Retail giant Matalan has announced it will create over 200 'Kickstarter' placements for 16-24 year olds by offering industry-recognised qualifications and work experience.
The Merseyside-based firm said the move to support the Government's £2bn Kickstart scheme is part of its Early Careers proposition - with hundreds of roles to be created from head office to retail and logistics.
Matalan said it hopes the scheme will inspire the next generation of talent to make a career in retail their preferred choice.
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Emma Crossland, HR director at Matalan, said: “We are proud to be becoming a Kickstart employer and supporting young people to launch their careers through the Kickstart Scheme.
"Matalan is committed to supporting youth employment, and the scheme is offering a great opportunity, not only for us to provide meaningful training and experience but also to gain access to a high calibre of talent who can join us in our mission to provide real value and quality every day to modern families.
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"We look forward to welcoming successful applicants into the Matalan family.”
The Government’s Kickstart Scheme is a £2bn fund to create hundreds of thousands of high quality, six-month job placements for young people aged between 16 and 24 years old.
Matalan’s programme has been designed to provide a "unique insight" into the retail industry.
The business added that through its partnership with Qube Learning and the retailTRUST, it will offer individuals the opportunity to achieve a fully funded Level 2 qualification to aid their future employability, as well as providing health and wellbeing support.