FDBusiness.com

Nestlé has pledged to create 20,000 positions for young people across Europe over the next three years. The Nestlé needs YOUth Initiative will offer jobs to 10,000 people under the age of 30 and create 10,000 apprentice positions and traineeships by 2016.

“Today, one in four young people in Europe does not have a job,” says Laurent Freixe, Nestlé executive vice-president and zone director for Europe. “Think of the impact on our society if these young people are left on the margins, without income, without a future, without hope. As we continue to grow and invest in Europe, we want to do all we can to strengthen and develop their skills, and improve their employability, regardless of their level of education.”

The initiative, the first of its kind on such a scale, is built upon the company’s continued commitment to investing in Europe throughout the economic crisis.

All the Nestlé teams in Europe will contribute to the initiative.

For example, Nestlé will hire 3,000 young people in France, 2,420 in Germany, 1,250 in Spain and 1,080 in Italyover the three-year period, including both direct recruitment and apprenticeship/traineeships positions.

All sectors will have roles, providing a range of opportunities for those interested in Nestlé’s wide variety of careers, including manufacturing, administration, Human Resources, sales, marketing, finance, engineering and R&D.

As part of the initiative, there will also be a small number of roles specifically designed to give those from southern Europe invaluable experience working for Nestlé abroad – in Switzerland, France, Germany, Austria, Nordics and the UK.

In addition, in order to facilitate the transition between school and employment, the initiative will also include a ‘Readiness for Work’ programme, with career counselling, CV workshops and interview training at schools, colleges and at Nestlé sites.

Nestlé will also encourage its over 63,000 European suppliers to take part in the Nestlé needs YOUth Initiative by offering a job, apprenticeship or traineeship to young people, a programme that will be called ‘Alliance for Youth’.

“Nestlé is globally successful also because we are successful inEurope,” explains Laurent Freixe. “This initiative aims to harness the dynamism of its youth so that they can look, with confidence, to a brighter future.”