Former M&S Boss Appointed to Assist State in Combating Youth Joblessness

The government has enlisted the former head of Marks & Spencer to assist in reversing the trend of rising youth unemployment, a move prompted by a stark warning regarding a potential "lost generation." Alan Milburn, a former minister, authored a critical review highlighting that without immediate intervention, one in six young people could find themselves neither working, studying, nor in training within five years.

Marc Bolland has been assigned the role of uniting business executives to broaden prospects for younger individuals. Additionally, he will provide counsel to Work and Pensions Secretary Pat McFadden on strategies to address the findings outlined in the review.

"I am convinced that the government is committed to resolving this generational crisis of youth joblessness, and I understand that collaborating closely with the business sector offers young people the greatest opportunity for success," Bolland stated.

In his report, Milburn cautioned that "for too many young people, opportunities are not growing, they're shrinking." The investigation focused on the reasons behind the high number of 16- to 24-year-olds who are not in employment, education, or training—a demographic commonly referred to by the acronym Neet.

The findings, alongside other statistical data, revealed that six out of ten Neets had never held a job. However, the survey indicated that 84% of these young people expressed a desire for employment or training. These conclusions emerged as official data showed that over one million young people were outside of education, employment, or training systems, marking the highest figure recorded in more than 12 years.

Following the publication of Milburn’s report, the government confirmed that several of the UK’s largest corporations would support 300,000 work experience and training placements for youth over the next three years.

Bolland brings extensive leadership experience to the role, having previously served as chief executive of Morrisons and chief operating officer at Heineken. In 2012, he established the charity Movement to Work in response to the riots of the previous year, an initiative that has successfully helped more than 200,000 disadvantaged young people enter the workforce.

Source: BBC News Generated at: 2026-05-30 21:30:41 UTC