Discount supermarket chain Aldi has announced plans to create 35,000 new jobs in Britain.
A proposed £600m investment, which would include a doubling of its store numbers to 1,000, was confirmed as the Prime Minister visited its UK headquarters in Warwickshire.
Aldi said: "This includes plans to create at least one apprenticeship position per store, per year, which would see the employment of between 600-1,000 apprentices each year as Aldi strives towards 1,000 stores.
"Apprentice training and development will be supported by a new Apprenticeship Academy located at Aldi's offices and distribution centre in Bolton, which is due to open in March 2015."
The new jobs, Aldi said, would include a range of management roles as well as in-store and regional distribution centre jobs.
Matthew Barnes, group managing director of Aldi UK, added: "Our expansion plans mean that we can accommodate growing shopper numbers, while ensuring that there is an Aldi store only a short drive away from people, no matter where they live in the country.
"We are opening our doors across the UK, making it even easier for people to shop and save with us."
David Cameron said: "Aldi's plans to create tens of thousands more jobs across the country are a vote of confidence in our long-term economic plan to back business, create more jobs and secure a brighter future for Britain.
"This news will mean more financial security for hardworking families and opportunities for young people who want to get on in life."
Hard discount chains have been eating into the market shares of major chains Tesco, Morrisons and Sainsbury's in recent times.
Aldi's grocery market share currently stands at 4.8%.
Discounters have capitalised on the strains facing family budgets from weak wage growth lagging inflation, leaving more established chains scrambling to improve their offerings and cut prices.
Sainsbury's recently backed a trial return to the UK by Netto and is set to announce the results of a strategy review later this week.
Efforts by Tesco to concentrate on its fightback have been hampered by the fallout from a massive profits overstatement while sales are continuing to fall at Morrisons.
Of the biggest chains, only Asda has grown market share but because it is not listed in the UK, its profitability is unclear.
Article taken from: www.news.sky.com