Marks & Spencer Creating 1,000 New Traineeships For Young People

Marks & Spencer has announced plans to create 1,000 traineeships for young people as part of a new scheme designed to help tackle rising youth unemployment across the UK and Ireland.

The retailer's new programme, called Not Just Any Career, is aimed primarily at 18 to 24 year olds and will offer graduate-style training without the need for a university degree. Applications are due to open on 27 July, with opportunities available across M&S stores over the next 18 months.

Participants will receive six months of paid training focused on leadership, confidence-building and practical retail management skills. Successful candidates will then have the opportunity to progress into further development programmes with a pathway towards becoming a Store Manager.

The launch comes as concerns grow over the number of young people who are not in education, employment or training (NEETs). Recent figures show more than one million young people fall into this category, equivalent to around one in eight 16 to 24 year olds. A recent review led by former minister Alan Milburn warned that the figure could rise to one in six within the next five years if nothing is done to improve the situation.

M&S says the new programme is designed to help young people gain valuable workplace experience and develop skills that can lead to long term careers. The retailer has removed degree requirements from the scheme, opening opportunities to school leavers and others who may not have followed a traditional university route.

The initiative reflects the growing challenges facing young jobseekers as entry level opportunities become harder to find across many sectors. Retail jobs have traditionally provided a first step into employment for thousands of young people, offering opportunities to gain work experience, build confidence and develop transferable skills.

Current Chief Executive Officer of M&S, Stuart Machin, started out with the retailer as a young trolley pusher. Launching the recruiter drive for new trainees, the CEO said:

“A Saturday job can change a young person’s life. I know, because it transformed mine. But when I think about the challenges facing young people today, I worry that many won’t have the same opportunity. That doesn’t need to be the case. We can do so much more to provide the opportunities, experiences and skills to unlock their confidence and get them into good jobs.”

M&S’s retail director, Thinus Keeve, also commented, saying: “Retail is one of the few careers where you can start young, learn fast, lead teams early and build an incredible future through hard work and ambition. As Stuart has argued, retail is the engine of the everyday economy and there is no better place to start than on the shopfloor.”

“At M&S, we want more young people to see retail not just as a first job, but as a career with real opportunity, real responsibility and real progression. You do not need a degree to succeed here; you need attitude, energy, resilience and the willingness to learn. This programme is about opening doors for the next generation and giving talented young people the chance to thrive,” added Mr Keeve.

The new traineeship programme will sit alongside M&S's existing graduate scheme and its long-running Marks & Start partnership, which has helped more than 14,000 people facing barriers to employment move into work over the past two decades.

For students, school leavers and young people looking to start their careers, the scheme could offer a valuable route into management with one of the UK's best-known retailers. Further details about eligibility and available locations are expected to be announced ahead of applications opening later this summer.