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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Tess Reidy

‘Working hard opens doors for you’: how an Aldi apprenticeship kickstarted my career

Woman driving a forklift in a warehouse
Apprentices in Aldi distribution centres combine hands-on work with theory and coursework leading to a qualification Photograph: PR

For 25-year-old Liam McLelland, an early start is a perfect fit. As a deputy manager at a regional distribution centre in Neston, Cheshire, he’s up at 5.30am before taking a quick shower, making some toast, and then driving a short five minutes to work – ready to take on the day before most people have even hit snooze.

“I clock in, then it’s straight to the office, planning for the day,” he says. “We work out store demands, gauge how many boxes and pallets we need to ship and how many people we’ve got on shift. After that, it’s on the go, communicating what the shifts are going to be like to the team, and working together to get the job done.”

Finished by 2pm, he has something to eat, goes to the gym and takes his dog, Darcy, for a walk in the fields nearby. “She’s a Greek rescue. She’s about 10 years old now, so she’s slowing down a bit, but she still likes to get out and chase the birds.” By then it’s still only 4.30pm or 5pm. “It’s wonderful for me. My work-life balance is fantastic,” he says.

McLelland has been working for Aldi since starting a warehouse operations apprenticeship at the age of 18. He studied PE, outdoor education and maths at A-level and the combination of being both on your feet and office-based was the perfect fit. He knew he wanted to do a hands-on apprenticeship and had considered landscaping, but when he had the interview at Aldi the opportunities for progression persuaded him to go for it.

He says his life would have been very different without it as being involved in so many job roles has helped his confidence in his personal life too. “At the initial interview they said working hard would open doors for you, and you’d be involved with many different members of the team, and it’s true,” he says. Since joining, he has progressed from starting out as a selector, picking and packing orders making sure everything was ready and sent out on time, to being a deputy manager for the past three years. He is now well on his way to becoming a warehouse leader.

Aldi launched in the UK in 1990, and the retailer prides itself on quality products at everyday low prices. It is one of the fastest-growing retailers in the country, with more than 1,050 stores, employing about 45,000 people. This year it is looking to recruit about 500 apprentices, with the aim of having an apprentice in half its stores. In its regional distribution centres, such as where McLelland works, Aldi intends to employ at least six apprentices per region, which is about 70 apprentices across the UK.

For McLelland, doing an apprenticeship has been key to his success in the company. “If you’re up for the challenge, it’s perfect,” he says. He feels the apprenticeship gave him the skills and tools he needed to get ahead. When he joined there were five apprentices at the time, all at different stages, and he started with one other person. They were helpful with sharing knowledge and he formed connections and friendships along the way.

By working in all departments, he was exposed to different job roles and worked alongside every manager and most colleagues. “The apprenticeship educates you in the business and that’s really, really helpful.”

McLelland loves that the job is different every day and finds it exciting to be part of such a large operation. With about 40 new stores opening in 2025, there is more opportunity. “In the department I’m in at the moment there’s 80-90 staff, that’s around 40 staff a day to manage. My favourite part is communicating with the team, seeing people hit their targets,” he says.

He is also one of the youngest managers, and the apprenticeship “helped massively” with that, he says. “Most of the staff are older than me, but they’ve seen me do the job roles to the best of my ability throughout my apprenticeship.”

Having a monthly meet up with his mentor, who coached him through the coursework during his apprenticeship, also helped. There is a clear management structure within Aldi, which has been particularly beneficial, as every person has a direct leader and there is always someone there to assist.

“The mentors have been a massive part of my life and have really helped me. The confidence I’ve grown at work has helped me in the outside world as well,” he says. His advice is to use mentors and ask questions all the time. “The doors will open for you.”

Aldi pioneered the “middle aisle”, based on the idea of bringing in general merchandise to attract customers with “when it’s gone, it’s gone” propositions. Limited-time-only products are keenly priced. McLelland says it is an exciting time to be in the retail sector, and he loves “getting to see what the SpecialBuys are as they come in through the warehouse before they hit the stores”.

There are other more tangible benefits, too, such as Aviva Digital GP access; a competitive salary; as well as shopping and gym discounts.

His enthusiasm shows no signs of waning. In 10 years’ time, he sees himself at Aldi, whether that’s in a warehouse or in a store. “I’ve met people here that are friends for life. It’s lovely.”

To learn more about opportunities at Aldi, visit aldirecruitment.co.uk/early-careers/apprenticeships

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