After monitoring their success at Tesco, I am keen to give my support to Skillsmart Retail’s campaign to encourage businesses to take on retail apprentices.
Simply put, when part of a full commitment to training, apprenticeships can immeasurably improve a business – a fact that is evidenced in the Government’s renewed commitment to the programme. At a time when businesses are looking to minimise costs, training and skills often suffer, but I urge all companies to see apprenticeships as a way of strengthening their businesses in the long term.
The apprenticeship programme is important at Tesco because it fits with one of our core principles: if we look after our people, they will look after our customers and our business will be successful. The programme allows us to nurture a pool of talent in all manner of roles, from running a busy superstore to managing our IT systems and designing stores and, because they have learned how the business works on the job, the basis apprenticeships give offers a route to the top. Just as I started out as a Tesco graduate trainee, I hope that today’s apprentices will be among those holding key positions at Tesco in the future.
Our scheme is now in its third year and, by the end of the year, 1,000 of our staff will have gained an apprenticeship. The benefits are clear: we get higher employee satisfaction, leading to lower staff turnover. The apprentice retention rate is very high compared with non-apprentice staff in the same age group and it provides us with a team that is motivated, focused and trained to work hard to deliver what our customers want. The programme is not only good for individuals, it is good for the business.
However, apprenticeships also help us face up to a much larger issue and a looming problem that all employers must confront. Retail is the UK’s largest private industry and one that is going to create a quarter of a million jobs in the next seven years. But, when one in six students leaves school unable to read, write or add up properly, it is hard to see how retailers can attract the right people with the right skills for the wide variety of jobs that we offer.
The Government’s plans to increase apprenticeship numbers by a third will be a real support in this issue and ensure the retail sector can provide the skills it needs to carry on growing. I call on all retailers to use Apprenticeship Week to seriously consider apprenticeships – not because you think you ought to tick some corporate responsibility box, but because investing in people and giving them the chance to get on will benefit both your employees and your bottom line.
Sir Terry Leahy, chief executive, Tesco
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