Hospitality businesses across the UK will offer as many as 100,000 placements to young people who are not in employment, education or training (NEET) over the next three years, the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has backed. Major operators such as Nando’s and Fuller’s are among the firms expected to take part in the initiative, which organisers say is designed to provide a first step on the ladder into paid employment.
The drive will see pubs, clubs, bars and restaurants create roles and placements specifically aimed at 18- to 24-year-olds who have been disconnected from the labour market or education. Supporters of the scheme argue that the hospitality sector — which routinely recruits entry-level staff — can offer practical on-the-job experience and potentially longer-term opportunities in a range of front- and back-of-house roles.
The announcement arrives ahead of a report on NEETs by former health secretary Alan Milburn, who has warned that the number of young people out of work or education could climb to 1.25 million within five years unless ministers take action. Milburn’s findings are expected to put renewed pressure on the government to address youth unemployment and to coordinate employer-led interventions with public policy measures.
Industry and government backers say the hospitality placements are intended to be an immediate, private-sector-led response to rising youth disengagement, though the scheme’s backers will need to demonstrate how placements translate into sustainable employment and skills development. Observers note that combining practical roles with training and support services will be key to helping participants move from short-term placements into longer-term careers or further education.
The DWP-backed programme places responsibility on employers to create opportunities at scale; the success of the initiative will be judged on take-up by businesses and the outcomes for participants in terms of job retention and progression. With the Milburn report imminent, the scheme is likely to feature in wider debate about how government and industry can work together to prevent a projected rise in young people drifting away from work and education.