Marc Bolland, former chief executive of Marks & Spencer and Morrisons, has been appointed as a lead non-executive director at the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) to address the growing youth unemployment crisis in the UK. The government announced the appointment on Saturday, as part of efforts to prevent a 'lost generation' of young people.
Currently, about one million 16- to 24-year-olds—one in eight—are not in education, employment, or training (Neets). An interim report by former health secretary Alan Milburn warned this number could rise to 1.25 million by the 2030s without radical action. The economic cost of the crisis is estimated at £125 billion.
Bolland will lead a summit of business leaders and work with charities to help disabled or depressed young people access training and jobs. He already collaborates with the DWP through his charity Movement to Work, which has helped over 200,000 unemployed young people find employment.
Work and Pensions Secretary Pat McFadden said Bolland's appointment sends a 'clear signal' that the government is serious about tackling youth unemployment. Bolland said he was 'honoured and passionate' about the role, adding that working with business gives young people the best chance of success.
The UK's Neet rate is significantly higher than in other developed countries; in the Netherlands, it is about 5%, compared to 12.5% in Britain. Milburn's report also found that six in ten young people have never had a job, up from four in ten in 2005, and that many are deemed unfit to work due to health conditions like anxiety and depression.
