To mark National Apprenticeship Week, Tesco has announced a major expansion of its Stronger Starts apprenticeship programme, introducing five times more places this year and targeting 1,500 apprenticeship opportunities for young people by 2027.

After an initial cohort of 82 apprentices in 2024, Tesco is expanding this year’s intake to 450 places to help even more young people gain the skills, experience and support needed to build brighter futures. One Stop convenience stores, a Tesco Group subsidiary, is also offering 10 Stronger Starts apprenticeships for the first time.

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Tesco’s Stronger Starts apprenticeship programme aims to eliminate barriers to entry and is one of few schemes in England that do not require applicants to have any qualifications or experience when they start. The retailer pays apprentices the same as shop-floor colleagues, regardless of age and experience.

Tesco is calling on the government to publish a timetable for its Growth and Skills Levy, which will replace the apprenticeship levy, building upon the work of Richard Pennycook as interim chair of Skills England to kickstart collaborative work on new courses between training providers, employers and government. This, said the retailer, would enable better-tailored training and development opportunities across the economy and “at all corners of the labour market”.

Emma Taylor, chief people officer at Tesco, said: “Everyone deserves a chance to secure good, rewarding work. Unfortunately, many young people face barriers to opportunity, but with the right support, this can change. The Stronger Starts programme exemplifies how quality training can help young people make a positive start in their careers and gain essential skills and qualifications. By expanding this initiative, we’re giving even more young people the tools and confidence they need to build a brighter future.

“However, to unlock the full potential of programmes like Stronger Starts, we need a skills training system that’s fit for purpose. The Growth and Skills Levy represents a once-in-a-generation opportunity to reform how training is funded and delivered. With greater flexibility, we could extend our reach and create even more opportunities for those who need them most.”

Designed in partnership with Lifetime Training and the King’s Trust, apprentices participating in the 15-month programme receive comprehensive training, combining hands-on experience with academic qualifications. Upon completion of the programme, apprentices gain the equivalent of five GCSEs, plus functional skills qualifications in maths and English for those who need them. All apprentices on the scheme have the opportunity to become permanent staff.

Tesco’s apprenticeship expansion is backed by research conducted in partnership with the Social Market Foundation think tank, which highlighted a “lost workforce” of 6 million people struggling to enter the job market. A significant proportion come from disadvantaged backgrounds and many are aged between 18 and 24. Data from the CIPD last year revealed that apprenticeships for under-19s have fallen by 41% since 2017.

Tesco’s Stronger Starts apprenticeship scheme is open to school leavers across England.

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