Marks and Spencer (M&S) has announced the launch of 1,000 'graduate-style' training places for young people across the UK and Ireland, with applications opening on July 27. The initiative, named 'Not Just Any Career', is designed to provide opportunities for individuals at the start of their careers, focusing on leadership skills, hands-on experience, and clear pathways into a retail career for life.
Eligibility and Pay
The scheme is open to both existing M&S employees and external candidates, from school leavers upwards, targeting 18 to 24-year-olds. No degree is required. Participants will be paid the standard store worker rate of £13.41 per hour nationally and £14.74 in London. M&S has confirmed that 1,000 places will be available over the next 18 months.
Training and Progression
Successful applicants will receive six months of training supported by M&S leaders and shop floor employees. Training will focus on practical retail management skills, confidence-building, and hands-on experience in store. M&S says participants will be able to move on to further training to become a Store Manager within the company, helping young people onto the 'first rung of the leadership ladder'.
Context and Quotes
The announcement follows the interim report of Labour grandee Alan Milburn's Young People and Work Review, which highlighted that nearly one million young people aged 16 to 24 in the UK are NEET (not in education, employment or training), a number that is rising. M&S chief executive Stuart Machin, who started his career pushing trolleys, wrote in a blog post: 'A Saturday job can change a young person’s life. I know, because it transformed mine. But when I think about the challenges facing young people today, I worry that many won’t have the same opportunity.'
M&S retail director Thinus Keeve said: 'Retail is one of the few careers where you can start young, learn fast, lead teams early and build an incredible future through hard work and ambition. ... You do not need a degree to succeed here; you need attitude, energy, resilience and the willingness to learn.'
Application Details
Applications open on July 27, with placements made throughout the year on a rolling basis. Interested individuals can register their interest on M&S's website to be notified when applications go live. Further details, including eligibility rules and location availability, will be announced in due course.
