Morrisons has launched a major new apprenticeships programme targeted at helping young people into “lifelong” retail careers. The Bradford supermarket will offer 1,000 young people apprenticeships in its stores, head office and across its manufacturing supply chain by 2030, as part of its new Proper Jobs: Fresh Start programme.
Apprentices will start their qualification by spending 13 weeks working in stores. They can then progress to a 12-month apprenticeship in a specialist area across the chain’s operations. This includes the chance of training as a butcher, fishmonger, or baker at its in-store counters or in cafĂ© hospitality, all of which face nationwide skills shortages.
Colleagues will have a clear route into management. All apprentices will be offered the chance to earn a place on its six-month leadership programme, the Ken Morrison Leadership School, once they have completed their apprenticeship.
It is the first time the supermarket is opening up its apprenticeship scheme to external candidates. The Grocer understands this shift allows the business to tap into a wider talent pool.
“There are more than a million young people across the UK who are not currently in education, employment or training,” said Jodie Keating, Morrisons group people director. “This is a major issue for the country and one which businesses across our industry need to work together to address. At Morrisons, we want to play our part by providing proper jobs that give young people the opportunity to earn, learn and build lasting careers,” Keating said.
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Projer Jobs: Fresh Start forms part of the supermarket’s ongoing work in partnership with IGD, the BRC and other food and drink businesses to tackle the employment challenge facing NEETs. It includes work experience and wider engagement programmes promoting the virtues of a career in the sector, which is one of the UK’s largest employers.
“Our Proper Jobs: Fresh Start programme will combine real, hands-on experience with a fully funded qualification, for example in craft skills as butchers, bakers and fishmongers,” Keating said. “It will also provide a clear route into leadership for a new generation of colleagues, whether they want to run a store, manage a logistics depot, lead a team at one of its Myton manufacturing sites or progress into a central business role,” she added.
Recent accounts reveal the company shed nearly 5,000 employees as part of its cost-cutting measures last year. Headcount fell by nearly 5% from 101,144 to 96,232 during the year to 26 October 2025, as a result of the restructure of its Rathbones bakery site, the closure of its newspaper delivery service and the paring back of its in-store counters through 2025.
This shift comes as the retail sector faces a critical skills gap. The demand for skilled tradespeople like bakers and butchers remains high, making Morrisons’ focus on traditional craft skills timely. The company hopes these positions will offer a stable alternative for those seeking practical employment.