Supermarket chain Morrisons has announced that it plans to create 5,000 jobs this year as part of its store expansion programme, despite the economic downturn .
The UK’s fourth largest supermarket group, which currently employs 117,000 members of staff across its 382 nationwide stores, said the jobs would be created across the business and include positions in its in-store butchers, bakers and fishmongers .
Morrisons said the plans were in line with its previously-stated target of increasing store space by one million square feet over the next three year.
Group HR director Norman Pickavance commented: “Working at Morrisons is not just a job, we’re providing people with real careers .”
“Even in these challenging economic conditions, Morrisons is committed to hiring and training new people to keep retail as the engine room of the economy and support our continuing growth.”
The retailer is to also train 18,000 of its staff towards some form of qualifications under its Fresh Food Academy initiative. These include NVQs in retail, full apprenticeships for butchers, bakers and fishmongers, and optional key skills training in maths and English .
“The Fresh Food Academy will strengthen Morrisons position as the UK’s leading proponent of retail craft food skills; skills which help people build a career and help Morrisons further increase the quality, value and service we provide to our customers,” Pickavance added.
Yesterday’s announcement comes three days after rival Sainsburys revealed that it had enjoyed its “best-ever” Christmas and would look to create around 4,000 jobs in 2009.
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