Tesco is cutting recruitment costs and making life easier for students by
extending its ‘Swap Shop’ initiative to allow cash-strapped students to switch
to working in their hometown Tesco during university holidays.
This follows a successful trial in Scotland last December of a UCAS-style
clearing house for cash-strapped students keen to transfer their term-time jobs
to their home stores during the university holidays.
Students can arrange a hassle-free transfer to their home store with one
call to a national hotline. Once their holiday is over, they simply return to
their university store as normal.
The number of students working for the UK’s largest private employer has hit
an all-time high of 25,300 as they battle to make ends meet and finance their
university education.
Typical posts include general assistants, cashiers and internet order
pickers, with general assistants earning £5.16 per hour.
Miranda Clarke, head of resourcing at Tesco, said: "Students are finding
it increasingly difficult to make ends meet while at university, and as a vital
part of our workforce (11 per cent) Tesco is keen to support them as much as
possible.
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"We want to make it as easy as possible for students to work, and this
allows them to work during term-time and also at home during holiday
periods."
Clarke was optimistic the scheme would help retain student staff and
encourage many to consider developing their careers with Tesco after they have
finished their education.
