New research from M&S reveals that retail is helping more young people* into work than any other sector, with nearly 1 in 4 beginning their careers in the industry – more than double the total for any other industry in the UK. This additional job creation for young people contributes £7.4 billion in GVA, which is equivalent to 7% of the retail sector’s total economic impact in 2024.
The research, conducted by the Centre for Economics and Business Research (CEBR), highlights not only the scale of youth unemployment, but the impact of mental health on young people:
- Currently 948,000 young people are not in Employment, Education, or Training (NEET), having reached the highest level in a decade in December 2024.
- 650,000 fewer 16-24-year-olds in employment compared to three decades ago.
- Long-term sickness – particularly growing mental health challenges – has driven 300,000 16–24-year-olds into economic inactivity since 2019, a 55% increase on pre-pandemic levels and the highest of any age group.
While youth unemployment rates are rising, more than one in five (22%) young people who are not in Employment, Education of Training say that securing a job is one of their biggest goals, according to The Kings Trust. However, young people today face increasing barriers to employment with around one in six (16%) young people being rejected for more than 50 jobs, knocking their confidence**.
M&S is committed to providing young people furthest from the workforce a pathway to long-term employment.
Launched over two decades ago in partnership with The King’s Trust, the Marks & Start scheme – which offers a four-week work experience placement at M&S – helps those facing barriers to employment gain a crucial first step on the career ladder to build essential employability skills and boost their confidence. The goal is to increase their chances of securing long-term employment – whether at M&S or within the retail sector more broadly.
Together, M&S and The Kings Trust have supported over 12,000 young people to date with a commitment to support a further 2,000 young people in the next three years. The number of candidates that completed its Marks & Start employability programme (91%) and those offered a permanent paid job (88%) reached a five-year record high in this year. Mental health is now one of the biggest barriers for young people getting into work with 28% admitting it has stopped them from taking the first step to apply to jobs**. M&S is committed to providing young people furthest from the workforce a pathway to long-term employment.
Launched over two decades ago in partnership with The King’s Trust, the Marks & Start scheme – which offers a four-week work experience placement at M&S – helps those facing barriers to employment gain a crucial first step on the career ladder to build essential employability skills and boost their confidence. The goal is to increase their chances of securing long-term employment – whether at M&S or within the retail sector more broadly. M&S has utilised its partnership with YoungMinds, the UK’s leading mental health charity for young people to review and further develop the Marks & Start training materials to better support young people who join the programme with their mental health and ensure they have the wraparound care from M&S in place. Since launching the partnership two years ago, M&S has raised over £4.4 million, supporting over 6 million young people.
M&S is calling on the Government to work more closely with businesses to help get more young people into work. The firm believes that Employer NICs relief for businesses that employ the long-term unemployed or young people struggling to find work will unlock significant opportunities with The Jobs Foundation suggesting the move could create over 100,000 jobs. M&S also wants the Government to deliver on its promise of Apprenticeship Levy reform so that more of the funds paid by businesses can be used to offer opportunities.
Marks & Spencer CEO Stuart Machin said: “Retail is a powerful engine of social mobility. At a time when so many young people are struggling to get their foot on the career ladder, this industry can give them that first crucial opportunity – particularly those facing the biggest barriers. As one of the UK’s biggest retail employers, we have already supported more than 12,000 young people through Marks & Start and we’re committed to doing our bit to get more young people into work. But we can’t do it alone – businesses need more support from the Government to unlock more opportunities for young people.
“Retail is a dynamic, fast-moving industry where no two days are the same. From working in stores or supply chain to food, fashion or finance and everything in between, it can open up so many opportunities. This is an industry that can give you responsibility from a young age and if you’re willing to work hard, you will go far no matter what your background.”
Jonathan Townsend, chief executive officer at The King’s Trust said: “Young people continue to face significant challenges to their employment prospects but there are so many young people who are ready to work and just need an additional support to make that happen. We rely on partners like M&S who invest in young people and create accessible routes to employment, helping us to achieve our mission of building the confidence and skills of young people who need us most.
“M&S has 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.”
At a time when many young people are thinking about what they should do after school, M&S has this week launched a six-part podcast series with the UK’s leading careers show, My Duvet Flip. Listeners will hear personal stories and experiences of six young people who have taken part in Marks & Start or one of M&S’ Early Careers programmes.
Jack Parsons, founder of My Duvet Flip, said: “My Duvet Flip is about real conversations with real people, having invited Stuart Machin on the podcast a couple of years ago I saw first-hand his passion for supporting young people into work. Together, we have a shared commitment to inspire the next generation to flip their duvet build their future. But it’s not only leaders who can inspire the next generation, but young people who are living and breathing these experiences right now – who can inspire their own generation, through their own stories. Together, we’re not just taking about opportunities, we’re creating them.”
Llorayah Timbou-Foucher, Early Careers participant and guest on an upcoming episode of My Duvet Flip, commented: “I started off as a Christmas temp at M&S, I went in not knowing about retail, not knowing what I wanted to do, not thinking I was good enough and definitely not having the confidence. Now, through M&S, I am a completely different person and I would never have expected to be where I am today. Looking back, I wish I could have told my younger self to put myself out there more and so sharing my experience on My Duvet Flip, has given me the opportunity to inspire others. I truly believe you should always love the job you work in, you should never do it just because it’s a job – it’s just about finding the right job, and for me, it was the exciting whirlwind world of retail.”
