More than 40 UK retailers have pledged to create up to 100,000 job opportunities for young people not in employment, education, or training (Neet) over the next three years. The initiative, launched in partnership with the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), aims to provide 18- to 24-year-olds with short-term placements designed to build skills and confidence as a bridge into permanent employment.

The scheme, known as Opening Shift, involves companies including Marks & Spencer, Pets at Home, Asda, John Lewis Partnership, Tesco, New Look, Wickes, Currys, and Greggs. Participants will be offered work placements lasting between two to four weeks, with 16 to 35 hours of work per week. At the conclusion of each placement, candidates are guaranteed an interview, and each will be assigned a “buddy” to support their transition into the workplace. Employers will seek to retain as many participants as possible in permanent roles where vacancies exist.

The programme addresses concerns over the rising number of young people disengaged from the labour market, which currently stands at approximately one million in the UK. Alan Milburn, former health secretary and chair of a government review into youth employment, recently warned that without intervention, the Neet population could increase to 1.25 million within five years. He highlighted the challenge many young people face in securing their first job due to a lack of experience.

“This initiative offers a vital first step for young people who have previously faced barriers entering the workforce,” Milburn said, referring to the “no experience, no job” cycle that leaves many young people excluded from employment opportunities. He welcomed the retailer-led scheme, emphasizing the urgency of expanding work opportunities.

The programme has been developed jointly by the British Retail Consortium (BRC) and the DWP, and already has more than 11,000 placements committed. The DWP plans to assist young people in accessing the scheme through jobcentres, and participants will continue to receive universal credit throughout their placements to avoid logistical issues associated with leaving and re-entering welfare benefits for short-term jobs.

Marc Bolland, former chief executive of Marks & Spencer and current chair of the taskforce leading the initiative, emphasized the importance of collaboration between government and business. Having previously worked with the charity Movement to Work, which has helped over 200,000 young people find employment, Bolland said the new effort aims to create thousands more opportunities within one of Britain’s largest industries. He encouraged other retailers to consider expanding their involvement.

Helen Dickinson, chief executive of the BRC, described retail as uniquely positioned to address youth unemployment due to its extensive reach across the country. She noted that work experience placements, combined with investment in entry-level jobs, could provide a meaningful response to the Neet crisis.

The scheme adds to a broader strategy to curb youth unemployment and support young people into long-term employment amid broader concerns about a potential “lost generation” without prompt and coordinated action.