Starbucks Supports Youth Training and Employment in Europe
Starbucks commitment to creating career pathways and opportunities for youth spans the globe.
Almost half of Starbucks partners (employees) are under the age of 24 – an age group facing the most significant challenges in gaining full- and part-time work. Through training and employment initiatives, Starbucks aims to help young adults prepare for and secure jobs.
The European Commission is currently hosting European Vocational Skills Week to inspire individuals to discover, use and improve their talents and abilities through vocational training. More than 750 events are taking place across Europe to demonstrate the role of training in developing marketable skills and acquiring jobs. Starbucks is lending its support for the event by providing details and increasing participation in its youth employment programs highlighted by an apprenticeship program in the UK and job preparedness initiative in France.
An Employer of Choice
Starbucks Apprenticeship Programme, launched in 2012, offers young people an opportunity to learn about a retail management career and build the transferrable skills needed to further their individual goals. In March 2016, Starbucks expanded the effort to include those with higher degrees, allowing for apprenticeships in a range of disciplines such as digital, legal and management. With this change, Starbucks began offering professional services apprenticeships in its UK Support Centre in addition to opportunities in the company’s stores.
“We are really proud of our apprentices,” said Carol Muldoon, vice president of Partner Resources for Starbucks Europe, Middle East and Africa region. “They have really inspired many partners and leaders in our business. We want to be an employer of choice for apprenticeships and youth opportunity.”
Eighteen year-old Zain Bedar (pictured below) learned about the Starbucks Apprenticeship Programme at a career fair in London earlier this year. He is now five months into a two-year Level 4 apprenticeship as a financial analyst. In addition to earning a salary, he will obtain a Chartered Institute of Management Accounting (CIMA) qualification at the end of his training with Starbucks.
“My apprenticeship allows me to combine studying on the job whilst gaining practical work experience and skills in a professional environment,” he said. “I am pleased that I made the decision of vocational training through my apprenticeship rather than going to university and I am very excited about my future career prospects.”
Providing Career Advice and Opportunities
Through the Opportunity Youth Programme, Starbucks partners in France conduct events that offer guidance on creating resumes, building interview skills and determining future career goals.
Most recently, the team held a job fair in Seine Saint-Denis, a department northeast of Paris, and one of France's most deprived areas with a large youth population and high levels of unemployment. The event, attended by MP Razzy Hammadi, the mayor and deputy mayor of Bagnolet and Starbucks partners, was arranged in partnership with the local council in Seine Saint-Denis. Participants learned about Starbucks brand and careers with the company through interactive presentations. They also met several local baristas before taking part in interviews, followed by individual coaching sessions.
“With our Opportunity Youth Programme, we are going to some of the most hard-pressed communities in our major cities and providing an opportunity for young people to work and change their lives,” said Aurelia Chorrin, Starbucks director of Partner Resources. “Providing these first jobs and life opportunities for young people is right at the heart of what we do at Starbucks.”
