A record 10,000 young people are set to visit JD Sports’ biggest-ever two-day careers event in Manchester.
Running today and tomorrow (24 to 25 February), JD Up has opened its doors to 28 departments and hundreds of potential retail career pathways at Manchester’s Central Convention Complex.
The sports fashion group is offering the free event to students from over 70 schools in Greater Manchester as part of its commitment to social mobility, demonstrating how starting a job in retail can “lead to a wide range of career opportunities and help with long-term skills development”.
The retailer’s event comes as youth unemployment recently hit a 10-year-high of 16.1%, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS).
In addition, the ONS found that the number of Neets – those aged 16 to 24 not in education, employment or training – hit 946,000 between July and September.
The JD Up event will feature a programme of activities across two days with nearly a thousand JD representatives present, covering everything from law to finance and technology.
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The event follows previous JD Up events held in Madrid and London.
JD CEO Régis Schultz said: “This year’s JD Up will be a blockbuster event for helping young people to get the ‘work bug’.
“We are convinced that our biggest JD Up event will make a real difference at a time when nearly one million young people in the UK are either not in work or education.
“Young people are the cornerstone of our success, and we want to empower as many as possible with the confidence and ambition they need as they prepare for their future.”
JD chief growth officer Nicola Kowalczuk added: “Events like this are powerful because they close the gap between potential and opportunity, helping every young person see a pathway that feels possible, practical, and right for them.
“At JD, we believe access to careers insight, networks and real-world exposure should never be a privilege.
“It’s part of our responsibility as a global brand rooted in youth culture to step up and create meaningful opportunities that unlock ambition.”
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