Cycle retailer Halfords has said that it will employ 600 young people this year as part of a scheme to prepare 16-24 year-olds for work. "We wanted to go above and beyond the usual apprenticeship model, and by offering pre-employment training to our candidates, we're raising the bar for training in the retail industry,” said Halfords' People Director Jonathan Crookall.

"We will train 600 trainees across Halfords in the next year and see huge potential for the programme in preparing young people for work and a bright new talent into the industry."