Marks & Spencer to offer 1,400 work experience placements

Marks & Spencer to offer 1,400 work experience placementsUK retailer, MARKS & Spencer has said that it will offer more than 1,400 work experience placements to young people aged 16 to 25.

The retailer said that the young recruits will participate in the four-week programme of unpaid work in a company store. The company has joined forces with Prince's Trust to take on the rising unemployment in the economy. The joint initiative is aimed at addressing the lack of skills and experience that prevent people from finding jobs.

Chief executive Marc Bolland said, "Youth unemployment has become one of today's key social issues and we want to lead the charge for businesses to do more to tackle it head on. We've set aside 1,400 placements for young people and have called on our suppliers and other businesses to make their own commitments to youth opportunity."

The Marks & Start programme has given placements to more than 6,000 participants since its launch in 2004 and some have now become full time employees. About half of those on the Marks & Start scheme find jobs in a period of 13 weeks.