Degree apprenticeship

Our Degree Apprenticeship is designed to do more than just teach you the ropes.

We’ll equip you with the skills and knowledge you need to build a successful career in retail. Imagine yourself running your own Lidl store in four years – that's the kind of potential we see in our Apprentices.

Learning on the job and beyond.

You'll gain hands-on experience working alongside our store teams, mastering everything from customer service and stock management to operational excellence.

But that's not all. We'll also provide you with dedicated off-the-job training, delivered in partnership with Kingston University. Within four years, you’ll have developed a deep understanding of the retail industry and our operations, alongside your hard-earned Retail Leadership BSc (Hons) degree qualification.

You'll be well rewarded for your hard work.

Your salary will grow with your experience, with guaranteed pay rises at key milestones throughout your journey. Starting with a salary from £27,040 per year*, you could be earning £37,333 per year* as a Store Manager by the end of your Apprenticeship.

* Plus an extra 10% on top if your salary for London weighting (non-contractual), if your store is within the M25

Thinking of using AI to support with your application? Make sure you read our guidance in the FAQs first!

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Your learning journey

Supporting you

What you'll do

Over your four years you’ll work your way through our store roles as you develop your operational and managerial experience along the way. You can find out more about the modules you’ll be learning on our Your Learning Journey page:

Yearly breakdown

You’ll hit the ground running, starting with Customer Assistant training for the first 6 months. From restocking shelves to jumping on tills, you’ll keep moving, keep business booming and never be bored.

You’ll take pride in going the extra mile to keep the store clean, tidy and organised, working closely with your colleagues and making sure that every customer receives the service they deserve.

After this you’ll be joining the store leadership team as a Retail Shift Manager. From motivating your store team, to taking responsibility for shifts, you’ll support the Store Manager and Deputy Store manager to help keep your store running like clockwork.

Alongside your role you’ll complete university modules in Retail Business Environment, Retail Culture & Mindset, and Digital Retail.

You’ll build on your leadership experience as you develop your responsibilities from Shift Manager to Deputy Store Manager level.

As a Deputy Store Manager, your training will have you getting stuck in both on the shop floor and behind the scenes. From managing cash processes and monitoring stock integrity, to inspiring your colleagues, you’ll play a huge part in creating a place where you and your whole team can do your best work.

Alongside your role, you’ll complete modules in Retail Operations, Retail Marketing Strategy, and Retail Insights & Customer Information.

Continuing your Deputy Store Manager role, you’ll build on your experience and skill set to take even more of an active role in your store’s success. You’ll also enjoy greater responsibility while the Store Manager is absent, taking ownership of the store and leading by example to support your colleagues.

Alongside your role, you’ll complete modules in Managing Retail Finance & Value, Responsible & Sustainable Management, and Retail Leadership & transformation.

Here’s where you take on your official title of Store Manager in Training.

With the support of your store management team you’ll continue to lead from the front and guide your store towards success, keeping customers happy and developing and inspiring your team. You’ll find plenty of challenges and with them, the thrill of seeing your hard work pay off; hitting targets, solving problems and championing your colleagues to reach their full potential.

Alongside your role, you’ll complete a module in Building Retail Strategy and preparing for your End Point Assessment.

Once you’ve successfully completed year four, you’ll be awarded with your Retail Leadership Degree Apprenticeship, with BSc (Hons) qualification.

Having proven yourself in your store, you’ll also be fully equipped to lead a store team of your own.

What you'll need

Maths and English at level 2 or above (GCSE grade 4, or previously grade C)
To be a UK national or have eligible residency status and have been a resident in the UK for at least the previous 3 years on the first day of the Apprenticeship
To live (or relocate) within a one-hour commute of the store you plan to work in (locations tbc)
Initiative and determination to succeed in a fast paced, challenging environment

In addition to the above, Kingston University uses a range of entry requirements to assess your suitability. Most course requirements are based on UCAS Tariff points, and they may also use interview, portfolio and practical evidence to assess your suitability for the course.

We recognise that every person’s journey to Higher Education is different and unique, and in some cases, we may consider work experience and other non-standard pathways onto university level study.

Our locations

In Great Britain our stores are split across 13 regions, each supported by its own Regional Distribution Centre (RDC).

Our opportunities are nationwide, which means plenty of opportunities for you to choose from.

Where can you find our RDCs?

MOT: Eurocentral. Includes the whole of Scotland

NAY: Newton Aycliffe. Includes Leeds, Bradford, York and North Yorkshire, Teesside, County Durham, Darlington, Sunderland, Newcastle, Northumberland and Cumbria

RUN: Runcorn. Includes North Wales, Lancashire, Merseyside, Cheshire

DON: Doncaster. Includes South, East, West Yorkshire, Lincolnshire, Manchester and surrounding areas

WED: Wednesbury. Includes South Manchester, Leicestershire, West Midlands, Staffordshire, Shropshire, Worcestershire, Derbyshire, Birmingham and Coventry

PET: Peterborough. Includes East Anglia, Essex, Norfolk, Suffolk and Nottinghamshire

LTN: Luton. Includes Luton, Milton Keynes, Coventry, Bedford, Northampton, West Hertfordshire, Warwickshire, Buckinghamshire, Reading, Slough and North London

BRI: Bridgend. Includes Pembrokeshire, Powys, Cardiff, Swansea, Bridgend, Herefordshire, Gloucestershire and the Forest of Dean

SEV: Severn Beach. Includes Avon, North Somerset, Oxfordshire, Wiltshire, Cheltenham and Worcestershire

BEL: Belvedere. Includes South London and some parts of Kent and some parts of Surrey

NFL: Northfleet. Includes Essex, Kent, some parts of East Sussex and East London

EXE: Exeter. Includes Cornwall, Devon, Somerset, Bournemouth and Dorset

SOU: Southampton. Includes Hampshire and some parts of Surrey and Sussex

Find your place

Kick-start your career, get stuck in and make a real difference with an Apprenticeship at Lidl.

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Retail Leadership Degree Apprenticeship