburn<\/strong> on youth unemployment. Milburn has warned that the number of young people not in employment or education could reach <strong>1.25 million<\/strong> over the next five years without further government action.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>His full review is expected shortly after the <strong>Autumn Budget on October 28<\/strong>. The report is expected to contain recommendations on employment support, training and apprenticeships.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-x wp-block-embed-x\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\"><p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Nearly 1 million young people in the UK are NEET \u2013 not in education, employment or training.<br><br>Defence offers more apprenticeships and work experience than almost any other industry, and by 2035, we will offer opportunities and good jobs for 50,000 young people every single year. <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/HulAQBRbhu\">pic.twitter.com\/HulAQBRbhu<\/a><\/p>&mdash; Ministry of Defence \ud83c\uddec\ud83c\udde7 (@DefenceHQ) <a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/DefenceHQ\/status\/2103065854812581971?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">September 24, 2026<\/a><\/blockquote><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.x.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Retailers Have Already Joined A Similar Programme<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The hospitality scheme follows a similar initiative launched with major retailers. Businesses including <strong>Marks &amp; Spencer, Asda, Pets at Home and the John Lewis Partnership<\/strong> have already joined a programme backed by the <a href=\"https:\/\/en.econostrum.info\/uk\/3-million-pensioners-could-get-2950\/\">DWP<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>That initiative also seeks to give young people workplace experience and a route into employment. The expansion into hospitality brings another large group of employers into the government&#8217;s youth employment programme.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">School Absence Is Also Under Review<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Education Secretary <strong>Lucy Powell<\/strong> is expected to announce a review of school exclusion  policies. The move follows research indicating that students who are persistently absent from school are almost <strong>four times more likely<\/strong> to become unemployed and not be in education or training.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The consultation will seek views on ways to support pupils at risk of exclusion, strengthen their connection with the classroom and help them remain engaged with education. Powell said absence and exclusion could lead to disengagement and increase the risk of young people becoming Neet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Welfare Reform Is Part Of The Wider Debate<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The hospitality programme is being introduced alongside wider discussions about <strong>welfare reform<\/strong>. Milburn has called for changes to the benefits system alongside stronger employment support, training and apprenticeships.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Ministers are also considering changes to disability benefits for people under 25, with a potential package of employment support replacing some existing arrangements. The government is under pressure to control rising welfare spending while increasing the number of young people entering work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Apprenticeships Could Play A Bigger Part<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Milburn has previously called for a national <strong>apprenticeship readiness scheme<\/strong> in England. The idea would help young people move from school towards apprenticeships and employment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>His review is expected to examine the gap between leaving education and entering the workplace, as well as the support available to young people who struggle to make that transition.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Government Faces Pressure From Both Sides<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The government&#8217;s welfare plans have attracted pressure from opposition parties and concerns within Labour. Conservative leader <strong>Kemi Badenoch<\/strong> has called for welfare spending cuts and argued that savings should help finance higher defence spending.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Ministers also remain conscious of the Labour rebellion that previously forced changes to welfare legislation. The new employment programme therefore comes at a politically sensitive time, with the government seeking to increase employment among young people while facing questions about spending on benefits.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Young People To Gain Workplace Experience<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The hospitality initiative is intended to give up to <strong>100,000 young people<\/strong> a chance to experience working life over the next three years.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>With major restaurant, hotel and pub businesses taking part, the programme is expected to form part of a wider government effort to tackle youth unemployment through <strong>jobs, training and apprenticeships<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The findings of Milburn&#8217;s review and the government&#8217;s decisions following the October Budget will shape the next stage of its approach to young people outside employment and education.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>A major new scheme is set to give thousands of young people a route into the workplace, with well-known hospitality businesses taking part. The initiative comes as concern grows over the number of young people outside work and education.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":6,"featured_media":127135,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[27],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-127134","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-employment","generate-columns","tablet-grid-50","mobile-grid-100","grid-parent","grid-33","no-featured-image-padding"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/en.econostrum.info\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/127134","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/en.econostrum.info\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/en.econostrum.info\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/en.econostrum.info\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/6"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/en.econostrum.info\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=127134"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/en.econostrum.info\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/127134\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":127136,"href":"https:\/\/en.econostrum.info\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/127134\/revisions\/127136"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/en.econostrum.info\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/127135"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/en.econostrum.info\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=127134"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/en.econostrum.info\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=127134"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/en.econostrum.info\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=127134"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}