With graduate unemployment at an all time high and around 70 graduates* competing for every position, the job market is fierce.
Industry sectors such as finance and accounting, law, marketing and public services seem to have reached a point of saturation, where retail however is thriving. In an annual list of the UK’s top graduate recruiters supermarket chains such as Aldi are taking the lead.
German supermarket chain Aldi is challenging the likes of PriceWaterHouseCoopers and Deloitte, which are first and second place respectively and is the only retailer to consecutively hold a top five graduate recruiter ranking, positioning itself as one of the UK’s top retail employers.
Although levels of responsibility seem standard for retail graduate schemes, they differ somewhat with the opportunities offered by Aldi.
Aldi receives more than 12,000 applications each year for its Management Programme which offers a starting salary of £40,000 rising to £61,000 after three years, an all expenses paid Audi A4 and an opportunity for international secondment. Additional to this is the opportunity for rapid career progression plus an impressive job title.
Its Area Management Programme trains graduates to understand all areas of its business from maintenance and customer service, to leadership and management of small teams. On completion of three months intensive training, graduates are handed the keys to their own store and are solely responsible for its operations. Within a year graduates advance to Area Manager and are in charge of three stores or more.
The three-year graduate scheme bodes well against its rivals. Tesco has a starting salary of £22,000 rising to £28,000 with graduates progressing to store manager in three to five years. Marks and Spencer also offers a fast track graduate scheme, with graduates running a large department or small store after a year with the company and a starting salary of £24,000; and a graduate joining Lidl will achieve that within 18 months, with a salary of £33,000.
Richard Holloway, Regional Managing Director of Aldi said: “Retail is the place to be if you’re looking for a fast and varied graduate career. Our ongoing expansion means we’re looking to recruit further area managers. Nobody grows up wanting to be a discount retail executive, but if you look beyond that it’s a people focussed role that offers great opportunities for progression.”
Sainsbury’s is looking to recruit 85 graduates this year and has a starting salary of £21,500 but promises no progression within a fixed time period. Asda, another low cost supermarket offers a retail-based graduate scheme also with a starting salary of £23,000, the UK’s average starting salary for graduates. It promises the position of department manager within three months of starting, adding to the retail sectors reputation for fast career progression.
Aldi bosses promote ‘unrivalled responsibility from day one’ to be a unique selling point for its Management Programme, and with 50 graduates being taken on this year its reputation is serving it well.
“Aldi looks for candidates that can bring a mix of academic and non academic skills to the role and demonstrate strong leadership ability, from leading a local university sports team, carrying out voluntary or charity work, having a part-time job, or going the extra mile to reach individual potential is favoured over first-class honours.” Richard added.
For more information on the Aldi Management Programme visit www.aldirecruitment.co.uk and see where retail could take you.
