'Not just any career' | M&S launches new leadership training scheme for 1,000 youngsters - with no degree required

M&S has announced a new initiative that will create 1,000 training places for young people across the UK and Ireland.

Designed to open opportunities for people at the start of their careers, the ‘Not Just Any Career’ programme will focus on leadership skills, hands-on experience, and clear pathways into a retail career for life. 

Both M&S colleagues and external candidates can apply, from school leavers upwards, with the programme specifically aimed at 18–24-year-olds. Applicants will not need a degree to take part. 

In a blog post commissioned by Alan Milburn, the CEO of M&S Stuart Machin recently reflected on his career in retail which started with pushing trolleys at 16: “A Saturday job can change a young person’s life. I know, because it transformed mine. But when I think about the challenges facing young people today, I worry that many won’t have the same opportunity.