According to Bury Times, Aldi has announced the launch of 96 store apprenticeships across Greater Manchester.
Since 2012 Aldi has recruited over 200 apprentices in their head office, distribution centers and stores with a starting salary of, on average, £190 per week rising to £283 following the completion of a 3 year apprenticeship scheme.
Aldi’s apprenticeship website explains the two pathways to access a store apprenticeship:
Career Starter – For applicants with no previous qualifications you can apply for a Level 2 Retailer Apprenticeship which takes around 12-15 months to complete. You will also complete Functional Skills at Level 2 alongside this.
Store Management Apprenticeship – For applicants that already have their GCSE’s in Maths and English at Grade C or above (or equivalents) you can apply for our Store Management Apprenticeship programme. You will complete both Level 2 Retailer and Level 3 Retail Team Leader which takes up to 36 months to complete.
Check your level of perceived experience here: predict the job interview outcome.
Unlike a higher education course, apprentices, to be successful in the recruitment process, are required to pass an apprenticeship interview. This article will give you a list of questions and answers Aldi may ask applicants.
It is also important to remember that during the lockdown, the apprenticeship recruitment process is likely to be an online job interview.
Aldi Apprentice Interview Questions
5 commonly asked retail apprenticeship interview questions:
Tell me what you know about Aldi?
The ‘about us’ question is asked to check if applicants are on the same level as Aldis business plan – to have 1200 UK stores by 2025
What this vision requires to achieve this goal is a diverse workforce made up of hardworking and ambitious staff members.
When answering the ‘about us’ interview question, first state your knowledge of Aldi – one of the UK’s fastest-growing supermarket chains, who recently opened their 900th store. Originally started as a small grocery store in Germany back in 1913. Eventually, Aldi gained a liquor license to overcome the challenges of the great depression and built up customer loyalty by allowing customers to buy now, pay later.
By 1954 their innovation had not stopped, with the very first self-service checkout. Now Aldi has stores worldwide and is always looking at creative ways to build upon the business, such as their apprenticeship scheme.
End the interview answer by stating why you applied for this role:
‘..this is why I applied for the apprenticeship role. Not only do I want a career in retail management, but I also want to work for an innovative company that sets high standards and I believe Aldi will be the go-to supermarket for customers who want quality goods at cheap prices.
Why did you apply for the Aldi apprenticeship scheme?
Aldi recruitment director, Kelly Stokes, said: “Aldi Apprentices are trained and mentored by some of the most experienced people in the retail sector, so all new colleagues receive the best training possible.”
This statement can become the basis of the interview answer ‘I want to be the best retail manager I can, with Aldi apprentices being trained and mentored by highly skilled and experienced sector professionals I want to increase my skill set, knowledge, and experience to ensure I will become a success Aldi manager.’
In addition to stating what you the apprentices want out of the relationship, explain what you can bring to the team:
‘As a (add experience, skill or qualification) gained from (give example) I will (state what you can offer the Aldi family)
Skills required for an apprentice retail manager or store assistant include:
- Determination
- Creative problem-solving
- IT and mathematical skills
- Target driven
- Customer service skills
Walk me through what you believe a standard working day will look like?
This question, sometimes worded as ‘give me an overview of the role you are applying for?’ or ‘what do you think your main duties will be?’ is a question to check each applicant’s understanding of the day-to-day task.
The employer here is checking suitability. If you know the job duties and are enthusiastic about them, you are likely to be applying for a suitable job role.
On the other hand, if you dislike some or all of the retail tasks or have no awareness of the essential job duties it is unlikely that you would last long as an apprentice.
To show understanding simple list the job duties in order;
- Preparing the store for opening; stacking shelves, stocktaking, cleaning the isles, checking the temperature of the fridges, getting the tills ready
- Customer service; operating the tills, assisting customers, re-stocking the shelves, taking deliveries, cleaning up
- 3 End of the day; closing the store, checking security, stock-taking, filling up the stores, stock rotation
To stand out during the interview answer, end the answer with what you would most enjoy about this role:
‘Out of all these duties, I am most looking forward to (add duty) as I know this would give me a great deal of job satisfaction.’
Give me an example of great customer service
Aldi value customer service.
When answering this interview question use an example that highlights how you go above and beyond to help a customer.
Also, be enthusiasm and communicate with words that motivate .
At the start of the answer set the scene;
- where were you?
- what was the customers problem?
- who was the customer?
Next, explain what action you took to support the customer to overcome their problem:
- gave advice
- source additional support
- find a creative solution
End the interview answer with positive success:
- the customer was happy
- increase in repeat business
- gave an online review
Are you a team player?
Sometimes, the question is framed as ‘give an example of working within a team?’ or ‘why is teamwork so important in retail?’
No matter how the interview question is worded, the wannabe apprentice has to ensure that the interviewer knows that they excel in team.
Start the answer confidently ‘I’m an excellent team player, in all my previous roles I have had to work within a team.’
Next, show sector awareness by stating how the Aldi team work together:
‘I know that for an Aldi store to be successful all colleagues and departments have to work collectively. As an example, if the warehouse team hasn’t been informed about a well-selling product they are unlikely to have the goods ready to refill the shelves, which could result in a loss in sales, or if the tills are busy and a colleague decides not to help out this could result in poor customer satisfaction.’
End the answer, by expaining the type of ‘team player’ you are:
‘As a team player I always look at the big picture and proactively help colleagues out whenever I can with the goal of ensuring customers are well looked after.’
In addition to the above interview questions, interviewees will also be able to ask the interview panel a set of questions.
Job Interview Advice
