Marks & Spencer celebrates 20 years of Marks & Start, supporting 12,000 young people into employment
Marks & Spencer (M&S) is celebrating the 20th anniversary of its Marks & Start program, a partnership with The King’s Trust to help individuals overcome employment barriers.
Over two decades, the program has supported more than 30,000 people, including 12,000 young individuals, by providing essential skills for entering the workforce.
Tackling employment challenges
Recent research commissioned by M&S highlights the challenges faced by young people in the job market. Two-thirds of young people report experiencing barriers to employment, with mental health issues identified as a significant factor by one-third of respondents.
Recognizing the link between employment and mental well-being, M&S continues its partnership with the mental health charity YoungMinds. The collaboration, which began last year, has already raised £2.6 million, with a target of £5 million over three years.
Stuart Machin, Chief Executive of M&S, underscored the importance of partnerships:
“As one of the UK’s biggest retail employers, it's our responsibility to help young people into work – especially those furthest from employment who might need extra support.
“But we can’t do it alone; that’s why we partner with The King’s Trust and Young Minds, brilliant organizations that really understand the help young people need.”
How Marks & Start works
Marks & Start prepares participants for the workforce by teaching skills such as CV writing, interview techniques, and financial management. According to M&S, 80% of program graduates go on to secure employment with the company.
The retail sector remains a key entry point for employment in the UK, employing over 2.8 million people.
Machin, who started his career in retail at age 16, highlighted the industry’s role in providing opportunities:
“The success of Marks and Start over twenty years shows the difference that partnership can make. Together with The King’s Trust, we’ve helped 12,000 young people into work and in doing so, changed thousands of lives.”
Future plans
M&S has committed to supporting nearly 2,000 more young people through Marks & Start over the next three years. The company also plans to engage with policymakers and business leaders to create more accessible employability schemes across the UK.
Jonathan Townsend, CEO of The King’s Trust, praised the program:
“Young people continue to face significant challenges to their employment prospects but there are so many young people who are ready to work and just need an additional support to make that happen. We rely on partners like M&S who invest in young people and create accessible routes to employment, helping us to achieve our mission of building the confidence and skills of young people who need us most.
“M&S have been a driving force behind our employability initiatives and we are so proud of our long-standing partnership, celebrating 20 years together to support 12,000 young people. With their pioneering approach and embedding our work across their organization, we are able to remove employability barriers for thousands of young people helping to transform their futures."
Laura Bunt, Chief Executive of YoungMinds, emphasized the importance of this work, adding:
“Battling poor mental health since childhood, and coming to terms with being neurodivergent, added barriers to everyday tasks, such as job interviews that seemed impossible. But the Marks & Start scheme offered the support I didn’t even know I needed.
“The confidence-building, and care helped me understand my worth. Marks & Start isn’t just an employability program — it’s a lifeline. It’s not giving young people a job, it’s giving young people the chance to change their lives, find their purpose, and contribute to society.”
