Register to get free articles
Want unlimited access? View Plans
Already have an account? Sign in
Marks and Spencer has launched The Not Just Any Career training scheme that will create 1,000 management places for young people across the UK and Ireland.
The initiative provides six months of practical retail management training for 18 to 24-year-olds.
Candidates do not need a university degree to apply, and the company will accept applications from both existing staff and external school leavers.
The programme aims to address youth unemployment following a report by Alan Milburn which found that nearly one million young people are not in education, employment, or training.
Successful participants can progress into permanent store manager roles.
Applications for the programme open on 27 July 2026, with the 1,000 placements rolling out over the next 18 months.
The initiative runs alongside a separate digital mentoring platform that the company will launch with The King’s Trust in early 2027.
Stuart Machin, Chief executive, said: “A Saturday job can change a young person’s life. I know, because it transformed mine. But when I think about the challenges facing young people today, I worry that many won’t have the same opportunity. That doesn’t need to be the case – we can do so much more to provide the opportunities, experiences, and skills to unlock their confidence and get them into good jobs.”
Thinus Keeve, retail director, added: “Retail is one of the few careers where you can start young, learn fast, lead teams early and build an incredible future through hard work and ambition. As Stuart has argued, retail is the engine of the everyday economy and there is no better place to start than on the shopfloor.
“At M&S, we want more young people to see retail not just as a first job, but as a career with real opportunity, real responsibility and real progression. You do not need a degree to succeed here; you need attitude, energy, resilience and the willingness to learn. This programme is about opening doors for the next generation and giving talented young people the chance to thrive.”
