Issued by: Department for Work and Pensions

Young people across the country will be helped onto the career ladder thanks to the creation of 300,000 new work experience and training placements in sectors including construction, health and social care and hospitality.

• New placements announced as Government accelerates its Youth Guarantee to give every young person the chance to earn or learn.

• Expansion of support will help thousands more young people gain hands-on experience, build skills and move into work over the next three years.

• Move comes after Alan Milburn’s interim report into youth unemployment highlighted the vital importance of work experience.

Young people across the country will be helped onto the career ladder thanks to the creation of 300,000 new work experience and training placements in sectors including construction, health and social care and hospitality.

The new placements, part of a £2.5 billion youth employment support package, will see young people gain hands-on experience, build real skills and move into sustained work.

They come as the Government accelerates its Youth Guarantee to give every young person the chance to earn or learn and reverse the rising numbers not in education, employment, or training (NEET) - currently standing at just over/under one million.

Work experience is widely recognised as a key way to help young people gain the skills and confidence to succeed, and Alan Milburn’s interim report published yesterday (28 May) warned that the first rung of the career ladder has thinned.

The report, commissioned by the Government to identify the root causes of youth unemployment, warned that Britain risks a lost generation unless young people are given real opportunities to gain work experience.

Work and Pensions Secretary Pat McFadden said:

"The evidence is clear, give young people real work experience and the chances of them building a lasting career increase dramatically.

"That’s why we are creating 300,000 new placements, backed by some of Britain’s biggest employers, to give young people the skills, confidence and connections they need to get on.

"This generation deserves every opportunity to succeed, and this Government is determined to deliver it."

The 300,000 placements will be made up of work experience and Sector-based Work Academy Programmes (SWAPs), reaching young people in every corner of the country.

SWAPs are short government-funded programmes for jobseekers claiming benefits, offering training, hands-on experience of the workplace and a guaranteed job interview.

Recent analysis shows around four in ten SWAP participants move into sustained work within six months, earning an average of £1,400 a month, a powerful demonstration that the programme is delivering real, lasting change for young people.

Major employers including Manchester Airport Group, JD and Gatwick Airport are already backing SWAPs, with the construction industry leading the way.

Chief Executive of London Gatwick, Pierre-Hugues Schmit said:

"We’re delighted to welcome the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions to London Gatwick. As a major employer and economic driver in the South-East, we recognise the importance of opening doors for young people.

"We are proud of our initiatives such as our long-standing apprenticeship programme, internship opportunities, community outreach and the London Gatwick Aviation Academy.

"This SWAP programme delivered in partnership with the DWP and Jobcentre Plus has seen 81 participants achieve a Level 1 NCFE qualification in ‘Introduction to Aviation’, with over half progressing into employment at the airport since February 2026.

"At London Gatwick, we are committed to creating clear pathways into well-rewarded, high-skilled careers."

Construction SWAPs broke records in 2025/26, with almost 17,000 starts helping to power the pipeline of skilled workers Britain needs to deliver on its housebuilding and infrastructure ambitions.

The Youth Guarantee package will deliver a range of opportunities to young people – including a £3,000 Youth Jobs Grant and 50,000 additional youth apprenticeships, supporting the Government’s mission to ensure that getting Britain’s young people into good, productive jobs is central to its wider plan for economic growth.

Additional information

• Nearly 100,000 SWAPs were delivered in 2025/26, an increase of almost 15,000 on the previous year, with a record 25,000 young people aged 16 to 24 starting a SWAP, up from 21,000 the year before.

• Plans are already in place to push delivery even further, with an ambitious target of 115,000 starts next year.

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