Royal Mail: 1,000 apprenticeship placements to be offered around the UK - with permanent jobs up for grabs

The Royal Mail has announced that will be launching a postal apprenticeship scheme, offering up to 1,000 placements across the country.

The company said it will be one of the single biggest programmes of its kind in the UK, with those who complete the training being offered a permanent job.

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At a glance: 5 key points

- The scheme will open for applications on 28 June, via the Royal Mail careers website

- The first 500 apprenticeships will begin in September, lasting 13 months

- A further 500 apprenticeships will then be launched across the business in the new year

- The apprenticeships will cover areas including customer services, financial budgeting, and health and well being, as well as the day to day duties of a delivery person

- Many senior Royal Mail employees began their careers through the former Postal Cadet Scheme which ended in 1996

What’s been said

Ricky McAulay, Operations Development Director, said: “We couldn’t be prouder to launch our postal apprenticeship scheme at a time when the pandemic continues to take a heavy toll on career opportunities across the country.

“We’ve placed a real emphasis on ensuring that our scheme has a range of transferable skills so that successful candidates can take what they learn with them for the rest of their careers.

“Having started my work at Royal Mail as a Postal Cadet in 1986, I know the benefit that these initiatives can have on a career. I look forward to seeing these aspiring apprentices join us at Royal Mail.”

Background

The Royal Mail has been operating across the UK for over 500 years, and six days a week the company delivers mail to over 30 million addresses in the country.

Royal Mail says that “it takes the hard work of over 150,000 employees to keep things running smoothly”.

In the apprenticeship category of the FAQ section on the Royal Mail site, it explains that there is no age restriction for those applying for an apprenticeship position as long as you’re over the age of 16.

Those with disabilities are also welcome to apply as well, as Royal Mail is a “committed equal opportunities employer”.

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