Unilever has unveiled an ambitious plan to connect 100 young people to work experience within the hospitality industry this summer through its I’m Wall’s traineeship programme, with a commitment to grow the programme across the UK every year.
Unilever’s ice cream brand Wall’s is on a mission to inspire happiness in communities across the UK, and every scoop, cone or stick of Wall’s ice cream supports the I’m Wall’s traineeship programme. The programme connects young people who may feel unsupported and excluded from career opportunities, with a traineeship allowing them to gain the confidence, skills and experience they need to start building their career and find long-term employment.
As well as supporting local people within their communities, I’m Wall’s can help benefit operators who join the programme too. Whether an old or new Wall’s customer, when operators sign-up to join I’m Wall’s, as well as extra on-the-ground help, they are supported by the Unilever Wall’s sales team who will help them get the most out of selling Wall’s ice creams, including support to identify the best cabinet solutions, the ideal portfolio and visibility items for their site and promotional advice.
The only requirements to join the programme are to sell Wall’s ice creams and host a I’m Wall’s trainee for a four-week work placement. After the four-week work experience period is complete, and partners have had the opportunity to get to know their trainee, all partners are encouraged to consider offering longer-term employment opportunities to their trainee.
Prior to the onset of the Covid pandemic, there were already 760,000 young people (18-24) not in education or employment in the UK. Young people have since been disproportionately affected by the massive social and economic disruption that the pandemic has brought. The I’m Wall’s traineeship is a skills development programme which aims to give young people the experience, basic qualifications, and confidence to go on to find long-term sustained employment.
The programme begins with employment training, provided by SMART Training & Recruitment, followed by hands-on four-week work placement hosted by I’m Wall’s partners and Wall’s ice cream vendors, such as Café owners and businesses in leisure sites or hospitality venues. The I’m Wall’s and SMART team also support all I’m Wall’s graduates to connect to further employment.
Horácio Cal, Ice Cream Brand Experience Director, Unilever UK & Ireland said, “We’ve developed our I’m Wall’s programme with young people at the heart but with our partners and operators in mind too. It’s a win win, grow ice cream sales whilst helping a young person to build a brighter future.
“We want to secure 100 I’m Wall’s traineeships this Summer but our ambition is to grow the programme every year, and we need operators to help us make this happen and help change lives. The hospitality industry has a huge opportunity to lead the way in helping young people to get the helping hand they need to kickstart their careers, and with the number of young people currently unemployed so high, supporting them has never been more important.
“I’m Wall’s puts the Wall’s mission to inspire happiness at the heart of our products because we know what a positive impact employment, and simply being given a chance, can have on happiness and wellbeing.”
To find out more about becoming an I’m Wall’s partner visit the Wall’s website or email the Wall’s team at: Im.WallsUKI@unilever.com
