Superstore to offer qualifications

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The supermarket giant said the courses - which are the equivalent of five good GCSEs - will be available to its entire 150,000-strong workforce. Sainsbury's said it has set a target for 25% of its staff to have a nationally recognised qualification within the next five years.

"On-the-job training" will count towards the final Level 2 NVQ qualification, with essential retail subjects such as stock control, health and safety and merchandising all covered.

Sainsbury's chief executive, Justin King, said: "This launch demonstrates that learning never stops at Sainsbury's and every one of our colleagues can improve their skills, which not only benefits our customers but also supports our colleagues to achieve their full potential."

The retailer is also offering basic maths and literacy qualifications. These web-based courses are equivalent to one GCSE at grade D and designed to help employees "improve numeracy and literacy skills at their own pace." The questions will be tailored towards the retail industry.

Sample maths questions will included asking about different weights of products, or pricing, while the English qualification could include questions about ingredients and recipes.

The courses have all been approved by warding body EDI, a specialist in accrediting employer-led qualifications,

Sainsbury's said the qualifications have been brought in to support the Government's plans to boost skills among the UK's workforce. Government statistics have shown that 5.2 million adults have English language skills below the level expected of a 14-year-old, with many struggling with everyday tasks such as managing household budgets.

Skills secretary John Denham commended Sainsbury's and said: "I hope other companies will follow their example, and make learning new skills and, where possible, gaining relevant qualifications, an integral part of work."

Sainsbury's is the first retailer to offer its entire workforce the chance to gain nationally recognised qualifications. But other companies have also announced their intention to boost the skills of their staff, including McDonald's and Network Rail.