Tesco aims to serve customers every day with affordable, healthy and sustainable food – to help them enjoy a better quality of life and an easier way of living. The biggest recruitment challenge, Taylor Kershaw, Employer Brand Manager at Tesco, said: “Because we are seen as a retailer selling products to customers people often forget about the technology team that powers us, the pharmacy teams that help our communities, the maintenance teams that keep our stores running, HGV drivers that deliver our products and how our office helps provide our stores with everything it needs to be successful.”
Tesco has thousands of opportunities open at any given time, with locations throughout the UK and Ireland. The roles are diverse and range from software engineers and IT recruiters, to pharmacists, to maintenance managers, to HGV drivers - to warehouse workers. The opportunities are limitless and well-suited to match up with the unique and diverse skills of ex-military, reservists and military spouses.
Tesco was the first retailer to sign the Armed Forces Covenant in 2014 and now as Gold award winners of the Defence Employer Recognition Scheme, Tesco is a fantastic example of showing how to turn pledges into action. They recognise the transferable skills and qualifications gained whilst in military service and work in collaboration with the Careers Transition Partnership to support Armed Forces leavers in securing their next civilian job. By attending careers events hosted by the CTP, Tesco have helped Service leavers secure jobs across a range of sectors and roles.
Not only do they actively employ from the Armed Forces Community, they ensure ex-military personnel are supported with transition from military life and their families have the advice and support they need. They created the Volunteer Reserve Forces and Veterans’ Policy to further support reservist staff and are incredibly supportive of military spouses - you can read RAF-spouse Laura Williams story here.
Tesco is proud to be the main sponsor of Armed Forces Day this year. Veteran Marcus Denison, Director Sponsor of Armed Forces at Tesco said: “ Scarborough and the 16 garrison towns around the UK, will celebrate the tremendous contribution our Service people make to our country on June 26th and I am looking forward to spending time with our colleagues there. Everyone is welcome to support the events that will be taking place and honouring the commitment and courage of those serving in our Armed Forces – we hope to see some of you there.”
As a business, they’ve had a long-standing association with the Armed Forces ever since founder Jack Cohen started Tesco back in 1919 after leaving the Royal Flying Corps at the end of the First World War. Almost one per cent of all veterans leaving the Army join Tesco, and as the UK’s biggest private sector employer, they want to do everything they can to support their Armed Forces colleagues so that their business continues to be a place where everybody’s welcome and anyone can thrive.
Sam McClean
Sam McClean is a Store Manager in Braintree, Essex. He is a member of the Tesco Armed Forces Network, and describes his inspirational journey from leaving the Parachute Regiment to Tesco and then into a management position.
“I joined the Armed Forces in 2005 when I left school at 15. I was always very ambitious and wanted to be the best, so I decided to endure the arduous Pre-Parachute selection course. I then joined 8 Field Company (Para) at Merville Barracks where I was supporting the Parachute Regiment. I was deployed to Afghanistan for 10 months where I spent time on patrols with The Royal Irish Regiment. Unfortunately, I got injured and decided that it was time to seek a new career. A friend put me in touch with the then Store Manager for the Tesco Ipswich store.
“At that time (in 2013) the store offered a bridging programme led by the Store Manager, which supported forces-leavers into careers at Tesco. I applied, and during the interview, I was able to display my leadership skills, and was hired to join the team as a Warehouse Team Manager. Coming from the forces helped me to settle quickly into store life; working as a team is one of the biggest core values in both the Army and at Tesco and I flourished whilst being part of a large team, having an understanding that everyone is different whilst learning to work effectively together. Working within a team you have to create a culture where loyalty, teamwork and discipline are important to achieve success. You also get to form great relationships with multiple cultural groups.
“Thriving in the store, I soon became part of the management team. I then put myself forward for an accelerated Store Manager programme and was thrilled to be given the opportunity to progress onto the scheme. I am now in charge of over 400 colleagues.”
To find out more about Tesco and their opportunities, click here.