KFC looking to help young people from Falkirk gain the skills to find employment

The new “Hatch” initiative aims to help 16 to 25-year-olds who have faced barriers to employment to build their work skills, confidence and land their first job.

Piloted

The Hatch programme, which was piloted in Manchester last year, is currently being rolled out in Falkirk and other areas of Scotland, working to identify young people

most in need and then offering them one to one training, support, and practical work experience, with an interview at KFC on graduation.

The launch of the programme comes as new research from KFC and Youth Scotland reveals the stark impact the cost-of-living crisis has had on young people’s

employment outlook in Scotland.

The research lays bare the impact the cost-of-living crisis is having, not just on young people’s immediate job and training opportunities, but also on their

confidence and longer-term employment outlook.

Meg Farren, KFC general manager at KFC UK and Ireland, said: “Young people today are facing greater challenges than ever before. The pandemic took away crucial

skills and career development opportunities – now, they’re faced with a cost-of-living crisis and uncertain economy, making it so much harder to land their first job.

"As one of the biggest youth employers in the country, we see first-hand how difficult it is for young people to build the skills and experience they need to enter the

world of work and our latest research demonstrates how today’s economic climate is only making this harder for young people.

“There are buckets of talent across the UK, but all too often young people are cut out of accessing opportunities. That needs to change. That’s why we’re excited to

be bringing our employability programme Hatch to Falkirk, to invest in the next generation and help unlock some of this untapped potential.”

Youth Scotland chief executive Mike Strang said: “The Hatch programme is a fantastic opportunity for young people in Scotland who are facing multiple barriers to entering the workforce.

"Youth employability programmes like Hatch offer pragmatic solutions and real prospects to some of the most disadvantaged of Scotland’s young people.”

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