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7,000 new staff as Asda builds on its success
ASDA yesterday announced plans to create more than 7,000 jobs this year, including up to 450 in Yorkshire.
The Leeds-based supermarket giant said the new positions would be delivered through organic growth, new business growth and new stores.
The company, owned by US firm Walmart, also announced a commitment to recruit up to 3,000 long-term unemployed for existing vacancies.
Andy Clarke, chief operating officer, also revealed that Asda is hiring skilled retailers who lost their jobs when Woolworths went into administration last year.
He told the Yorkshire Post: "There is an opportunity for new colleagues to join a growth company."
Mr Clarke, who has responsibility for retail and distribution divisions at the 17bn turnover operation, added: "Retail is having a pretty tough time. Any retail business which is generating employment is good for the country."
The supermarket said it will create 3,700 jobs throughout the UK with the opening of nine food stores, five Asda Living outlets – its non-food format – and extensions to 15 existing stores.
A further 2,000 jobs will be created through the expansion of its home shopping business Asda.com – which is growing ahead of the core business – and another 1,000 jobs through organic growth.
It will also continue to invest in its speciality business by creating 120 new roles in Asda pharmacies and optical centres nationwide.
In Yorkshire, Asda plans to open a new superstore in Keighley, creating 380 jobs, in July or August. It is also hiring 50 merchandise planners who will work at the headquarters at Asda House in Leeds city centre.
A spokeswoman said some of the new home shopping jobs would be based in Yorkshire.
In total, Britain's second-biggest supermarket will create 580,000 sq ft of new store space in 2009. Mr Clarke said new stores represented "great new assets with genuine employment" for communities.
He added: "We are still looking for more opportunities. We are seeking to open more stores in 2010 and will look then to 2011 and 2012. All things being equal we will still continue to grow and next year we will be looking to employ, like this year, substantial numbers of new colleagues."
The company is working with local employment partnerships and Remploy – an employment service for the disabled – to help find full and part-time jobs for people who have been unemployed for more than six months.
Mr Clarke said: "I think it is very important that we are working with the local communities. It is the way we work."
The economic downturn has hit the retail sector hard, with household names going into administration and major job losses announced daily.
Asked about the prospects for Britain's shopkeepers, Mr Clarke said: "If you are in the value sector, you are in a greater position of strength than if you are in the mid-market.
"Clearly food is going to be more sustainable – people have got to eat – but discretionary non-food purchases will be more challenging. But those retailers that have a value proposition in fashion, general merchandise and food will win.
"This year is going to be challenging. We are working (on the basis that this will be) a difficult year for the economy. We know that our customers will want a stronger value proposition and we want to offer that."
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Weather for Yorkshire
Saturday 26 May 2012
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