Work and Pensions Secretary Pat McFadden has welcomed a hospitality-sector agreement to unlock up to 100,000 jobs for young people aged 18 to 24 who are not in education, employment or training.
Developed with the Department for Work and Pensions and UKHospitality, the paid initiative includes restaurant chains such as Nando's, Wagamama and Burger King, hotel chain Premier Inn, and pub groups including Fuller's and Mitchells & Butlers.
Pat McFadden: 'First step on the ladder'
Pat McFadden said the scheme would help young people "get their first step on the ladder" and build their careers, connecting them with employers ready to take them on.
Placements of up to four weeks are intended to give participants the skills and confidence needed to move into work. The Office for National Statistics put the number of 16- to 24-year-olds who were NEET between April and June at 981,000.
The deal follows a similar partnership with major retailers announced last month. Former Marks & Spencer chief executive Marc Bolland, appointed by the Government to drive youth employment reforms, played a central role.
Prime Minister Andy Burnham is expected to launch the initiative during a hospitality venue visit. Education Secretary Lucy Powell is separately expected to consult on school exclusion changes after research linked persistent absence to a higher risk of becoming NEET.
