Marc Bolland, the former chief executive of Marks & Spencer, has been appointed to spearhead a new government initiative aimed at getting young people into work or education. The move comes as the number of 16- to 24-year-olds not in employment, education or training (Neet) has reached one million, a crisis that former Labour minister Alan Milburn warned costs the taxpayer and economy £125 billion.
Bolland's Role and Experience
Bolland will convene leaders from various sectors to help tackle the Neet crisis. In addition to leading major companies such as Marks & Spencer, Morrisons supermarkets, and Heineken, he founded the charity Movement to Work, which has helped over 200,000 unemployed young people into employment. In his new role, he will advise Work and Pensions Secretary Pat McFadden on the government's response to the Alan Milburn Review.
Government and Business Collaboration
Work and Pensions Secretary Pat McFadden said: "The number of young people not in education, employment or training is a serious challenge that has been allowed to persist for too long. That is why I asked Alan Milburn to look hard at the underlying causes and what it will take to fix them. Marc Bolland's appointment sends a clear signal that we are serious about tackling that challenge. His track record in business and through Movement to Work make him uniquely placed to bring employers together and open up real opportunities for young people who need them most."
Bolland commented: "As founder and chairman of Movement to Work we have, in close cooperation with DWP, brought over 200,000 NEETs into work and I am honoured and passionate to join the DWP now. I believe the Government is serious about tackling this generational crisis of youth unemployment, and I know that working hand in hand with business to support young people gives them the best possible chance of success."
Key Findings from the Milburn Review
The Milburn Review highlighted that over six in ten (61%) of young people labelled as Neets have never had a job, compared to 42% two decades ago. It also found that eight out of ten English local authorities with the highest likelihood of being Neet are in the North of England and the Midlands, including Knowsley, Middlesbrough, Nottingham, Hartlepool, and Manchester, while Islington in London also featured.
The government aims to learn from European countries with the lowest Neet rates to improve its approach. The appointment of Bolland is seen as a key step in addressing this persistent issue.
