Member Article

Aldi creates 24 apprenticeships across North East stores

Discount retailer Aldi has created 24 apprenticeships across 16 of its North East stores in a partnership with Gateshead College.

The fast growing supermarket is looking to create 500 positions altogether throughout the UK this year, and has opened applications for its North East roles this month.

Gateshead College are helping Aldi with the process, which will lead successful applicants to a three-year retail management scheme.

The scheme offers store assistant training in year one and store management training in years two and three with a salary of £5.15 per hour rising to £7.41 per hour and working towards a title of ‘deputy manager’ upon completion. Aldi apprentices will also achieve a Retail Apprenticeship Level 3 qualification, which very few retailer apprenticeships currently offer.

By the end of the scheme, the most successful apprentices will have the opportunity to progressto the position of assistant store manager with a starting salary of £23,700. By joining the Aldi Apprentice Scheme, young people could ultimately be fast-tracked to a Store Manager position if they excel during training.

Tom Aust, head of department for health and service industries at Gateshead College, said: “It’s great to see one of the UK’s biggest retailers sharing our commitment to investing in apprenticeships. We are proud to partner Aldi on this scheme, which will open up several opportunities for jobseekers in the region.

“The training has been tailored specifically to Aldi’s business needs and we will continue to work with the company to address any skills gaps they might have.

“The initiative cements our position as one of the North’s leading providers of retail training and has enabled us to secure National Skills Academy status in this field.”

Aldi initially launched its National Apprentice Scheme in February 2012, and has since created more than 500 jobs to attract young people towards a management career in retail, for those who do not wish to attend university.

Skills and Enterprise Minister, Matthew Hancock MP, said: “We want it to be the new norm for young people to choose to either go to university or begin an apprenticeship. It’s great news that Aldi is making apprenticeships a key part of its growth strategy and recruiting around 500 new apprentices this year.

“Apprenticeships increase business productivity and increase skills levels, so with a talent pool of over a million potential employees, it is the ideal time for companies to take advantage of the opportunities for business growth provided by employing apprentices.”

James Hutcheson, managing director responsible for overseeing the Aldi Academy, said: “We are looking to attract committed and resourceful young people across the UK to join our apprentice scheme. Successful candidates will be joining one of the most dynamic and fast-growing retailers in the UK, with a proven track record in developing its staff.

“Aldi’s apprentices are given real responsibility from day one, with the opportunity to learn about the business from a grassroots level, and we expect our recruits to progress through to managerial level.”

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Tom Keighley .