Aldi has opened applications for 500 apprenticeships across the country, including opportunities in Swindon and Wiltshire.
The retailer said successful candidates will earn while they learn, gaining industry recognised qualifications alongside practical experience in store.
Store apprentices start on £12.02 per hour, increasing to £13.35. Higher starting rates apply inside the M25.
Aldi said it remains the only supermarket to offer paid breaks to all store colleagues, in addition to holiday entitlement and other benefits.
Lisa Murphy, Training and Development Director at Aldi UK, said:
“We’ve built a strong track record of helping people launch their careers through our apprenticeship programme, and we’re excited to welcome the next cohort to Team Aldi.
“This is a genuine opportunity to learn on the job, build valuable skills and earn market-leading pay, all while working for one of the UK’s biggest grocery retailers.
The company said its programme is designed to equip apprentices with practical skills in a fast paced commercial setting, while supporting long term career development.
For people in Swindon, the scheme offers a direct route into permanent retail employment with a national brand that continues to grow.
At the same time, OurCoop has pledged to create 300 new apprenticeship positions as part of National Apprenticeship Week 2026.
The organisation was formed following the merger of Central Co-op, Midcounties Co-operative and Chelmsford Star Co-operative.
It currently supports 280 apprentices and has recorded hundreds of new enrolments over the past year.
The new placements will cover food retail, travel, early years, funeralcare and utilities. Opportunities will range from entry level through to senior leadership programmes.
Apprenticeships will span Level 2 to Level 7, reflecting a focus on progression across different stages of employment.
Nationally, apprenticeships remain a key part of the Government’s skills strategy.
In the latest academic year, more than 350,000 apprenticeship starts were recorded in England, with overall participation running into the hundreds of thousands.
Higher level apprenticeships have grown in recent years, reflecting demand for advanced technical and managerial skills.
Government analysis has linked completion of apprenticeships to improved employment outcomes, with many apprentices moving into sustained roles, often with the same employer.
For Swindon, large scale recruitment drives by major employers strengthen the local labour market.
Earn while you learn schemes can remove financial barriers to training and create structured pathways into long term work.
While National Apprenticeship Week provides a platform, the long term impact will depend on how many local residents take up the opportunities now being promoted.
