Aldi increases graduate hires by 50%

Budget supermarket Aldi is cheating the credit crunch and increasing its graduate intake by 50%.

The firm will offer 150 university leavers places on its management training scheme this year - up from 100 last year, bucking the trend where many employers are cutting their graduate recruitment as the economy continues to deteriorate.

Dan Ronald, regional man­­aging director, responsible for graduate recruitment, said: "Aldi has always invested in its graduate training programme, providing an attractive financial package and comprehensive training. Being able to offer such an attractive starting package to 50% more university leavers is fantastic, and fundamental to the continued growth of Aldi."

The supermarket plans to open 50 stores in the UK this year. Graduate management trainees starting on £40,000, rising to £60,000 after three years, plus benefits.

Meanwhile, a poll of 100 recruiters by market research firm High Fliers Research earlier this month found that graduate opportunites will fall this year by 17%.

The Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development warned in December that unemployment could hit 2.8m by the end of 2009.