Britain’s restaurants, bars, clubs and hotels are set to help young people enter the workforce. According to the Guardian, an initiative being developed with the government aims to offer up to 100,000 jobs over three years to people who are not in employment, education or training. That is the programme’s stated ambition, not a tally of jobs already created or filled.
The scheme is intended for 18- to 24-year-olds. It will include work placements lasting up to four weeks, designed to help participants develop the skills and confidence needed to start work. Young people outside employment, education and training are often described in British public debate as NEET — short for not in education, employment or training.
In its report published on 14 October, the Guardian names Wagamama, Nando’s, Burger King, Premier Inn, Fuller’s and Mitchells & Butlers among the businesses taking part. The initiative therefore covers the wider hospitality sector, including food and drink venues as well as hotels. Businesses are developing the programme with the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), the government department responsible for work and pensions.
Work and Pensions Secretary Pat McFadden presents the initiative as a way to help young people take their first step into employment and begin building a career. According to the newspaper, Andy Burnham is scheduled to formally launch the programme on 15 October 2026 during a visit to a hospitality venue.
A placement does not guarantee a job
For anyone interested in taking part, the distinction between a short work placement and a job is important. The description of the initiative does not establish that every participant will subsequently be offered employment. The target of up to 100,000 jobs also covers the full three-year period and is not a guarantee that this figure will be reached.
The Guardian does not yet give details of how to apply, whether placements will be paid, or how opportunities will be distributed between companies and regions. The announcement sets out the intended age group and the programme’s ambition, but does not yet identify specific vacancies, recruitment dates or conditions for taking part.
The initiative comes ahead of the publication of Alan Milburn’s full review of young people outside work and education. Its stated purpose is to provide a route into a first job for those who are currently gaining neither work experience nor qualifications.
