- Sainsbury’s is creating 10,000 work experience opportunities over the next year for young people through its new programme, KickStarter, and a new industry pilot with The Careers & Enterprise Company and the Institute of Grocery Distribution
- KickStarter is designed and run by Sainsbury’s colleagues across its stores, depots and offices, giving young people real, hands-on experience
- Focused on the communities that need it most, the programme will help young people build confidence, learn new skills and take their first step into work
Sainsbury’s has today announced the launch of a new Modern Work Experience Programme that will create around 10,000 opportunities over the next year for young people to develop skills, build confidence and gain insight into future careers.
Modern work experience is a fresh take on the idea of a week’s work placement, with research showing that repeated, meaningful engagement with employers at school can significantly reduce the risk of becoming not in education, employment or training (NEET) by 80%1. Instead of a one-off, young people get a series of real, hands-on experiences with employers over time – from practical skills sessions, meeting colleagues and store visits – building confidence and a proper feel for the world of work.
KickStarter, Sainsbury’s own programme, has been designed and will be run by Sainsbury’s Early Careers Team, colleagues, stores and Store Support Centres. This sits alongside a separate pilot with The Careers & Enterprise Company (CEC) and Institute of Grocery Distribution (IGD), which Sainsbury’s is helping to shape. Together, they will help more young people access meaningful work experience and better understand the opportunities available to them.
Too often, work experience depends on who you know rather than what you can do. Many young people leave education without access to employers, workplace networks or a clear understanding of the opportunities available to them. And with over one million young people aged 16 to 24 not in education, employment or training2 – more than one in eight – this has become an urgent national challenge.
Sainsbury’s KickStarter Scheme
Sainsbury’s KickStarter scheme will bring together two connected pathways designed to support young people at different stages of their journey:
KickStarter Explore (14–18 years)
A blend of in-school learning and practical work experience, co-designed with The School Outreach Company. The programme will help young people build confidence, develop workplace skills and discover the wide range of careers available at Sainsbury’s and the wider retail sector.
KickStarter Insights (16–24 years)
This programme is co-designed and delivered in partnership with Sainsbury’s Early Careers team, youth employment charity Movement to Work and specialist partner Aim a Little Higher. These regional employability workshops will help young people strengthen communication skills, prepare for interviews and applications and take their next step into work.
More than 5,000 places will be delivered through KickStarter Explore and over 200 through KickStarter Insights. Following our support of the pilot with IGD and the CEC, Sainsbury’s will deliver an additional 5,000 opportunities through its own programmes.
The programme represents a significant long-term commitment from Sainsbury’s, with colleagues across the business giving their time to support young people. For those taking part, it means going behind the scenes on a store tour, meeting colleagues from across stores, logistics, technology and food and getting stuck in – from seeing how fresh produce reaches the shelves to following a product’s journey from farm to fork. They’ll also get practical help with CVs, interviews and applications. The days are lively and hands-on, designed to build confidence and show just how many different careers sit under one roof.
The programme will be delivered across the UK, including England, Scotland and Wales. It will focus on the communities where we can make the biggest difference, particularly those with a high proportion of schools offering free school meals, and young people not in employment, education or training, helping connect education with real-world opportunities. More information on how to apply can be found below.
Feeding Britain’s Future
Alongside its own KickStarter programme, Sainsbury is a founding participant in a pilot with the CEC, the IGD and other retailers to develop a new industry approach to work experience for 14-18-year-olds. The pilot will inform plans to expand opportunities across Sainsbury’s store network from 2027, helping more young people access meaningful workplace experience in their local communities.
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.
“Our new work experience 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 said: “The youth unemployment crisis has been ignored for too long. This government is making it a top priority and bringing back hope.
“Last month we announced a shake-up of the education system, with the launch of new prestigious technical educational routes. Now we’re bringing employers, schools and colleges together to close the gap between the classroom and the workplace.
“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.”
Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, said: “I know from personal experience, that work experience is often the first taste of the world of work for a young person, and everyone should be able to access placements, regardless of their background or circumstances. With around one in eight young people not in education, employment or training, I’ve made tackling youth unemployment a top priority, by investing in skills training and mentoring. As one of the country’s largest employers, with hundreds of branches across London, it’s great to see Sainsbury’s stepping up and launching 10,000 work experience opportunities for young people. My first experience of work was in retail. Programmes like this are vital for breaking down the barriers to work and building skills and confidence to thrive, as we continue to build a better, more prosperous capital for everyone.”
Alan Milburn said: “For too long work experience has been treated as an afterthought. Yet six in 10 young people who are NEET have never had a job. Employers say lack of experience is the single biggest barrier to hiring young people – and young people say exactly the same. It’s a vicious cycle and it’s holding Britain back.
“Sainsbury’s is helping break that cycle, reaching the communities where young people face the biggest barriers. It’s exactly the kind of practical action employers can take now, while we build the fuller response this problem demands.”
Helen Dickinson, Chief Executive of the BRC, said: “As the largest private sector employer, retail is a first step on the career ladder for thousands of people every year, building confidence, skills and experience that shapes their futures. Helping more young people be work ready and those who need help breaking out of the no-experience, no-job doom loop is critical to addressing the NEETs crisis. This great initiative is just the start as more retailers scale up the opportunities the industry can provide.”
Sarah Bradbury, Chief Executive at IGD, said: “Early interactions with employers are vital for opening young people’s eyes to the breadth of career opportunities available and helping prevent them from becoming NEET. We called for food and drink businesses to explore the delivery of modern work experience as part of our Feeding Britain’s Future industry-wide movement and we’re delighted that Sainsbury’s has led the way, becoming one of the first businesses to turn that ambition into action through its new Modern Work Experience Programme. Together, we can help more young people understand the careers that exist across food and drink and take their first steps towards a rewarding future.”
John Yarham, CEO of The Careers & Enterprise Company, said: “Every young person deserves access to high-quality modern experience that gives them a pathway to opportunity, regardless of who they know or where they live.
“We’re proud to partner with Sainsbury’s and IGD to create more flexible and inclusive opportunities in the food and drink industry. With its scale and reach into communities across the country, Sainsbury’s can make a real difference, helping thousands of young people build the skills, confidence and connections they need to take their best next step.”
Ava, Rylie, Faris and Jonathan, Youth Advisory Group Members at The Careers & Enterprise Company, said: “Every young person should have the chance to experience the world of work, but not everyone has access to opportunities or connections. High-quality, modern work experience can open your eyes to careers you didn’t know existed and help you build skills, confidence and your network for the future.
“It’s great to see Sainsbury’s creating thousands of opportunities for young people to discover what’s out there and see where their skills could take them.”
1. Landmark Work Experience Report: Past, Present and Future – Education and Employers
2. https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/young-people-and-work-interim-report/young-people-and-work-interim-report
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