On-the-Job Training

3 months ago · < 1 minute read

Think that working at a grocery store is a deadend job for highschool students or people lacking better options? Think again. Chains like Whole Foods have been investing heavily in apprenticeship programs. In 2023, CEO Jason Buechel noted that they’d seen over 10,000 employees promoted, thanks to those paid apprenticeships. 

So far, they have apprenticeship programs in butchery, cheesemongering, and bakery decoration. But they’re not ready to call it a day. They’ve got big plans in store for pizza-making, produce specialist, and fishmongering tracks. Considering how common apprenticing has been for thousands of years, it’s no wonder that Whole Foods is taking advantage.

These programs aren’t just fancy titles either. They are intensive programs that can take years to complete. The prize? Certification. Even employees who don’t want to stay at Whole Foods can take those certifications and apply elsewhere, improving their overall opportunities. It just goes to show that employers can and should pay their employees to upskill; it benefits everyone.