Next launches major new training initiative for apprentices

Clothes retailer Next has launched a major new training initiative, which will see it take on 1,000 new apprentices from across the UK. Next says it is hoping to quash the common misconception that retail is a low-skilled industry, and instead is looking to promote the sector as a career.

The Next Retail Apprentice Programme is a six-month scheme which will result in a Level 2 apprenticeship qualification for all successful participants. As well as working towards a certificate in retail knowledge and a diploma in retail, apprentices will also have to demonstrate competence in numeracy and literacy.

The retailer says the initiative represents a significant investment in its workforce, while also challenging the general assumption that apprenticeships are only an option in the manufacturing or engineering industries. Next’s chief executive, Simon Wolfson, added that it is about “getting away from the idea that you need a degree to have a successful career”, and says the main aim of the scheme is to encourage apprentices to opt for a career in retail, after being trained to perform well in their jobs.

The national rollout of Next’s training programme follows a successful pilot earlier in 2011.