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(Alliance News) - Domino's Pizza Group PLC has said it is creating 5,000 jobs as it continues to benefit from the Covid-19 pandemic and households turn to its deliveries in droves.
Bosses said they would also create 1,000 apprenticeship positions under the government's new Kickstart scheme, with "ambitious individuals" given the opportunity to apply for permanent roles following a six-month placement.
The new positions will include pizza chefs, customer service workers and delivery drivers, and are on top of the 6,000 jobs Domino's said it has created since the start of the pandemic.
Chief executive Dominic Paul said: "It was a privilege to keep our stores open during Covid-19 and to now be in a position to offer thousands more people the opportunity to become a Domino's team member.
"We're also delighted to have applied to support the government's Kickstart scheme, offering young people the chance to get back into work and to build lifelong skills through our training programmes."
"Together, these over 6,000 new roles will help Domino's continue to safely serve our local communities as we head towards the busy festive period."
He added that the apprentices will have access to e-learning modules on "employability skills", including timekeeping and teamwork, and will earn "in line with current store pay levels".
The company is hoping to maintain its high levels of riders and cooks going into store management, with 80% of store managers having started their Domino's career in entry-level positions.
The jobs being created follow similar announcements from supermarkets, online retailers and courier firms, who have all increased their workforces due to surging demand during the pandemic.
However, the new roles at the likes of Amazon.com Inc, Tesco PLC and DPD fall well short of the expected losses in the hard-hit retail and leisure industry.
Estimates from the Centre for Retail Research found that more than 125,000 jobs have been lost in the UK shopping sector.
And leisure industry trade body UK Hospitality warned over the weekend that 450,000 of the one million workers in the pubs and hospitality sector who are still on furlough could lose their jobs.
Domino's had a successful lockdown, with sites remaining open as rival restaurants struggled to operate.
Paul, who joined earlier this year, has been working hard to nurture relationships with franchise partners, where the jobs will be created.
He is attempting to build bridges following years of acrimony between franchisees and Domino's former boss, David Wild.
His preferred combative style saw him burn through four chief financial officers in just three years prior to his announced retirement in August 2019.
source: PA
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