Morrisons launches new apprenticeship programme to help young people build careers
By Education Correspondent
Young people looking to build a career in retail will be given the chance to earn, learn and develop new skills through a new apprenticeship programme from Morrisons.
The supermarket is launching its Proper Jobs: Fresh Start Programme, a two-year scheme combining paid, hands-on experience with fully funded training and a clear route into retail management and leadership.
The programme is aimed at young people aged 18 to 24 who are not currently in education, employment or training, and is designed to give them the confidence and practical experience to take their first steps into a long-term career.
Participants will begin with 13 weeks working as a Morrisons store colleague before moving on to a 12-month apprenticeship in an area of their choice.
Options include traditional skilled roles such as butchery, fishmongery and bakery, as well as hospitality and café work.
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Those who successfully complete their apprenticeship and end-point assessment will then have the opportunity to progress to the six-month Sir Ken Morrison Leadership School, opening the door to management and leadership roles across the business.
The scheme is not just about gaining a qualification.
Morrisons says young people will develop valuable skills including teamwork, communication, hospitality and customer service while learning directly alongside experienced colleagues.
It will also help protect traditional retail skills which are becoming increasingly scarce. By training new recruits alongside experienced butchers, bakers and fishmongers, the supermarket hopes to pass these specialist skills on to a new generation.
Jodie Keating, Group People Director at Morrisons, said the business wanted to give young people the opportunity to build lasting careers.
“There are more than a million young people across the UK who are not currently in education, employment or training,” she said. “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.”
The programme is part of a wider effort by Morrisons to support young people into work.
The supermarket is working with the IGD, the British Retail Consortium and other businesses across the retail and grocery sector on initiatives including work experience, school engagement and routes into employment.
Morrisons is also supporting an initial 100 young people through the Government’s Youth Guarantee Schemes, aimed at helping those who are not in education, employment or training and who have been receiving Universal Credit for an extended period.
The new programme builds on Morrisons' existing investment in apprenticeships, with more than £20 million invested in colleague apprenticeships to date.
The supermarket has recruited more than 20,000 new colleagues over the past year, with almost half aged between 16 and 24. Around 500 young people are currently taking part in Morrisons' leadership and early careers programmes.
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For those joining Fresh Start, there are also plenty of potential career paths beyond the shop floor, including logistics, food manufacturing, cafés and central business roles.
The first Fresh Start: Proper Job applications will open in September 2026 in Yorkshire, with further details available from the beginning of September at Morrisons Jobs.
The initiative offers a promising first step for young people who may not yet know where their career could take them – from learning a traditional craft to potentially leading a team, store or part of Morrisons' wider business.
