Aldi is to gift £2m to small and medium-sized businesses over the next two years to help them fund industry apprenticeships.
The discounter has been running an apprenticeship levy gifting scheme since 2021. The latest commitment will take the total provided for small and medium-sized enterprises to £5.5m by the end of 2027.
The £2m over the next two years is double the amount Aldi pledged over a similar period in 2023, when it reached the target seven months early. The programme has so far supported close to 100 smaller employers, according to the supermarket.
The fund will provide a variety of opportunities at different levels, and in settings such as nurseries, care homes, healthcare and trades.
“Apprenticeships can be a potential lifeline to young people looking for that first opportunity in a competitive job market, but they are equally transformative for businesses that embrace them as well,” said Aldi UK training and development director Lisa Murphy.
“We plan to ramp up the number of apprentices we recruit this year. But not all smaller businesses have the resources to invest, and it’s often these employers that could benefit the most from a well-funded programme.
“Levy gifting is an excellent way for larger organisations to expand the impact of apprenticeships and we intend to use the scheme to its full potential in supporting smaller employers in our communities.”
Earlier this year, Aldi set out plans to recruit more than 500 of its own apprentices, alongside 1,600 new store roles, during 2025.
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