M&S launches paid traineeship for 1,000 young people across UK and Ireland

M&S launches a new paid traineeship scheme for 1,000 young people aimed at helping them move into work. The programme runs over the next 18 months and is offered to young adults in the 16 to 24 age range, with outlets describing participants in particular as those aged 18 to 24. M&S says the scheme responds to a growing challenge of young people who are not in employment, education or training (NEET). Multiple reports link the initiative to recent concerns about rising youth unemployment and warnings about a potential “lost generation,” with at least one source citing that more than a million young people are NEET. Retail Gazette reports the traineeships will be created across the UK and Ireland, while other outlets describe the plan as providing hundreds of traineeship places. Overall, the coverage agrees that the company is using paid training positions to support employability and job market entry for young people.