Asda has hired its first permanent employees with learning difficulties at its Queensferry branch, following a successful new internship.
Five students at the Queensferry Asda store have been offered permanent positions after participating in a supported internship programme and placement with the supermarket giant.
Launched in the summer of 2023, Asda’s Supported Internship Programme with local college Coleg Cambria is designed to provide students with access to work-based experiential learning.
It comes as charity DFN Project Search aims to support 10,000 young adults with a learning disability, or autism spectrum condition (or both) into paid employment by 2030.
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Asda chief people and corporate affairs officer Hayley Tatum said: “We are delighted that this programme has been a success and congratulate all our interns who have been offered permanent positions.
“Our work with DFN Project Search helps to provide valuable work experience to young adults with learning disabilities, providing opportunities for students to understand more about the workplace, learn new skills, and build confidence.
“In offering supported internship programmes such as these, we hope to give young people everything they need to gain employment with any employer in their last year of education. Programmes like this really do make a difference to people within our communities and we look forward to welcoming expanding this initiative further later this year.”
Asda said the success of this year’s internship has prompted it to expand the initiative later this year, with more stores and a larger intake helping to further bolster its position as a diverse and inclusive employer.
