Asda stores in Blackburn and Colne have welcomed new students into work experience placements.

Five new students will take up year-long work experience placements at the Blackburn store, as part of a programme to support young adults give young people with learning difficulties and/or disabilities a taste of a real-life working environment. 

Whilst, the Asda Colne Superstore welcomed seven new students into the same placements. 

Asda said it had expanded its Supported Internship Programme and will now be offering year-long work experience placements to more than 70 students with learning disabilities or learning difficulties across the UK. 

Students participating in the programme are given the opportunity to learn new skills and grow in confidence so that they can gain employment once they finish their studies. 

As part of the expanded programme, Asda will introduce bespoke uniform items for the interns including t-shirts and fleeces which will carry the message: “Happy to Help, please bear with me I’m learning”. 

The uniform will help customers recognise that the young people are learning so that they can build their confidence to support and interact with future customers.

Asda Blackburn was one of the stores to take on new studentsAsda said it became the first supermarket to collaborate with DFN Project SEARCH in the summer of 2023, which saw the retailer work closely with, Coleg Cambria, to provide paid work experience at its Queensferry store. 

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 and has already helped more than 2,600 people to date. 

Chief People and Corporate Affairs Officer for Asda, Hayley Tatum MBE said: “We’re delighted to build upon last year’s success with DFN Project SEARCH, and promote more accessible pathways into paid employment within retail.   

“With 11 stores and over 70 students now involved, we’re continuing to improve our support to young people and ensure they are equipped with the knowledge and experience they need to gain future employment.” 

The Asda store in Colne welcomed seven new studentsInterim chief executive of DFN Project SEARCH, Carmel McKeough. added:  "We are thrilled to see Asda expanding their commitment to creating meaningful employment opportunities for young people with learning disabilities and autism. 

"By increasing the number of stores involved in the programme, Asda is not only changing the lives of more young people but also setting an inspiring example for other businesses and positively impacting the local communities they serve. 

"Together, we are tapping into a wealth of hidden talent, proving that with the right support and opportunity, these young adults can become valuable employees."