I first found out about the Boots Apprenticeship on the National Apprenticeship website and saw that the scheme was a fit to what I wanted.

The application process was quite challenging as it was a new experience. I undertook an online application and a telephone interview. Having successfully passed the first few application stages, I then had an induction week and was able to meet with lots of new people, including other apprentices and Boots staff. I came to learn about the different departments at Boots as each gave presentations on their individual functions. I also had two days of training and a talk by Alex Gourlay and the Customer Care team. The talks were very informative, and gave an overview of the Boots brand and the Company values.

I joined the Buying department. As an apprentice, I completed a 3-month placement in store followed by two 10-month placements in different departments. There is plenty of opportunity to try out different departments and all you have to do is ask!

My role as a Category Assistant mainly involves setting up promotions on the system and meeting with suppliers to go through new potential products. The job is very varied, with different tasks through the week.

I'm particularly proud of having managed an event where they showcase new products about to be introduced into the store. It was a challenging project to run but I thoroughly enjoyed having the added responsibility.

I recommend that new apprentices keep an open mind when making a decision on which department to join. Don't be afraid to talk about your strengths - a lot of people seem to shy away from talking about their strong points.

Have you got what it takes to make our customers feel great, every time they shop with us? Then this could be the programme for you. We're looking for graduates who live and breathe customer service, and who'll thrive on the opportunity to lead our business from the front. Do well, and you could have the keys to your very own store after just 24 months.

As well as bags of ambition and the drive to deliver great service, we'll need to see a degree in any subject (although a business or retail-focused degree would be ideal). You'll need to bring the insight to understand what customers want, plus the people skills to deliver just that. If you have an example of a time when you've led other people to success, we would love to hear about it.

For a career you'll feel passionately about, find out more and apply www.boots.jobs/talentprogrammes/retail-management-programme/

Join Boots as a graduate, and you can look forward to more responsibility and more opportunities than you ever imagined. We offer four different programmes: Brand, Buying and Marketing; Finance; Technology Leadership and Retail Management. On each of them, you'll be working right at the heart of one of the UK's best known health and beauty retailers, helping us to become the world's best pharmacy-led health and beauty retailer. And wherever you join us, we'll make sure you're empowered to shape our success - and your own.

So what does it take to get in and get on? First things first, you'll need a good degree in any discipline (for some schemes, you'll need to bring a minimum of a 2:1). For Brand, Buying & Marketing and Finance, numeracy is essential too. It goes without saying that you'll be every bit as customer-focused as we are. And of course, you'll be genuinely excited about all the opportunities that will be open to you as part of this scheme. For a career you'll feel passionately about, find out more and apply at www.boots.jobs/talentprogrammes/

Imagine working right at the heart of one of the UK's best known health and beauty retailers, deciding what products should go on the shelves, and how to make sure our customers take notice. Join the Boots Brand, Buying and Marketing Graduate Programme, and that's exactly what you can expect. So if you're looking for a career that packs in much, much more, you'll be in the right place.

So what does it take to get in and get on? First things first, you'll need a 2:1 or above (or equivalent), in any discipline. We'll also be looking for a confident approach, and the ability to analyse and interpret complex data. And of course, you'll be genuinely excited about all the opportunities that will be open to you as part of this scheme, and our company.

For a career you'll feel passionately about, find out more and apply www.boots.www.boots.jobs/talentprogrammes/finance-programme/

Join our Finance Graduate Programme, and you'll be one of our most important assets. You'll help to define what products appear on the shelves, and at what price. You can also expect to help leaders across the organisation to manage and monitor their budgets. It's a fantastic opportunity to be immersed in all aspects of our business, and to gain a professional finance qualification in the process.

We're looking for people with a 2:1 in a relevant degree subject, GCSEs in Maths and English (at grade C or above) - or equivalent and UCAS points totalling 300 points or more. We'll need to see strong numerical proficiency. Excellent problem solving skills and good attention to detail are also important, as is the drive and ambition to become one of our leaders of the future.

As you'll be based at our Nottingham Support Office in Year One and our Surrey Support Office in Year Two plus have the opportunity to secure a placement in our international teams across Europe in Year Three, you'll need to be prepared to move location at the end of each placement.

