At 65, Rosemarie has never found age an issue. In her spare time, she enjoys visiting the theatre, art galleries and going travelling. “I’m hoping to go up in a hot air balloon next year and I’m off to the Christmas markets in Dusseldorf soon. I like going and trying new things. On my days off, I prefer to hop on a train and visit new places rather than sit at home twiddling my thumbs.”
Rosemarie has brought this same energy to working at Tesco. “Times have changed. Years ago, at 65, you used to be looking at slowing down, but now there are quite a few older people working in-store. I’m not the oldest one here! There’s a good, broad range of ages; I like that about it, age is irrelevant.” In fact, she’s found, the spread of ages brings different knowledge and skill sets. “I know the ingredients for things, which my younger colleagues don’t, and the difference between products like washing soda and baking soda. And when I’m not familiar with a newer product, I go to them. It’s a two-way flow of information.”
During lockdown, Rosemarie decided she wanted to upskill and, already working for Tesco, signed up for company’s Level 2 retail apprenticeship scheme. “The word ‘apprenticeship’ previously made me think of a young person, but it’s actually the opportunity to learn new skills. I did the course because I was bubbling over with questions. Tesco was trying new things, and I couldn’t figure out why, and what we and the customers were getting from it.”
As well as providing her with the answers, Rosemarie found other unexpected benefits: “It was a learning curve. I learned about the interactions within the business and how each department interacts with each other … I got a maths and English qualification – a City and Guilds! I left school with no qualifications, so I couldn’t believe this, and it progressed my career.”
Tesco’s retail apprenticeship is a nationally recognised qualification, and, during the course, which took 16 months, Rosemarie was supported by her “amazing” tutor. “There were many times I thought I couldn’t do it, but he pushed me on.”
While she found some elements of the course challenging, there was always someone to ask. “It’s a supportive environment. No question is a stupid question.”
Rosemarie especially relished the cognitive development element of the retail apprenticeship, admitting she learned as much about herself as she did about Tesco. “It was life-changing, the confidence it gives you … It makes you understand there is more you can do.”
There are currently about 1,200 apprentices completing Tesco’s Level 2 retail apprenticeship – including more than 50 aged 55-65, and 300-plus over 40.
Now, with her retail apprenticeship completed, Rosemary is encouraging people seeking jobs to look at Tesco and the opportunities it offers. “I would 100% recommend it to other people. And the apprenticeship is a great stepping stone for making working at Tesco a career at Tesco. It’s a new beginning and the opportunity for another part of your life. You get to know all the roles at the stores and you’re more likely to be chosen for other schemes, such as the management scheme.”
Tesco, too, wants more people to follow its apprentices’ lead, in particular those who make up the UK’s “lost workforce”, defined as those not employed, but either looking for work or having the desire to work with the right support. According to research by the Social Market Foundation, a cross-party public policy thinktank, this group is thought to comprise more than 6 million people in the UK, costing an estimated £454bn each year in lost output.
Those aged over 45 make up a significant proportion (47%) of this lost workforce, with 45-55 years olds being the biggest group (25%), followed by 55-64 year olds (22%). Of those over 45, 27% said they were less likely to apply for a job because they “didn’t think they were looking for someone like me”. Many felt they lacked the skills required in the modern workplace, with only 33% of the lost workforce feeling confident in their communication, customer service and digital abilities.
When questioned about the support that would encourage them back into work, 53% of over-45s cited opportunities to retrain, 49% mentioned work placements, 48% stated more flexible working arrangements and 41% would be encouraged by employability support, such as CV writing.
It’s obvious that career development is an important motivation for getting this demographic into employment; work placements and on-the-job learning were flagged by 48%, access to better work experience highlighted by 45% and apprenticeships cited as valuable by 41%.
Rosemarie can identify with many of the findings of the Social Market Foundation’s report. “I totally understand the feeling of not being digital … Before the apprenticeship, I was scared of technology, and I saw it as a threat, now I see it as a support. Using technology at work is so much easier; without it, everything takes longer and is harder.”
Even Rosemarie’s family have noticed the change in her since she did the course and she uses what she learned both at and away from work. “I’m happier, more productive and more informed. From working on the checkout to the shop floor, I use the skills from the apprenticeship every day.”
Read more about what Tesco is doing to tackle barriers to employment
