UIF Skills Programme Participant at Pick n Pay Hypermarkets

The Pick n Pay UIF Skills Programme offers a vital opportunity for unemployed South African citizens aged 18-40 to gain valuable skills and practical experience within the dynamic retail sector. This six-month development programme is designed to equip participants with essential competencies across various retail functions, fostering personal growth and paving the way for future employment opportunities. Participants will engage in structured learning and receive hands-on coaching from experienced store mentors, building a strong foundation in customer service and retail operations. This initiative underscores Pick n Pay's commitment to community development and empowering individuals to contribute meaningfully to the economy.

Participants in the UIF Skills Programme will benefit from a comprehensive and supportive learning environment. This includes a structured learning programme that provides theoretical knowledge alongside practical workplace experience. You will receive dedicated coaching from experienced Store Mentors, ensuring you develop real-world skills. The programme focuses on enhancing customer service and retail operations skills, providing ongoing support and development throughout your journey. Ultimately, this programme offers a significant opportunity to build a robust skillset, greatly improving your prospects for future employment within the retail industry.

The programme offers diverse career streams tailored to different interests and aptitudes, allowing participants to specialise in areas that resonate with their career aspirations:

• MASTERCUT - Building the Next Generation of Butchery Talent: For those with a passion for food and hands-on work, this stream offers specialist butchery skills, practical in-store experience, and industry-recognised workplace exposure, creating a clear pathway into the retail food industry.
• FRESHRIZE - Growing the Next Generation of Bakery Talent: Turn your passion for baking into a career by learning from experienced bakery teams. You'll gain bakery production skills, food preparation experience, customer service expertise, and practical workplace exposure in a real retail environment.
• ALL ROUNDERS - Developing the Next Generation of Retail Frontline Talent: This stream provides exposure to multiple areas of retail, building essential skills for a successful career in store operations. Participants will gain customer service skills, merchandising experience, frontline retail operations knowledge, and exposure across different store departments.
• HEALTH & BEAUTY HEROES - Developing the Next Generation of Health & Beauty Advisors: Help customers discover health and beauty products while building specialist retail knowledge. This stream focuses on health & beauty product knowledge, sales and customer engagement skills, merchandising experience, and practical retail experience.

• Passion for our Customers: We are passionate about our customers and will fight for their rights. Our customers are our priority, and their satisfaction is our success.
• Respect and Care: We care for and respect each other. We value our team's diversity and treat each other with kindness and understanding.
• Personal Growth and Opportunity: We foster personal growth and opportunities. We believe in empowering our employees, providing opportunities for learning and advancement.
• Leadership and Innovation: We nurture leadership and vision, and reward innovation. We encourage our employees to be leaders in their roles and think outside the box.

Key Responsibilities

• Actively participating in all structured learning modules and practical training sessions.
• Engaging with experienced store mentors to absorb knowledge and best practices.
• Providing excellent customer service, assisting shoppers with inquiries and product location.
• Adhering to all company policies, procedures, and health and safety regulations.
• Assisting with merchandising, stock rotation, and maintaining a clean and organised store environment.
• Collaborating effectively with team members to ensure smooth store operations.
• Demonstrating a strong commitment to personal development and programme completion.
• Applying newly acquired skills in real-world retail scenarios, whether in butchery, bakery, general retail, or health & beauty departments.

Why Join the Company

Application Strategy (Exclusive)

• Highlight your passion for retail and customer service: Since the programme explicitly seeks individuals with a 'passion for food, retail and customer service', ensure your CV and cover letter clearly articulate specific examples of this passion, even if it's from informal experiences or volunteer work.
• Emphasise your commitment to learning and development: The programme requires a 'commitment to completing a six-months development programme'. Showcase instances where you've successfully completed training, learned new skills, or demonstrated perseverance in a learning environment.
• Align your interests with a specific career stream: While applying, clearly state which career stream (MASTERCUT, FRESHRIZE, ALL ROUNDERS, or HEALTH & BEAUTY HEROES) you are most interested in and briefly explain why, demonstrating you've thought about your future path within Pick n Pay.

Interview Preparation

• 'Can you describe a time when you had to work as part of a team to achieve a common goal, and what was your role in that team?'
• 'Why are you interested in a career in retail, and specifically what attracts you to the Pick n Pay UIF Skills Programme?'

How to Apply

* Salary is estimated based on market research and may not be accurate.

• Grade 12
• Aged 18–40 years
• South African citizen
• Currently unemployed
• Passion for food, retail and customer service
• Willing to work retail trading hours, including weekends and public holidays
• Good communication and teamwork skills
• Commitment to completing a six-months development programme
• Updated CV
• Certified copy of South African ID
• Certified copy of Matric certificate
• Copies of any additional qualifications (if applicable)