For a career you'll feel passionately about, find out more and apply www.boots.jobs/talentprogrammes/finance-programme/

I originally thought about going to university, but had a change of heart after coming across the Boots Apprenticeship programme on the National Apprenticeship website. My decision to join Boots was in large part influenced by my uncle, who had previously worked at Boots and had a brilliant experience.

I first applied online and undertook a maths test, and a behavioural test which was later followed by a telephone interview. After passing these first few stages, I was then invited to a presentation day, where I was able to discover what the Apprenticeship programme had to offer, as well as learn about the various functional areas, such as IT, HR and Marketing. I was also able to speak to a lot of different people who worked within these departments, which I really appreciated. The tours and presentations were great as these gave an insight on Boots, especially on how the different functions interrelate.

Following the presentation day, I took part in an assessment centre with 8 other applicants. The activities involved a one-on-one interview, a practice exercise, a tour, and a presentation. The atmosphere was friendly and supportive. The day wasn't stressful at all; everyone was relaxed and helped put you at ease as soon as you got there.

Having successfully landed a place on the Boots Apprenticeship programme, I then had two months experience working in a store. Following this, I joined the IT department as an IT Analyst. My decision to pursue IT was fuelled by my long-term interest and enjoyment of the subject during my GCSEs and A-Levels.

I know I'll get a great experience with Boots as I work towards a Level 4 NVQ in Business Administration and Management.

So far I've worked in-store at Boots. Working in-store gives you a great advantage because it helps you to analyse the company as a whole. I've had previous retail experience before, but working with a variety of products really enhances your knowledge. It makes you realise every customer is different, therefore Boots products to cater to all those needs.

I've received fragrance and No7 training as well as management training. Boots offer a wide range of training and it's up to you to push yourself and evolve as an individual. I've also attended a leadership course with fellow apprentices. We were taught about organisation, responsibilities and teamwork. The training was extremely valuable and I can now put what I learnt into practice. Boots can really further your career.

I became a Boots Apprentice because I wanted to learn new skills and develop my career. The programme is something different and with an attractive salary and great prospects, I just had to go for it. Boots is a forever expanding company and I see a career here.

I've been working in-store for a couple of months and this has really helped me to understand the operational and customer side of things. I have taken on a Manager role and sorted out reviews, looked after Electrical Beauty and assisted with training. It's been great to liaise with customers and work with other colleagues too. I've really enjoyed working as a team. I've also recently started working in Operations because I wanted to see a different side of the business.

Working in store makes you think on your feet, for example, if you're dealing with customer enquiries. It's real hands-on experience. A skill that I've already learnt whilst working on the Programme is how to work with different types of people. Working in-store means you have a range of colleagues; some have been there for 25 years and others have just started.

I'm looking forward to joining the Support Office in Nottingham soon; where I'll be working in the Finance department. My background is in Finance so I know I'm going to love it.

Did you know that we have exciting opportunities for apprentices and graduates to join the Boots IT Academy?

Join us and we'll support you with continuous development work  to enhance your IT skills and abilities to help you become an IT expert within your field.

Depending on your role, you'll have the opportunity to gain the following training or qualifications:

• Project Management - PRINCE2, both Foundation and Practitioner
• Testing - ISEB certification
• Technical Analysts - ITIL certification
• Business Analysts - BCS qualifications
• Developers - Programming fundamentals and specific technologies, such as SAP, Mobile, Web, Big Data.

Through our Academy programme you'll gain a wealth of opprtunities to further your career and grow within the organisation.

Find out more about IT at Boots here

Hello I'm Jonathan, I joined Boots on the Year in Industry Programme. I had just finished my second year studying Computer Networks at Sheffield Hallam University when I applied to Boots. I had heard good things about them from someone who worked there. So, I looked on their website, and as it happened, Year in Industry applications had just opened! I applied for the IT department online.

During my induction, I have found out more about the various departments at Boots and how they fit together. We were given talks about leadership and customer care, which taught us about the business.

