Hospitality firms to offer 100,000 placements for young people out of work
Hospitality businesses will offer up to 100,000 placements to 18- to 24-year-olds who are not in work, education or training, in a government-backed effort to help them enter employment. The scheme matters as ministers face warnings that youth unemployment and disengagement could worsen without intervention.
The placements will last up to four weeks and involve employers including Nando’s, Wagamama, Burger King, Premier Inn and pub chains. The announcement follows a similar retail scheme and comes ahead of Alan Milburn’s review, which warns the number of young people outside work or education could reach 1.25 million within five years. Ministers are also considering changes to welfare, while a separate review will examine support for pupils at risk of exclusion.
- Hospitality firms plan up to 100,000 youth placements over three years.
- Placements of up to four weeks aim to build skills and confidence.
- A review warns the number of young people outside work or education may rise.
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Hospitality includes businesses such as restaurants, hotels and pubs, which employ people in roles ranging from cooking and serving customers to reception and housekeeping. These jobs can offer a way into paid work for people who have little or no employment experience.
The young people covered by the scheme are aged 18 to 24 and are not in work, education or training. They are often described by the initials NEET, a term used by government and researchers to track how many young people are disconnected from these routes.
Youth unemployment matters because long periods without work or learning can make it harder to gain skills and find a job later. Ministers are considering how to support young people and change welfare arrangements, while reviews are looking at the scale of the issue and help for pupils at risk of exclusion.
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The case for
Supporters argue that short placements can give young people practical experience, confidence and employer contacts, helping them move towards paid work while addressing the risk that more become detached from education and employment. Hospitality offers a large range of entry-level roles, and government backing may help businesses coordinate opportunities that individual employers would not provide at this scale.
The case against
Sceptics argue that placements lasting up to four weeks may offer too little time or sustained support to overcome barriers to employment, and that a large headline number does not show how many participants will secure lasting jobs. They may favour investment in longer-term training, tailored help and better-paid vacancies, while questioning whether businesses or the state should bear the cost of addressing youth unemployment.
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Originally published by The Guardian as “UK hospitality sector to offer up to 100,000 jobs to young people out of work”.