A new partnership between the Government, UKHospitality and some of Britain’s biggest hospitality employers aims to create 100,000 paid jobs for 18 to 24-year-olds who are not currently in education, employment or training (NEET) over the next three years.

Businesses including Whitbread, Nando’s, Marriott, Compass, Stonegate Group and Sodexo are supporting the initiative, alongside increased access to work experience and training.

What could this mean for operators?

Hospitality has long provided an accessible route into work, but the initiative also highlights an opportunity for operators facing ongoing recruitment and skills challenges. Businesses could consider:

• Opening more entry-level roles to people without previous hospitality experience.
• Strengthening onboarding and training to help younger employees build skills and confidence.
• Creating clearer progression opportunities to turn first jobs into longer-term careers.
• Exploring available support, including apprenticeships, skills programmes and government employment incentives.

£3,000 hiring incentive: what operators need to know

For operators looking to grow their teams, the Government has also announced £3,000 hiring incentives for employers as part of its wider work to help more young people into employment.

The incentive could help businesses manage some of the initial costs of taking on and developing new employees, making it easier to invest in younger talent while addressing recruitment and skills challenges within hospitality. This sits alongside further Government investment in training, apprenticeships and work experience opportunities.

To find out more about the initiative, including the £3,000 employer hiring incentive, visit the GOV.UK website.

For operators of all sizes, the announcement is a useful reminder that investing in new talent could help tackle recruitment challenges while building a stronger workforce for the future.