We were also shown around the Nottingham Head Office site, including visiting the labs, where products are developed, the Stores Service Centre where our stock is picked and distributed. We even got the opportunity to answer a couple of calls from customers in the Customer Support Centre.

After this, I spent five weeks in store in York before starting in the IT department. I was impressed with Boots. You get to learn first-hand about the retail aspect of the business, which helps you to grasp the affects you're having in your role.

My position in the IT department is Network Problems Service Manager. I work with the team updating equipment in store - it has a fair amount of responsibility attached to it. I chose Boots because they offer good development opportunities and do so much for their Year in Industry students. 

Find out more about Boots Talent Programmes.

Hello everyone, my name is Laura and I am currently working at Boots on the Brand, Buying and Marketing Graduate Programme. Retail is something I'd never done before, but psychology was part of my degree so I was interested in the thought involved behind buying. Boots is known for its marketing, so I knew I had to go for it with the Brand, Buying and Marketing Programme.

At my induction, there were about 20 other graduates starting too - it was rather daunting. But the Boots HR team were great at looking after us and everyone made friends really easily.

During my in-store placement, it felt like one big family. Everyone always wanted to know how I was getting on with the Graduate Programme. A customer came in a couple of weeks into my placement, looking for various items. I spent 30 minutes with her making sure she had everything she needed.  She really appreciated it and I felt amazing to know that I had helped make a customer feel good.

You see, Boots isn't just working with colleagues or other staff members it's about working with customers too.

I now can't wait to get back in the Boots Support Office and get really stuck in. I'm going into direct marketing, so I'll be dealing with vouchers. My future is only just starting at Boots!

Find out more about Boots Graduate Programmes.

Hello! My name is Hannah and I'm on the Apprentice Programme at Boots. I decided that university wasn't for me, but I was still keen to continue studying whilst gaining some valuable work experience. I visited the National Apprenticeship website, where I found the Boots Apprenticeship programme. I applied there and then; the process was simple and easy to fill out.

At the presentation day, I received presentations from each function in the business, who talked about the roles available and what they could lead to. At the assessment day, I felt relaxed and calm - it was not as scary as I had thought it would be! During the day, I took part in several tasks, including an interview, a group debate and an individual presentation on an idea for how to promote Boots stores.

After the assessment day, I was offered a position on the Apprentice Programme and I joined the business in October, with all the other apprentices. There were two induction days that taught us about the company and more detail about the programme. Here, I learnt about the company values, the heritage and was taken on a tour around the head office site. I also took part in team-building exercises.

In January, I returned to Support Office and began my first placement in the Pharmacy Delivery and Collection team within the Supply Chain function. I am working as a Project Assistant in payroll and HR, with team managers and the drivers all over the country, who deliver prescriptions to GP's offices, care homes and patients at home. I ensure they're paid correctly and answer any questions they may have. I am also training new members of staff to take on this role. This placement lasts 10 months. After that, I will move on to another placement within Supply Chain.

Find out more about our Apprentice Programme.

Our Pharmacy Summer Placement Programme website is now live.  Applications open Monday 7th January and close Friday 25th January 2013. 

www.boots.jobs/spp

If you have excellent communication and customer service skills? Then come and join Boots as a Customer Advisor in Nottingham.

You’ll be a critical link to the most valuable asset we have – our customers. When they have questions, you’ll resolve them, giving them a memorable experience that will keep them coming back to us for all their needs.

If you’re up for the challenge....

...Apply Now

The Boots Jobs Twitter feed is for current and past employees of Boots and anyone interested in working for the company.

Follow the Boots Jobs Twitter feed for the latest Boots and industry news, information about Boots locations, job vacancies and relocating.

 Follow us on Twitter 

For information about our current and future campaigns including Graduate and Christmas opportunties come and join us on Facebook.

