With over 26 million people employed across Europe, retail and wholesale are among the largest private employers in the EU, with one in seven workers being a young person. As the sector is present in every region, city, and rural community, it plays a vital role in advancing the EU’s competitiveness, skills agenda, and youth employment.

The Retail4Youth webinar, organised by EuroCommerce and UNI Europa under the Large-Scale Skills Partnership for the Retail Ecosystem, will take place on Wednesday, 5 November 2025, from 14:00 to 15:30 CET on Microsoft Teams.

The event will highlight:

• Opportunities the sector offers for skills development for young people.
• Concrete actions and partnerships that aim to reduce youth unemployment.
• Testimonials from young professionals in retail who will share their personal journeys and aspirations.
• A national-level example of a public-private partnership focused on engaging and upskilling young people in retail and wholesale.

The webinar will feature welcoming remarks from Leena Whittaker (EuroCommerce) and Oliver Roethig (UNI Europa), followed by contributions from a diverse panel, including Nicole Bartolo (Junior Achievement Europe), Asvazadurian Hagop (WKOE), Ilina Eder (Bucherer Apprentice – Junior Sales Champion 2025), Isak Hagaseth Mydske (HK Norway), and Stine Pilegaard Jespersen (Dansk Erhverv).

Participants will have the opportunity to engage in a Q&A session and learn how collaboration, training initiatives, and skills development are shaping the future of retail employment for young people.