Marks & Spencer to support a further 2,000 people into work
Marks and Spencer has pledged to train and support nearly 2,000 hard to reach young people through its Marks & Start programme over the next three years as part of a multi-year strategy with The King’s Trust.
Now in its 20th year, the scheme helps people who face barriers to employment gain their first step on the career ladder and so far has helped 30,000 individuals gain employment. This includes 12,000 young people through the retailer’s partnership with The King’s Trust. Marks and Spencer said four out of five participants who have completed the scheme have gone on to have a career within its business.
Marks and Spencer chief executive Stuart Machin said: “As a young boy of 16 years old, I started my career in retail, working part time on weekends and in the evening doing trolleys, working on the checkout serving customers and replenishing shelves. Work gave me purpose as well as pocket money.
“As one of the UK’s biggest retail employers, it’s our responsibility to help young people into work – especially those furthest from employment who might need extra support. But we can’t do it alone; that’s why we partner with The King’s Trust and Young Minds, brilliant organisations that really understand the help young people need.
“The success of Marks and Start over twenty years shows the difference that partnership can make – together with The King’s Trust we’ve helped 12,000 young people into work and in doing so, changed thousands of lives. Too many young people in the UK face barriers to getting a job, but if we work together, we can change that.”
Insights from Marks & Spencer show that mental health is one of the biggest barriers for young people getting into work.
Last year, the retailer established its biggest ever charity partnership with Young Minds, which after its first year raised over £2.6 million to support young people, with a target to raise £5 million within three years.
Marks and Spencer will also be working with MPs from all parties, Metro Mayors and the new Government to find ways to make it easier for businesses to create employability schemes and help more young people into work.
Jonathan Townsend, chief executive at The King’s Trust, said: “M&S have been a driving force behind our employability initiatives and we are so proud of our long-standing partnership, celebrating 20 years together to support 12,000 young people.
“With their pioneering approach and embedding our work across their organisation, we are able to remove employability barriers for thousands of young people helping to transform their futures.”
