Ryan Hatches a plan for the future thanks to KFC and UK Youth scheme

A teenager has hailed the impact of a youth employability programme in his search for work.

Hatch, a partnership between fast-food giant KFC and national youth work charity UK Youth, helps young people aged 16-24 who have faced barriers to employment, to build their work skills, confidence and land their first job.

Ryan Sinnott, a participant of the Hatch programme in Liverpool, where the scheme is delivered by the Merseyside Youth Association, said: “I’ve faced so many challenges in my hunt for a job. There’s a lack of opportunity for young people across the board, and if you don’t have a certain set of qualifications, you’re even less likely to get employed. I’ve had setbacks along the way and the cost-of-living crisis has only made things worse.

“However, my experience on the Hatch programme has been incredibly positive. It’s given me opportunities that weren’t available previously – helping me develop my skills and grow my confidence. It’s been an enjoyable introduction to working life and I’ve loved meeting so many brilliant KFC colleagues throughout my training.”

The 19-year-old left high school in 2021 with three GCSEs, not including maths or English, which many employers require as a minimum.

He went to college to study creative media, despite having little interest in the subject.

In an interview with the Liverpool Echo, Ryan said: “The main setback for me was my self-esteem, it brought it down.

“I felt like I wasn’t set up, ready or had the same amount of opportunities as everyone else who had more GCSEs.

“When you’re fresh out of school it’s really hard. I felt like I was unsuitable for work by these unfortunate circumstances. I’ve faced so many challenges in my hunt for a job.

“When I opened my GCSEs, I wasn’t shocked, but there were a lot of emotions for me. It felt like a lot was going and I wasn’t in the right mindset then.”

Ryan attended a Universal Credit meeting when he was referred to Hatch.

Through the programme, Ryan secured temporary employment at a branch of KFC as a team member.

He told the Echo: “Having a job makes me feel much better about everything. It shows I have experience and can work – I can add something else to my CV now as well. I can do certain things that I thought I wouldn’t be able to do before.

“I haven’t got much experience in restaurants and the fast-food nature of it so to have supportive co-workers is really helpful. Now, I’ve got myself out there, even without GCSEs, it shows that if you put the right work and effort in you can get anywhere. It is just a matter of time. It’s really hard but I got there eventually.”

Hatch offers one-to-one training, support, and practical work experience, with an interview at KFC upon graduation.

Ruth Price, MYA employment engagement manager, said: “Hatch has been an exciting programme to be involved with and compliments our own work on Talent Match and our MYA Youth Hub.

“We have seen our first job outcomes with KFC starting to materialise, and the added confidence it has given to Ryan and our young people has been amazing. It is a great initiative, and we hope it goes from strength to strength, and MYA become part of that growth.”

This week is Youth Employment Week, an annual one-week celebration of early careers, joining young people, employers, educators, and organisations.

Recent figures show that from October-December 2023, there were 851,000 young people not in education, employment or training, a 2.5 per cent increase on the previous year, highlighting the need for youth employability programmes.

To help reduce the barriers young people face across the UK, KFC and UK Youth are urging the new government to work more closely with businesses to ensure young people are being equipped with the skills that will help them thrive in the workplace.

They are also calling for a joined-up strategy that brings together businesses with local authorities, job centres and youth work organisations to better connect young people with job and training opportunities in their local area. 

Ndidi Okezie, UK Youth chief executive officer, said: “The ongoing effects of the pandemic, combined with the current cost of living crisis, are harming the job prospects of young people. We must pay attention to the concerns of the next generation as they look to enter the workforce — their success is essential for the economic and overall prosperity of the UK.

“The Hatch programme has already supported so many young people across Manchester, Scotland and Birmingham, and we’re proud to be teaming up with KFC once again to help disadvantaged young people in Liverpool develop the confidence and skills necessary to find stable employment.”

UK Youth is a leading charity with a vision that all young people are equipped to thrive and empowered to contribute at every stage of their lives. With an open network of more than 8,000 youth organisations and nation partners; UK Youth reaches more than four million young people across the UK and is focused on unlocking youth work as the catalyst of change that is needed now more than ever. To find out more, visit ukyouth.org 

UK Youth is involved in a range of programmes designed to help young people thrive, such as outdoor learning, physical literacy, social action and employability, including Hatch. For more on UK Youth’s programmes, see ukyouth.org/what-we-do/programmes