Starbucks joins Movement to Work initiative
The brand made a commitment to fight youth unemployment across the UK.
Starting in London, Manchester and Birmingham, Starbucks will be offering around 400 placements to young people throughout the year.
It is estimated that youth unemployment will cost the country £28 billion over the next decade. With 40 percent of all unemployed people in the UK between the ages of 16 and 24, Starbucks’ commitment will help contribute to the professional development of roughly 865,000 young people in the UK who are not in Education, Employment, or Training (NEETs).
Movement to Work is a coalition of Britain’s leading employers that aims to tackle youth unemployment through the provision of high quality vocational training and work experience, giving young people the skills and confidence to take the first steps into their careers. In particular, the Movement aims to support young people from disadvantaged backgrounds, who are struggling to identify and take advantage of employment opportunities. It is backed by the UK Government, the Trade Union Congress and the Confederation of British Industry. Offering 4 to 6 weeks of vocational training and work experience, the Movement aims to support 50 percent of participants to achieve a positive outcome of moving into paid work, including apprenticeships or further education. Since October 2013, Movement to Work has achieved over 50,000 placements.
Simon Redfern, VP of Corporate Affairs at Starbucks said: “As a business, we are committed to tackling youth unemployment, whilst young people make up our DNA - over 50% of our partners (employees) are under the age of 25. Movement to Work is a fantastic scheme, which provides us with the opportunity to collaborate with like-minded employers and help tackle this important issue.” With over 200 companies already part of the initiative, Starbucks will utilise their existing programme with Headstart, where 16 to24 year olds can participate in work placements, volunteering and employability workshops with a view to achieving permanent employment."
Victoria Cope, Supply Chain Lead at Movement to Work and BAE Systems employee said, “To date we have bought over 250 organisations together under the Movement to Work umbrella. Their placement programmes create insight and valuable steps into sustainable careers for the UK’s young unemployed people. So far, over 50 percent of placements have resulted in employment. We are delighted to have Starbucks come on board and offer even greater options for aspiring young people, enabling them to develop their confidence and enhance their employability.”
