No experience? A new scheme aims to help 100,000 young people into work 

“You need experience” is one of the most frustrating phrases a young jobseeker can hear. 

How are you supposed to get that experience if nobody gives you a first chance? 

A new initiative involving some of Britain’s biggest retailers is trying to break that cycle. The sector has set a target of helping 100,000 young people into jobs by the end of the current Parliament, with a particular focus on those who are not currently working or studying. 

For thousands of 18 to 24-year-olds, the first step will not be a traditional job application. It will be a short period inside a real workplace. 

A first step instead of a perfect CV 

The programme, called Opening Shift, has been developed by the British Retail Consortium and the Department for Work and Pensions. 

More than 40 retailers are involved, including Tesco, John Lewis, Waitrose, Currys, Boots, Lidl, Primark and Costa Coffee. 

Participants will be offered between two and four weeks of hands-on work experience, usually for 16 to 35 hours a week. More than 11,000 placements have already been pledged. 

Crucially, each participant is expected to receive an interview at the end. 

If there is a suitable vacancy, that could lead directly to a job. If not, candidates may be added to a talent pool or directed towards apprenticeships and other opportunities. 

Retail has always been a gateway into work 

For many people, a shop floor, café or stockroom is where working life begins. 

These roles may look simple from the outside, but they teach skills that transfer almost anywhere: dealing with customers, working in a team, handling pressure, managing time and taking responsibility. 

That first job can later lead into supervision, logistics, operations, management or a completely different sector. 

The problem is that entry-level work has become harder to access in recent years. Employers often want candidates who can already demonstrate workplace experience before they have had a realistic chance to gain it. 

More than 11,000 placements are already planned 

Opening Shift is designed specifically around that gap. 

The government will identify eligible young people through Jobcentres, while participating employers will provide workplace experience and support. 

Alongside the programme, the wider retail sector has committed to a target of 100,000 jobs for young people who are outside employment, education or training. 

Other schemes are moving in the same direction. More than 90,000 young people are also expected to receive support through the government’s Jobs Guarantee over the next three years. 

A first job does not have to be a dream job 

There is often huge pressure on young people to choose the “right career” immediately. 

In reality, the first useful step may simply be getting into a workplace, learning how it operates and building enough experience to make the next application easier. 

A temporary placement in retail may not become a lifelong career. It does not need to. 

If it gives someone their first reference, first interview experience or first permanent job, it has already broken one of the hardest barriers facing people at the beginning of working life. 

And for those already looking beyond retail, there are plenty of other entry points into the labour market. On Jober.uk you can browse current roles such as Support Worker, Care Worker, Driver or Team Leader.