Thanks to the support of UK supermarket chain Aldi, 30 young ‘trainees’ will get the chance to further develop their skills in the produce industry.
Aldi once again has launched its fresh produce apprenticeship program with Management Development Services Ltd (MDS), which gives students the opportunity to learn management and leadership techniques and gain powerful knowledge and training.
“Collaboration is the best way to grow and share our skills as an industry, and our work with MDS so far is testament to this,” says Julie Ashfield, Managing Director of Buying at Aldi UK. “The strength and breadth of our fresh produce team ensures we’re able to deliver high-quality, fresh food to our customers every day. We’re looking forward to helping the new apprentices find rewarding careers within the retail industry.”
Since 2016, Aldi has collaborated with training provider MDS on the fresh produce graduate apprenticeship scheme. The supermarket hired a permanent Produce Buying Assistant from a previous MDS intake and plans to hire another this year from amongst those currently completing the scheme.
The apprentices will have the opportunity to enhance their career paths with training in four roles: supply chain, marketing, technical or operations.
“Aldi committing its levy to sponsoring 30 more apprentices this year is an outstanding endorsement of the programme,” says Christine Tacon, MDS Chair. “The scheme gives the apprentices broad and challenging experiences. Empowering them at this stage in their careers with management and leadership skills will positively impact not only the businesses involved but the wider fresh produce industry. We greatly value the ongoing support and interest Aldi takes in the apprentices throughout their training.”
To find out more about MDS or to apply to the graduate scheme, visit https://www.mds-ltd.co.uk/.
