Morrisons is to create 1,000 jobs for homeless people in the next three years as part of a new partnership.
The Bradford-based supermarket has teamed up with the Salvation Army and the Leeds social enterprise business Create to create the position.
Morrisons aims to offer 10 per cent of the jobs it creates at its new stores to "vulnerable" people.
The first five people trained under the scheme started their first day at work in the new Morrisons store in Harehills, one of the most deprived areas of Leeds, today.
The scheme offers new staff three months of training, both in the classroom and on the job, leading to a Qualifications and Credit Framework (QCF) Level 1 qualification.
Morrison’s chief executive Dalton Philips said: “We have a commitment to retraining people from all sections of the community, helping people to realise their potential whatever their background.”
The supermarket’s human resources director Norman Pickavance called for other retailers to embark on similar projects. He said: “Through partnership with social enterprise and big business we can create solutions that if I were a politician I would call it ‘Big Society’.”
The supermarket chain plans to expand the initiative nationally with new stores in Birmingham, Sunderland and Liverpool the next in line.
Last month Morrisons announced a new partnership with Bradford University's management school under which it will fund 20 under-graduates through a three-year degree course in food manufacturing, paying them a salary.
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