Retail Leadership Degree Apprenticeship (Newcastle upon Tyne)
LIDL LIMITED
Newcastle Upon Tyne (NE7 7LX)
Closes on Friday 13 March 2026
Posted on 9 February 2026
Contents
Summary
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.
- Wage
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£27,040 a year
Check minimum wage rates (opens in new tab)
Competitive pay that increases as you progress
A permanent contract
30-35 days holiday
10% in-store discount
Discounted gym memberships
Plus, more of the perks you deserve - Training course
- Retail leadership (integrated degree) (level 6)
- Hours
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40 hours per week
Monday - Sunday (including weekends and evenings) Shifts TBC.
40 hours a week
- Start date
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Tuesday 1 September 2026
- Duration
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4 years
- Positions available
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5
Work
Most of your apprenticeship is spent working. You’ll learn on the job by getting hands-on experience.
What you'll do at work
Please apply to this opening for roles in the following areas: Northumberland, Newcastle Area, Durham, Teeside, North Yorkshire, Cumbria, North of Leeds and Humber.
Here’s a brief breakdown of your Lidl journey. More detail can be found on our Retail Leadership Degree Apprenticeship home page at www.lidlcareers.co.uk/early-careers/degree-apprenticeship.
Year 1: You’ll hit the ground running, starting with Customer Assistant training, before joining the store leadership team as a Shift Manager.
Alongside your role you’ll complete university modules in Retail Business Environment, Retail Culture & Mindset, and Digital Retail.
Year 2: You’ll build on your leadership experience as you develop your responsibilities from Shift Manager to Deputy Store Manager level.
Alongside your role, you’ll complete modules in Retail Operations, Retail Marketing Strategy, and Retail Insights & Customer Information.
Year 3: 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.
Alongside your role, you’ll complete modules in Managing Retail Finance & Value, Responsible & Sustainable Management, and Retail Leadership & transformation.
Year 4: Here’s where you take on your official title of Store Manager-in-Training.
Where you'll work
Unit 1
Benton Park Road
Newcastle Upon Tyne
NE7 7LX
Training
Apprenticeships include time away from working for specialist training. You’ll study to gain professional knowledge and skills.
Training provider
KINGSTON UNIVERSITY
Training course
Retail leadership (integrated degree) (level 6)
Understanding apprenticeship levels (opens in new tab)
What you'll learn
Course contents
- Retail Landscape - current and future: Construct the key plans for the business, and demonstrate creatively, clarity of thinking and decision making in delivering them both in-store and online.
- Retail Landscape - current and future: Analyse and evaluate key economic and political trends, and how they impact upon the retail landscape, including technology and Artificial Intelligence (AI)
- Retail Landscape - current and future: Consider the impact of different business models and propositions, including the move to on-line retailing
- Retail product life cycle: Construct customer profiles to ensure buying and merchandising impact is maximised, including the impact of on-line retailing
- Retail product life cycle: Implement the link between product quality and customer satisfaction.
- Retail product life cycle: Influence the design of an appropriate store / website layout based on current and customer buying patterns
- Retail innovation and the digital challenge: Critically evaluate the most effective methods of digital delivery, and how they will impact on the product range.
- Retail innovation and the digital challenge: Evaluate the impact digital channels play and identify the likely impact of changes in digital / AI behaviour by customers.
- Retail innovation and the digital challenge: Critically evaluate the impact of new technology on the customer journey and experience
- Retail Marketing and the customer: Create an environment in which the brand and brand values underpin both colleague and customer understanding (internal and external).
- Retail Marketing and the customer: Consistently apply the retail brand ethos and values.
- Retail Marketing and the customer: Using critical research, construct a customer engagement / pricing strategy
- Retail Marketing and the customer: By using data, analyse and predict the customer’s current and future needs and purchasing trends, including how the customer journey is impacted
- Retail Supply Chain: Appraise the effectiveness of the overall supply strategy and approach of the business, which is ethical, sustainable and profitable.
- Retail Supply Chain: Anticipate future requirements for new products.
- Retail Supply Chain: Critically review the role of logistics, warehousing and transport operation within the retail business.
- Retail Finance, Data and Management Information (MI): Review performance of against key financial and performance data and ratios.
- Retail Finance, Data and Management Information (MI): Use consumer trend data, and sales MI to predict the reaction of customers, and respond accordingly.
- Retail Finance, Data and Management Information (MI): Articulate the key business decisions (eg pricing strategy), and how they link with overall performance.
- Impact of change in Retail on our people: Recognise the impact that the changing nature of retail has on people strategies, eg recruitment, L&D, employee engagement and talent management.
- Impact of change in Retail on our people: Allocate appropriate levels of resource to different methods of operation.
- Impact of change in Retail on our people: Build teams, and empower and manage others to improve business performance.
- Impact of change in Retail on our people: Utilise emotional and social intelligence to build and develop relationships both internally and externally.
- Impact of change in Retail on our people: Demonstrate effective problem solving and time management skills, and an expert written and verbal communication style
Training schedule
We'll 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.
And don’t forget, you’ll earn while you learn and be well rewarded for your hard work. Your salary will grow with your experience, starting as a Customer Assistant and working your way through our store roles until you are a Store Manager-in-Training.
More training information
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.
Requirements
Essential qualifications
GCSE in:
Share if you have other relevant qualifications and industry experience. The apprenticeship can be adjusted to reflect what you already know.
Skills
- Organisation skills
- Customer care skills
- Problem solving skills
- Team working
- Initiative
Other requirements
To be legally entitled to work in the UK on a full time, permanent basis.
Must have been living in the UK for at least 3 years prior to the commencement of the apprenticeship.
To live (or relocate) within a one-hour commute of the store you plan to work in (locations tbc).
Good time-management skills, as you’ll need to balance your study, assignments and work in store.
Initiative and determination to succeed in a fast paced, challenging work environment, while balancing a challenging apprenticeship.
About this employer
Although offering the highest quality products at the lowest possible prices has helped us become the success we are today, it's our people that really bring Lidl to life.
From football fans and chocoholics to single parents and students, we're a diverse bunch of people from all walks of life, with thousands of different stories to tell! Our individuality makes every team unique, but when you scratch below the surface, we’ve also got a lot in common.
We’re plate spinners and problem-solvers, keeping homes stocked up across the UK. And when we work together, we see each other do great things.
Find your place with us, and you'll become part of a team whose energy, passion and hard work will push you to bring your best self to work, every day.
http://www.lidlcareers.co.uk (opens in new tab)
Disability Confident
A fair proportion of interviews for this apprenticeship will be offered to applicants with a disability or long-term health condition. This includes non-visible disabilities and conditions.
You can choose to be considered for an interview under the Disability Confident scheme. You’ll need to meet the essential requirements to be considered for an interview.
After this apprenticeship
Starting as a Customer Assistant you will be working your way through our store roles until you are a Store Manager-in-Training.
Ask a question
The contact for this apprenticeship is:
KINGSTON UNIVERSITY
The reference code for this apprenticeship is VAC2000014049.
Apply now
Closes on Friday 13 March 2026
After signing in, you’ll apply for this apprenticeship on the company's website.