Morrisons is focusing on recruitment and staff development despite the economic downturn, the supermarket’s HR chief has insisted.
The supermarket chain last week announced plans to create 5,000 jobs in 2009, and train 18,000 people through its new Fresh Food Academy.
Group HR director Norman Pickavance told Personnel Today: “Our priorities include recruiting staff to aid our store expansion programme, and further developing our colleagues by enhancing their skills.
“We will do this through our new Fresh Food Academy, which builds on our record of developing apprentices, and will give all staff the opportunity to get nationally recognised qualifications, which will form the foundations for a long career in Morrisons.”
The Fresh Food Academy will allow workers to gain qualifications that will take them on a five-step career ladder including apprenticeships, an NVQ Level 2 in retail, and optional training in maths and English.
Pickavance said: “Even in challenging economic conditions, Morrisons is committed to hiring and training new people to keep retail as the engine room of the economy.”
