Former M&S Chief Marc Bolland Appointed to Combat Rising Youth Unemployment in UK
Marc Bolland, formerly the chief executive of Marks & Spencer, has been tasked by the government with addressing the increasing levels of youth unemployment across the UK. His appointment follows a stark review, led by former minister Alan Milburn, which projected that one in six young people could be out of work, education, or training within five years if immediate action is not taken.
Bolland's mandate involves mobilising business leaders to generate expanded opportunities for young individuals. He will also counsel Pat McFadden, the Work and Pensions Secretary, on the appropriate governmental response to the findings of Milburn's extensive review.
Milburn's report highlighted a critical issue: "The problem is that for too many young people, opportunities are not growing, they're shrinking." The review investigated why a significant number of 16- to 24-year-olds are not in employment, education, or training (NEET). It found that six out of ten NEET young people had never held a job, despite 84% expressing a desire for employment or training.
The review's publication coincided with official figures revealing that over one million young people are currently NEET, marking the highest level in more than a decade. In response to these findings, the government announced commitments from major UK businesses to support 300,000 work experience and training placements for young people over the next three years. Bolland's prior experience includes leading Morrisons and serving as chief operating officer at Heineken. In 2012, he established the Movement to Work charity, which has since assisted over 200,000 disadvantaged young people into employment.
