Superdrug relaunches apprenticeship scheme as it increases intake

Superdrug has partnered with the British Retail Consortium (BRC) to help boost apprenticeship employment across the UK. 

The ‘Rise Up to Level Up' campaign will see Superdrug employ 500 apprentices this year and double intake over the next three years.

To achieve this, the health and beauty retailer has relaunched its apprenticeship scheme to promote social mobility and attract a greater pool of young, disadvantaged and diverse talent.

The recruitment process will focus on "five key areas" in the UK - London, Norfolk, Suffolk, Essex and South Coast.

These locations have been found to have high unemployment rates amongst the young, but low uptake in past years of Superdrug's apprenticeship scheme considering the size of its store estate in each area.

Superdrug, alongside other A.S. Watson-owned brand Savers, offers one of the largest apprenticeship schemes in UK retail to help people kick-start, accelerate and elevate their careers.

The programme has three levels of apprenticeships to "support people at every stage of their career and progression".

• 'Rise up to Learn' for entry level retail apprenticeships.
• 'Rise up to Level-Up' for a step into management.
• 'Rise Up to Lead on' for a step into a leadership role.

Following the launch of the apprenticeship scheme in 2007, over 4,500 people have achieved qualification and 30% of graduates have chosen to stay within the business.

Amy Davies, People Director at Superdrug and Savers, said: "Apprenticeships are such a great choice for young people as they leave school and statistics show they are needed now more than ever.

"As a business that stands for equality and accessibility, we remain committed to doing what we can to increase our intake and improve our scheme."

The campaign also reinforces the BRC’s calls for change to the UK Apprenticeship Levy to "ensure that valuable funds are no longer wasted, great applicants don’t have to be rejected due to strict rules, more young people from disadvantaged backgrounds can be brought into schemes and all apprentices are better supported to reduce drop-out rates".

Helen Dickinson OBE, CEO of the British Retail Consortium, said: "With retail transformation underway and industry jobs becoming more productive, higher-skilled and better paid, retailers have a wealth of exciting apprenticeships on offer.

"We are proud to support this ambitious scheme, which will showcase the wide range of career options within retail and grow the number of apprenticeship places, giving hundreds more young people and applicants from disadvantaged backgrounds a rewarding start to their careers."