Jack’s Story

Hi, I’m Jack, and I’m a Supermarket Assistant at Waitrose.

I started my first job in retail at another supermarket but didn’t feel it was the right fit for me. I was eager to progress and take on further learning, but I couldn’t start a course until much further down the line in the job I was in.

Fast forward slightly to summer 2025 – I saw an opportunity at my local Waitrose, and secured the job! I could feel the difference here from the start – you can tell it’s an employee-owned business as people just care more.

In no time, I had started a Level 4 Retail Management Apprenticeship, where I am supported to study and learn alongside my job. I spend 6 hours each week working through online learning, writing essays, gaining advice through 1-2-1 coaching sessions, and chatting with managers in my branch about discussion points around products and team building.

One of my favourite parts of the course has been learning all about how the Welcome Desk in our shops operates and everything that goes into giving great service for our customers.