Sainsbury’s has unveiled its new ‘Modern Work Experience Programme’ that is aims to create around 10,000 opportunities for young people.

The programme will allow young people to build confidence, develop skills and gain insights into future careers.

This comes as research from Education and Employers shows “meaningful engagement” with employers at school can reduce the risk of becoming not in education, employment or training by 80 per cent.

Modern work experience allows young people to get hands-on experience with employers over time, instead of a one off.

Sainsbury’s programme, ‘KickStarter’ was designed and will be run by its early careers team. This will be run alongside a different pilot with The Careers & Enterprise Company (CEC) and Institute of Grocery Distribution (IGD).

The KickStarter scheme will be split into two pathways- KickStarter Explore for those aged 14 to 18 and KickStarter Insights for those aged 16 to 24.

KickStarter Explore was co-designed with The School Outreach Company and combines practical work experience with in-school learning.

KickStarter Insight is delivered in collaboration with the retailer’s early years team, youth employment charity Movement to Work and specialist partner Aim a Little Higher. It aims to help young people strengthen communication skills and prepare for interviews and applications.

According to the supermarket chain, more than 5000 places will be available through KickStarter Explore and over 200 through KickStarter Insight.

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.

Sainsbury’s has also stated that following its support of the pilot with IGD and the CEC, it will deliver 5000 opportunities through its own programmes.

It will run nationwide across the UK, including England, Scotland and Wales, with a focus on communities that have a high proportion of schools offering free meals and young people not in employment, education or training.

The 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.”

Prime Minister Andy Burnham added: “It’s great to see Sainsbury’s stepping up with 10,000 opportunities a year 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.”

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