A newly launched degree apprenticeship has seen Kingston University link up with leading supermarket Lidl to deliver a four-year programme that will enable apprentices to go straight into management roles once they graduate.

A total of 51 participants have now commenced Retail Leadership BSc (Hons) studies, as part of the first-degree apprenticeship of its kind to be offered by a London university.

They were selected from more than 5,000 applications from school leavers eager to pursue a career in the retail sector.

The scheme, developed in collaboration with Lidl, which has its head office based near the University in Kingston upon Thames, got under way this autumn.

The degree apprenticeship is designed to give students the skills and knowledge to build a successful retail career managing Lidl stores across the UK.

The degree apprenticeship is designed to give students the skills and knowledge to build a successful retail career managing Lidl stores across the UK (Image supplied)

As part of the programme, participants will receive dedicated teaching from Kingston Business School academics, while also gaining hands-on training working in-store at one of the more than 900 Lidl branches across the country.

They will graduate with a detailed understanding of the retail industry as well as an in-depth knowledge of the major supermarket's own operations.

Lectures take place online, consisting of interactive seminar sessions with a tutor as well as the opportunity to work in small peer groups to complete modules on a range of topics, including developing retail strategy and responsible and sustainable management.

 The Head of Kingston Business School, Professor Sankar Sivarajah, said the degree apprenticeship demonstrated Kingston Business School's commitment to focusing on real-world business requirements that would have an immediate impact on students' career paths and also benefit the wider economy.

"It is well recognised that there is a real need for skills development, with many challenges for industries to overcome. This approach to knowledge partnerships helps bridge that gap," Professor Sivarajah said.

 "The degree apprenticeship will equip students with the professional attributes and skills they need for the future, such as digital insights into retail marketing or gaining the financial competencies needed to be a well-rounded manager working within a large organisation."

Lidl GB's Chief Human Resources Officer, Stephanie Rogers, said the launch of the partnership with Kingston University was a particularly important milestone.

"It coincided with Lidl's 30^th year of operating in the United Kingdom and reflected the retailer's ongoing commitment to its people."

"Investing in the next generation of retail leaders is extremely important to us and we look forward to supporting the degree apprentices as they grow their careers with us," she said.

Head of Kingston Business School's Department of Management Deborah Pinder-Young said the programme was the only retail leadership degree apprenticeship in the country to be delivered online.

"Its combination of both academic and practical, real-life learning has made it particularly appealing to applicants.

"It also benefits considerably from the knowledge and experience of senior Lidl staff, who are actively involved as guest speakers and retail industry case studies."

 The programme draws on Kingston University's expertise in Future Skills education.

The University is leading the way in the United Kingdom in delivering this innovative new model of education designed to equip its students with the graduate attributes most valued by employers, including creative problem, resilience and adaptability, alongside their subject-specific learning.

More than 70 per cent of the University's undergraduates are now studying Future Skills, with the final phase of the programme due to be rolled out in autumn 2025.

The approach has attracted widespread support form parliamentarians, policy makers and business and industry leaders.