Morrisons invites BAME candidates to apply for Degree Apprentice scheme

Supermarket chain Morrisons said it is interested in applications from candidates of a BAME background to its Degree Apprentice scheme 2021.

The scheme, which offers a starting salary of £19,500, is now open for applications. The selected candidates will get a paid position at Morrisons whilst studying for a Business Management or Retail Management degree.

Around 80 positions are available on the programme across the country in the retailer’s manufacturing and logistics sites as well as across its stores and at head office in Bradford.

“We’re building a business that is reflective of our local communities so we’re keen to receive applications from BAME candidates who tend to be under-represented on our schemes,” commented Alison Guest, senior people manager at Morrisons.

Candidates would need a minimum of 104 UCAS Points and grade 4 in GCSE Maths and English to apply. With Morrisons paying for the university fees, students on the programme could graduate without the average of £46,000 debt from studying at university, Guest noted.

“We’re proud of the benefits of our scheme which offers young people debt free degrees and leading salary bands as well as extensive experience. We hope to attract a diverse group of ambitious young people to help us to continue to feed the nation into 2021,” she said.

Hafsa Ali, a Morrisons retail degree apprentice and a finalist in this year’s BAME Apprenticeship Awards, said the scheme offers challenging roles that demand much responsibility.

“On my first day in a store I was in-charge of eight people on the deli counter. It was great to be given so much responsibility from the start and I’ve just had more and more. In one role I was managing 40 colleagues which was challenging but I really enjoyed coaching the team and leading the team meetings,” she said.

“I had to explain to my mum that I wasn’t going to uni but would still get a degree which eventually she accepted. Now that she hears about what I do each day, she tells me she’s really proud of me.

“There’s a team looking after all the apprentices and they have been really flexible with where I work so I can stay close to home which has been valuable to me and my family.”

Applications for the Morrisons Degree Apprenticeship programme can be submitted online through www.morrisons.jobs/early-careers.