KFC says third of new UK hires will be disadvantaged youths

KFC has said that by 2030 a third of all its new hires in the UK will be young people from disadvantaged backgrounds.

The chain, which has around 950 UK outlets, predicts the move will help about 6,000 people get their first job, at a time when the hospitality industry is grappling with staff shortages.

The programme, developed with the charity UK Youth, will involve training and practical work experience and is targeted at people aged between 16 and 24 who have faced barriers to employment because of social, economic, domestic or mental health challenges.

Meghan Farren, general manager of KFC UK and Ireland, said: “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 people who have been excluded from education and training opportunities to find their feet and their voice in the workplace.”

She added that a pledge like this, to support younger people, was “an investment in the future of our businesses”.

The new programme will involve training and practical work experience, is targeted at people aged between 16 and 24 who have faced barriers to employment because of social, economic, domestic or mental health challenges.

She added that a pledge like this, to support younger people, was “an investment in the future of our businesses”.

The announcement comes as a number of industries are battling staff shortages, with hospitality firms such as pubs, bars and restaurants among those hardest hit.

Last month, a survey by the CBI business lobby group found nearly three-quarters of UK companies had suffered from labour shortages in the past 12 months.