10,000 work experience opportunities for young people as Sainsbury's joins national drive to tackle youth unemployment
Thousands of young people across the UK will get the chance to gain work experience, build confidence and develop skills to help them get ready for work as Sainsbury's launches a major new “Modern Work Experience Programme” designed to help more young people into employment.
- Sainsbury’s to offer around 10,000 work experience and skills opportunities to help young people gain experience, build confidence and prepare for work
- New programme launching from October will target schools with higher levels of free school meal uptake and communities where young people face some of the biggest barriers to work
- Latest major employer to deliver a major skills programme following Prime Minister’s education reforms to close the gap between the classroom and workplace
Thousands of young people across the UK will get the chance to gain work experience, build confidence and develop skills to help them get ready for work as Sainsbury’s launches a major new “Modern Work Experience Programme” designed to help more young people into employment.
Starting from October, Sainsbury’s will create around 10,000 work experience and skills opportunities over the next year through a new programme designed to reach young people who may otherwise struggle to access employer networks, work experience and career opportunities.
This follows the Prime Minister announcing a fundamental change to the education system last month, with the launch of new prestigious technical educational routes. The new pathways will provide 14-year-olds with valuable early access to technical skills, work experience and connections with local employers.
The Prime Minister is determined to put technical education on an equal footing with the traditional academic path and to ensure there are ‘no dead ends’ for young people coming out of the education system. Since the launch of his education reforms, the Government has been actively working with major employers to tackle youth unemployment by closing the gap between the classroom and the workplace, so every young person can see a clear route into work and a successful future.
Too often, access to work experience depends on who you know rather than what you can do. This has led to many young people leaving education without access to employers, workplace networks or a clear understanding of the opportunities available to them. At the same time, businesses are in desperate need for people with the skills and confidence to thrive in modern careers.
With over one million young people aged 16 to 24 not in education, employment, or training – around one in eight young people – the Prime Minister has made clear that tackling the NEETs crisis is a national priority. As one of the UK’s largest employers, with stores and more than 140,000 colleagues in communities across the country, Sainsbury’s is uniquely placed to open up routes into work for young people in every part of the UK.
The programme will be delivered across the UK, including England, Scotland and Wales. It will focus on areas where Sainsbury’s can deliver the greatest social impact, particularly within communities with a high proportion of schools offering free school meals, and young people not in employment, education or training, helping connect education with real-world opportunities.
Prime Minister Andy Burnham said:
The youth unemployment crisis has been ignored for too long. This government is making it a top priority and bringing back hope.
Last month we announced a shake-up of the education system, with the launch of new prestigious technical educational routes. Now we’re bringing employers, schools and colleges together to close the gap between the classroom and the workplace.
It’s great to see Sainsbury’s stepping up with 10,000 opportunities to help young people build confidence, gain experience and get a foot in the door. I encourage more businesses across the country to do the same. Access to opportunity and work experience shouldn’t depend on who you know, it should be within reach for every young person wherever they live – and that’s what I’m determined to deliver.
Simon Roberts, Sainsbury’s Chief Executive, said:
Like so many of us, I started my working life at 16 and know first-hand how much getting that first job really matters. Few things matter more to us at Sainsbury’s than helping young people get on that first rung on the career ladder. With a quarter of our colleagues under 25, we see every day how much a first job can change lives.
Far too many young people are growing up in the UK today without access to meaningful work experience, often because they cannot find the right connections or network. With nearly one million young people not in education, employment or training, the scale of the challenge facing us has never been clearer.
Our new work experience programme will create around 10,000 opportunities over the next year, reaching the young people who need them most in communities right across the UK and helping them build the confidence, skills and experience to take their first step into work.
Young people will take part in workplace visits, careers sessions, practical work experience and sessions on CVs, interviews and applications – all designed to build confidence, improve communication skills and provide insight into careers across retail, logistics, food, technology and business.
