Trialled in Manchester earlier this year, the programme, developed and delivered with UK Youth, is now being rolled out nationwide, and is ultimately set to help 6,000 young people build their work skills and confidence, with an interview at KFC guaranteed on graduation.
The fast food business is targeting a third of all hires by 2030 to be young people, aged between 16 and 24, who have faced barriers to employment – whether that’s because of social, economic, domestic or mental health challenges – particularly those who have been excluded from employment and training opportunities.
The tailored programme will offer one one-to-one training, youth work and practical work experience.
Despite the positive contribution young people could bring to the workforce, a new report from UK Youth and KFC, found that a significant lack of investment in young people’s work skills and confidence, and a growing ‘generation gap’ between young people and employers, is fuelling the current labour and skills shortage.
Nine in (87%) of employers said it was important for them to foster young talent, but this is not translating into real action, with one in ten (11%) employers not offering any support or training to young employees, the survey found.
Meanwhile, four in five (79%) young people said they would be more likely to choose to work for an employer who invested in developing young people’s skills.
KFC and UK Youth are now calling on businesses and government to give the next generation the practical tools and support they need to enter and thrive in the workplace, through programmes like Hatch.
Meghan Farren, general Manager at KFC UK&I, commented: “There are more job vacancies across Britain than unemployed people – a first since records began – but the need to foster young talent and invest in their skills and development over the long term continues to be overlooked.
“If we’re to tackle the labour shortage and provide better jobs and economic growth across the country for the next generation, then we urgently need to help young who have been excluded from education and training opportunities to find their feet and their voice in the workplace.
“Helping the next generation is an investment in the future of our businesses. That starts with employers, like us, investing in programmes like Hatch that support and empower young people, whatever their background.”
Maddie Dinwoodie, chief programme officer, UK Youth, added: “The pandemic and now the cost-of-living crisis are having a huge impact on the employment prospects of this generation of young people, despite the record numbers of job vacancies. Unlocking talent and supporting all young people into work has to be a priority, particularly people who are unemployed or underemployed.
“We are enormously proud of our Hatch partnership with KFC, which is connecting young people to youth workers to be the essential trusted adult in a young person’s employability journey. The youth workers support them through the programme and paid work experience building essential skills for employment as well the transition into work.”
Hatch was piloted in Manchester with over 80 young people, half of those who completed have found full time employment as a result. The programme will be scaled up in 2023 to 500 young people, recruited into KFC locations across the UK. By 2030, KFC aims for a third of all new hires to the business to be through the Hatch programme.