Summer Jobs Unwrapped

Short, time-limited placements – typically six to eight weeks – providing paid, real-world work experience alongside supervision, mentoring and work-readiness training.

Programmes typically include:

✓ pre-employment or work-readiness training

✓ opportunities to develop communication, teamwork and time-management

✓ coaching and mentoring

✓ support to explore next steps in education, training or work

Summer employment programmes are designed to help young people build confidence, skills and insight into the workplace.

Programmes are typically offered to 16 to 24-year-olds who are:

• in school or college, or
• preparing to transition into work

Many programmes focus on young people from disadvantaged communities or those at risk of not progressing into further learning.

Access is often shaped by outreach through schools and community organisations. Where places are limited, selection may be through a lottery, simple assessment or eligibility criteria.

Our research focuses on programmes delivered to young people aged 16 to 24 as an intervention to improve employment outcomes.

Any UK business, charity, public-sector body or social enterprise can, provided it meets the legal requirements of:

• paying at least the minimum wage
• providing a safe working environment
• complying with working-time rules for young people

Most UK models blend:

• philanthropic or foundation funding
• government or local authority contributions
• employer-provided placements and supervision

Funders, partners or sponsors typically cover core costs such as wages, training or pastoral support, and wider programme infrastructure.

This means employers can participate without carrying the full financial burden of delivery.

Emerging research indicates that taking part in a summer job programme can:

✓ improve a young person’s ongoing engagement with education and training

✓ improve a young person’s job readiness and motivation

✓ increase a young person’s skills like communication, teamwork, responsibility, problem-solving

✓ boost a young person’s confidence and personal development

✓ reduce a young person’s involvement in criminal or antisocial behaviours

In turn, these outcomes may have a knock-on effect on a young person’s employability in the long term.

For example, the skills and qualifications gained through summer employment programmes can make young people more likely to get a job in the future.