Lidl to ringfence job interviews for long-term unemployed
Discount supermarket chain Lidl will ringfence interviews for people who are long-term unemployed, it has announced.
The company will offer 10% of its interview slots for entry-level roles at each new store for those who have been out of work for at least six months. There will be a further 480 slots at its 13 warehouses.
It will work with several local employability partners to identify candidates, as well as the Department for Work and Pensions.
All new starters will receive entry-level pay rates of £13.45 an hour, rising to £14.45 an hour with length of service. Benefits include a 10% in-store discount from their first day of employment and access to a digital GP.
Although the unemployment rate fell slightly in the last set of figures from the Office for National Statistics to 4.9%, there has been a decline in the number of vacancies available to jobseekers.
Lidl said it aimed to “level the playing field” by fast-tracking long-term unemployed candidates straight to interview stage, removing the need for CVs.
Stephanie Rogers, chief people officer, said: “Unemployment is affecting communities right across the country, adding to the pressures many households are already under.
“For people who are facing barriers into employment, getting that first opportunity can be the hardest step.
“That’s why we’re fast‑tracking interviews across the nation to help people get a foot in the door.
“A career in retail develops a massive range of transferable skills and, here at Lidl, we pair that with industry-leading training and competitive pay to ensure our people can truly thrive.”
Minister for employment Dame Diana Johnson said the programme was “vital”: “It’s moving people from welfare to work, providing those who have been out of work with a pathway back into employment.
“By joining forces, we are helping people to kickstart rewarding careers in the retail sector as we continue to drive our economy forward.”
Lidl trialled employment support for homeless people last year in the north west, and has extended this to other regions in a bid to getting more people “off the streets and into high-quality employment” in the next 12 months.
Those who are eligible for the scheme will be contacted by the DWP or their local partner organisation, or can see more information on the supermarket’s careers site, it said.
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