The hospitality industry is to create 6,000 jobs for 16 to 24-year-olds by the end of the year.
The initiative was unveiled by the British Hospitality Association (BHA), which estimates there are 900,000 young people not in education, employment or training.
The announcement forms part of a wider job creation programme in the hospitality industry, with 300,000 jobs needed to be filled by 2020 to reflect rapid expansion and market demand.
An estimated 60,000 of the new jobs will be earmarked for 16-24 year olds, as the industry seeks to provide a gateway to tackle long-term youth unemployment.
The BHA said: “While many young people are still out of work, there are thousands of job vacancies in the industry and it’s this disconnect between jobs on offer and what young people will consider as career options which is causing particular concern for industry experts.
A recent study for the think tank IPPR cited a mismatch between the types of jobs young people are training for compared with what jobs as actually being available as one of the main barriers to solving the youth unemployment problem.”
BHA chief executive Ufi Ibrahim said: “Hospitality is a successful industry with even greater growth prospects offering a vast range of job opportunities for all job seekers of any age.
“However, there are still widespread misconceptions amongst many outside the industry who don’t see the value in hospitality careers.
“We urge young people to look beyond outdated viewpoints and join our industry. The breadth of job roles and the training available means that bright and focused young people can succeed very quickly.”
Tourism minister Helen Grant said: “The hospitality sector is a thriving and dynamic one that can offer people a fulfilling, challenging career with great opportunities for progression.”