The programme brings together a range of opportunities for different age groups. Younger students will receive a mix of school-based learning and workplace experience designed to introduce them to the world of work, while older young people will receive targeted support with CV writing, interview skills, job applications and career planning. Schools across the country are being encouraged to get involved from September by contacting The School Outreach Company, ahead of the programme starting in October.
Alongside this, Sainsbury’s will work with The Careers & Enterprise Company as well as other industry partners to test new approaches to modern work experience, helping develop a model that can be expanded across more stores and communities in the years ahead.
Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, said:
I know from personal experience, that work experience is often the first taste of the world of work for a young person, and everyone should be able to access placements, regardless of their background or circumstances. With around one in eight young people not in education, employment or training, I’ve made tackling youth unemployment a top priority, by investing in skills training and mentoring. As one of the country’s largest employers, with hundreds of branches across London, it’s great to see Sainsbury’s stepping up and launching 10,000 work experience opportunities for young people. My first experience of work was in retail. Programmes like this are vital for breaking down the barriers to work and building skills and confidence to thrive, as we continue to build a better, more prosperous capital for everyone.
Alan Milburn said:
For too long work experience has been treated as an afterthought. Yet 6 in 10 young people who are NEET have never had a job.
Employers say lack of experience is the single biggest barrier to hiring young people - and young people say exactly the same. It’s a vicious cycle and it’s holding Britain back.
Sainsbury’s is helping break that cycle, reaching the communities where young people face the biggest barriers. It’s exactly the kind of practical action employers can take now, while we build the fuller response this problem demands.
Helen Dickinson, Chief Executive of the BRC, said:
As the largest private sector employer, retail is a first step on the career ladder for thousands of people every year, building confidence, skills and experience that shapes their futures. Helping more young people be work ready and those who need help breaking out of the no-experience, no-job doom loop is critical to addressing the NEETs crisis. This great initiative is just the start as more retailers scale up the opportunities the industry can provide.
Today’s announcement from Sainsbury’s is one of the first major employer commitments since the Prime Minister unveiled reforms to expand technical education, work experience and routes into skilled work, following National Grid’s £5 million programme announced earlier this month to help 5000 young people into work.
Rather than designing new technical pathways from Westminster, the government will shape them around the industries driving growth in local communities supporting its mission to reindustrialise Britain and create opportunity in every part of the country.
The government will continue working with employers, schools, mayors, and local leaders to expand work experience, skills support and routes into work for young people.
Additional information
- Sainsbury’s will create around 10,000 work experience and employability opportunities, with activity beginning in October 2026.
- The programme combines Sainsbury’s own workplace scheme, KickStarter with a pilot delivered in partnership with The Careers & Enterprise Company (CEC) and Institute of Grocery Distribution (IGD). Together, they will help more young people access meaningful work experience and better understand the opportunities available to them:
KickStarter Explore (14–18 years) - A blend of in-school learning and practical work experience, co-designed with The School Outreach Company. The programme will help young people build confidence, develop workplace skills and discover the wide range of careers available at Sainsbury’s and the wider retail sector.
KickStarter Insights (16–24 years) - Regional employability workshops delivered by Sainsbury’s Early Careers team and specialist partner Aim a Little Higher. These sessions will help young people strengthen communication skills, prepare for interviews and applications and take their next step into work.
New work experience pilot - Alongside its own programme, Sainsbury’s is working with The Careers & Enterprise Company (CEC), the Institute of Grocery Distribution (IGD) and other employers to test new approaches to work experience for young people aged 14 to 18. The pilot will help develop a model that could be expanded across more Sainsbury’s stores from 2027, making it easier for young people to access meaningful work experience opportunities in their local communities.
- Marketing and advertising for the programmes will begin with The School Outreach Company and via Movement to Work in September, with the first KickStarter Explore and KickStarter Insights events taking place in October. Schools are encouraged to sign up to the KickStarter Explore programme by contacting Sainsburys@school-outreach.com. For those interested in KickStarter Insights, please contact early.careers@sainsburys.co.uk.