Jobs And Careers Autumn 2018 - 225

R ETA I L

Graduate
schemes

Graduate training schemes
at supermarkets and food
chains offer a fast track into
leadership and management

WORDS CATHERINE FRANCIS SOURCE: INSTITUTE OF GROCERY DISTRIBUTION

Supermarket graduate schemes
tend to be one or two years long:
they may focus on a particular
discipline such as retail management,
marketing, supply chain, product
technology or food buying, or
provide experience in all aspects of
the business. This sector pays some
of the highest graduate training
starting salaries - the average is
£30,000 but some employers pay
considerably more. For example,
Lidl's graduate trainee area manager
scheme has a starting salary of
£40,000, while Aldi's area manager
programme starts at £44,000, rising
incrementally to £73,450 after four
years. Check supermarket website
careers sections for details.

large quantities. You'll also be responsible
for ensuring the safety and quality of
products. You can progress to become a
project leader or department manager,
or move into government research.
What skills and qualifications do I need?
A degree in food science or food technology
is usually required, although a related degree
such as chemistry or nutrition may allow
you to train on the
job. You'll need
to be creative,
analytical and able
to follow industry
guidelines.
How much can
I earn? Salaries
start at around
£20,000 and can
rise to £45,000
with experience.

print, TV, radio and digital channels. You
will also be responsible for organising
special promotions and store events,
and research market trends. If you
excel at your job, you can become a
marketing manager or director, either
in food retail or another industry.
What skills and qualifications do I
need? A degree in marketing, business or
advertising is
helpful, but
apprenticeships and
graduate training
schemes are
available in this
area. You also need
to be creative,
with excellent
communication
skills and
analytical ability.
How much can I earn? Salaries start
at £18,000 for new recruits, but senior
executives can earn £35,000 or more.

Ever wondered who
creates the products
sold in supermarkets?
A food technologist,
who develops recipes
and produces samples

Marketing executive
Food retail chains aim to build long-term
relationships with customers by being
seen as trustworthy and good value, with
great customer service. It is a marketing
executive's job to promote the brand
to current and potential customers by
creating marketing campaigns, using

Software engineer
Food retail chains increasingly rely on
digital technology to monitor and order
stock, streamline checkout and payment
processes, process data, manage online

shopping and even run robots in the
warehouses. To do that, they rely on large
teams of skilled IT experts and software
developers. With experience, engineers
can move on to become project leaders
or software development managers.
What skills and qualifications do I
need? Most software engineers will have
a degree in computer science or software
engineering, although apprenticeships in
software development and/or information
systems are available at some supermarkets.
You'll need high levels of technological
expertise and great problem-solving skills.
How much can I earn? Salaries start at
£20,000, rising to more than £80,000 for
an experienced software developer.

Find out more
* Chartered Institute of
Procurement & Supply
cips.org
* Institute of Grocery
Distribution igd.com
* Institute of Food Science
and Technology ifst.org
* Skills For Security
skillsforsecurity.org.uk

JOBS & CAREERS /// 225
http://www.cips.org http://www.igd.com http://www.ifst.org http://skillsforsecurity.org.uk
Jobs And Careers Autumn 2018

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