The 21 graduates are the first successful students of a foundation degree in leadership and logistics at the Logistics Institute at Hull University Business School, sponsored by the retailer.
The bespoke, part-time industry foundation degree was formulated by the Logistics Institute in consultation with the supermarket chain to provide cutting-edge training to Morrisons’ logistics division.
About 100 Morrisons staff are expected to complete the course, which will run for another two years.
David Grant, professor of logistics and associate dean (business engagement), congratulated the Morrisons graduates. “They have achieved very good marks and I am confident that these graduates will progress rapidly and become a real asset to the Morrisons brand in the future,” he said.
The students were recruited internally by Morrisons and then vetted for appropriate entry qualifications by the university. Foundation degree students studied modules covering academic and management skills, human resources, and operations management, as well as in-depth leadership and logistics studies.
After completing the foundation degree, students are eligible to enroll on the final year of a full degree course to upgrade their qualification to a BSc.
Implementation in the workplace
The course is mainly delivered at the Hull campus, alongside some study at Morrisons’ Northampton site. Designed to connect theoretical learning with the workplace environment, students tackle three business improvement projects, presenting their findings to their management team for possible implementation in the workplace.
Grant said: “Retail logistics, the backbone of any retail operation, is becoming increasingly sophisticated with a subsequent need for more highly qualified personnel. The course has been specifically created for Morrisons as an investment in their people and the future growth of the business.
“The emphasis on practical business improvement projects ensures the high quality learning they have received will bring about real benefits both for them individually and for the performance of the business as a whole.”
The foundation degree in leadership and logistics was launched in 2012.
Founded in 2005, the Logistics Institute specialises in global logistics and supply chain management. It was said to have assisted 530 businesses with their logistics and supply chain topics and helped them create more than 160 new jobs and increasing sales by £55M a year.
The Food Manufacturing Group is searching for bright, new entrants to the food manufacturing industry – at apprentice, technician and graduate level – take part in the new Young Talent of the Year award.
Meanwhile, Morrisons recently announced the creation of 50 jobs at a new distribution centre near its Bridgwater manufacturing site in Somerset.