NESTLE has pledged to offer at least 3,000 new employment opportunities for young people by 2020 at its factories and offices in the UK and Ireland, including York.

The company said this would build on more than 2,000 employment opportunities already created since 2014, and was part of a wider Nestlé Needs YOUth pledge to offer 35,000 work opportunities for young people in Europe, the Middle East and North Africa by 2020.

It was unable to say how many of the 3,000 new opportunities would be at its confectionery factory and offices in Haxby Road, York.

A spokeswoman said Nestlé had expanded the range of opportunities available to young people by launching new apprenticeship and graduate roles in Food Manufacture and Confectionery, new IT apprenticeships and a ground-breaking chartered manager degree apprenticeship scheme.

Dame Fiona Kendrick, Chairman and CEO of Nestlé UK & Ireland said: “Nurturing young talent is one of our core beliefs and at the heart of what we do at Nestlé.

"We have been very privileged to have many young people join us, learn and build life-long careers with us.

“It is important that we continue to lead the way in helping to support and develop the young talent of today to become the future leaders of tomorrow.

“Opportunities such as apprenticeships provide a fantastic first step on the employment ladder.”

York Press:

The spokeswoman said in 2014, Nestlé had expanded its Nestlé Needs YOUth initiative in Europe to create the Alliance for YOUth, a collaboration between over 200 leading companies to help young people be better prepared to enter the professional world.

“The Alliance has announced today that it will offer 230,000 new work opportunities for young Europeans between 2017 and 2020,” added the spokeswoman.