Nestlé ‘helps 50,000 young people into work’

‘Alliance for YOUth’, led by Nestlé, has created opportunities within almost 200 companies, including Cargill, Ferminich, Limagrain, DHL, DS Smith, Google and Twitter.

The companies have also been involved in more than 5, 400 so-called ‘readiness for work’ activities, which included CV clinics, job fairs, job interview preparations and other support events for young graduates.

Nestlé executive vice president Luis Cantarell said: “More than 60% of the business partners have already improved youth recruitment practices and youth employability since they became involved in the Alliance.”​

On-the-job training ​

Many businesses offered dual learning to young people, which is a mixture between formal education and on-the-job training.

European commissioner for employment Marianne Thyssen said close cooperation with companies was crucial to facilitate school-to-work transitions and get young people into jobs.

“Alliance for YOUth companies have recently set up new dual learning schemes across Europe in collaboration with universities and schools, but they often face bureaucratic hurdles,”​ she said.

“26% of the companies believe that the administrative burden linked to these schemes is a barrier to setting up new youth work schemes. This refers for example to the long procedures to get government authorization to change education curricula.”​

Member States must take advantage of the opportunities the scheme presented and the financial support the EU makes available, she claimed.

650,000 young people ​

Last week the Commission transferred almost €1bn to Member States to help up to 650,000 young people find jobs, apprenticeships, traineeships or continued education, she added.

According to a survey conducted by global insights firm Nielsen among 635 business managers and human resources professionals from 70 ‘Alliance for YOUth’ companies in 22 European countries, 66% of respondents said apprenticeships and internships were likely to lead to permanent employment.

Many countries, especially in the south and east of Europe, were not yet organised to offer dual learning, Nielsen claimed.

Christophe Cambournac, European president of Nielsen, a member of the “Alliance for YOUth said duel learning helped young people to gain experience and confidence before they entered the job market.

“In addition, it helps to feed the talent pipeline of companies, matching skills with the jobs on the market,”​ he said.

“This is important as society is changing at a much faster pace than traditional school curricula can adapt to. Many of the jobs that will exist in 10 years are not yet around today.”​

Meanwhile Food Manufacture is looking for the food sector’s top new recruit to be crowned Top Young Talent of the Year at the Food Manufacturing Excellence Awards.

For more information, including how to enter, click here.​