‘Feed Your Mind’ Degree Programme – A Collaboration Between Ulster University Business School and Lidl
The “Feed Your Mind” degree programme, commissioned by Lidl and developed by both the Ulster University Business School (UUBS) and the Irish Times Training, is a 2 year foundation degree in management practice and retail profession. Currently the degree has over 50 students participating, allowing students to gain additional qualifications and practical working experience, leading to a career into one of the world’s global retailers and a chance of a full salary.
This opportunity is not only open to existing Lidl employees, but external applicants are welcomed too, with successful candidates receiving a 2 year fixed-term contract to serve as a deputy store manager or deputy logistics manager. Individuals obtain a basic degree in management practice by UUBS, that specialises in retail, enhancing their career prospects. According to Lidl themselves, those who have completed the program have gained a permanent management position in various areas within the company.
With the challenges and changes brought on by the Covid pandemic, the programme continues to be successful with each coming year. Since its introduction in 2018, the demand and quota have continuously increased. The program received more than 800 applications in 2018, 17 of those joined to approx. 2,400 applicants in 2020, with 60 students on the program, with now a third of the 2021 cohort being international participants from Serbia, Latvia, Croatia, Poland and further afield. The programme’s success signifies the opportunities for businesses and individuals alike to grow under the influence of the pandemic alongside its challenges.
Senior Lecturer in Management Development at UUBS, Rachel Sherrard has argued that this course is specifically tailored to meeting Lidl’s needs in developing the next generation of confident leaders equipped with the necessary skills and characteristics to drive the future growth of the retail industry and economy. Siobhra Disdale, Senior Talent Management Specialist at Lidl adds that the course is an “exceptional opportunity for those in the early stages of retail and logistics management who are hungry to fast-track their career with a leading global retailer.”
Part of the success of the programme is due to the benefits of the blended learning structure of in-store operations, access to experienced management personnel and mentors and industry-leading academic learning. In addition, students come on campus to take part in group projects such as pitching a business or improvement ideas to Lidl and UUBS leaders to boost their experience. Students themselves have praised the “Feed Your Mind” degree programme as “a great opportunity for those who have not taken the traditional higher education route” that has them thinking strategically about using leadership and management techniques differently.