Sainsbury’s new Supplier Trainee Partnerships initiative will help supply a pipeline of ‘quality talent’ to meet the supermarket’s ongoing business requirements, according to Nicki Perrot in Sainsbury’s commercial team.

The supermarket launched the initiative with the aim of helping over 100 people find work in the coming year.

The partnerships, operated in conjunction with 60 of Sainsbury’s top construction, engineering, facilities management and retail suppliers, sees successful applicants receive a 12-month paid contract to work on a variety of Sainsbury’s projects including developing new stores and redeveloping existing sites.

Candidates will also receive support from Sainsbury’s, regular assessments and hands on experience as  well as being exposed to a range of new skills.

Starting in July, the initiative is open to unemployed people and it is hoped that all of the trainees will gain full employment from the supplier or enter into higher education upon completion of the programme.

Perrot, who led the initiative, told Recruiter: “We currently have 60 suppliers in the initiative but already interest from other suppliers has been strong, so we are confident that more will join over time. Participating suppliers include Longcross Construction, Carmel Building Services and McCue Corporation.

“As well as creating new jobs the partnerships will strengthen the links we have with our suppliers and deepen even further our working relationship with them. We have an ambitious store opening programme and this will ensure a pipeline of quality talent to help us meet our needs.”

To register interest or to find out more, prospective candidates should email contact details to [email protected].