Boots Jobs on Facebook

If you have any questions about vacancies, how to apply, online assessments or our selection and interview process then take a look at our new FAQ section.

www.boots.jobs/faq

Apprentices at Boots: Greg's blog - "My Mentor":

Greg, Boots IT, joined Boots in October 2011 as one of our first Apprentices. Read about his experiences so far:

After people recommended getting a mentor, I found myself a link on the icanatboots.com website which is an internal website which encourages learning and development of Boots employees. After entering my criteria for the things I was looking for, I was given two choices for mentors. One of which had very little description about the mentor and one which had several paragraphs explaining a bit about the individual and how they would be able to help the mentee. I obviously chose the person with the in-depth description about themselves and sent off my application form to request this person as my mentor.

After waiting 2 days I got an email from my mentor to be, he requested that I set up a meeting to discuss how we could both benefit from this mentoring and a basic introduction about ourselves. I set up a meeting for the following week, but I made a big mistake. I said that I would meet my mentor in the New Ways Cafe, as this is where most meetings take place. I didn’t know what my mentor looked like and he didn’t know what I looked like, so this was a big learning curve for myself. I was sat on one table waiting looking around for people I thought could of been my mentor, to later find he was also sat on another table waiting for me to turn up. This was my first experience of a meeting that had gone wrong, after 10 minutes of waiting, I quickly dashed back to my desk where I emailed my mentor to apologise for us both waiting unnecessarily. I managed to find my mentor after being shown what he looks like by someone in my department and I went over to his desk and apologised. After this day, I never organise a meeting with someone new without either booking a meeting room or offering a description of what I look like/where I will specifically be located before the meeting.

The initial mentor meeting was a great success we set up some ground rules for the meeting and managed to understand what sort of things we would like to cover and we set a few plans for the future meetings of things that need to be included. I requested finding out more information about an IT function overall and I also wanted to find out tips on how to network well with people and how to get involved in projects. My mentor has helped cover these areas in a lot of detail which has been excellent and I will be constantly working on improving these areas to hopefully enable myself to progress my career at Boots.

Find out more now

Boots Apprentice Programme: Greg's blog "Boots Fitness Centre"

Being a keen rugby player, the moment I knew that Boots had their own gym, I knew I had to join. I researched how to apply on the Boots Intranet and found myself a contact who I emailed requesting a visit of the gym. After a week or so without a reply, I asked someone who I work with about the gym and how to join. He kindly took my down to the gym and showed me around. This was really helpful as it showed me exactly what equipment they have and the facilities that are on offer.

After having my brief tour, I decided to pay the £70 to join the gym for a year. I took my money down to reception one lunch time and the following week, I had an email saying “Thank you for joining the gym, your membership is now active.” I started going the next day and have subsequently spent many hours training in the gym.

If you are wondering about the equipment on offer, there are 4 running machines, 4 exercise bikes, 3 rowing machines, 3 cross trainers, several resistance machines and lots of free weights. The gym isn’t overly large, but there will always be a machine to use. I personally have never been in the gym when there has been more than 10 people in there and have always managed to find something to do. I would definitely recommend joining the gym, not only for the price, but for the convenience of spending your lunch breaks in the gym or going straight from work.

Find out more now

If university is not for you, take a look at the Boots Apprentice Programme.

Find out more now.

Boots Apprentice Programme: Greg's Blog "My first day in store"

My first day of full time employment at Boots was on 31^st October 2011. I started my employment at the Riverside store in Nottingham (only 5 minutes from Boots Support Office). I was a little apprehensive about my first day, but when I had done the 25 minute drive over to the Riverside store I had calmed myself down and was eager to get started. I arrived at the store at 8:30, half an hour before I was meant to start as I wanted to make a good impression. I was greeted by the store manager Alex who welcomed me into the store and showed me around the key areas in store.

As I had arrived on a Monday morning, I soon found Monday was an extremely busy day to prepare for the week ahead and to recap on the stores performance from the previous week. I was sat in the manager’s office having an introduction to the store and also to my career at Boots. I learnt about the Customer Care Measure and about the weekly reports showing the sales for each area in store. The thing that caught my eye on this day was the Customer Feedback comments. I saw first hand the level of service that Boots offers to their customers through this customer feedback. Some comments wanted to praise the people on the pharmacy, whereas others were regarding the cleanliness of the store. Alex then took me around the team and introduced me to them, whilst at the same time praising people about their positive comments they had received from the previous week. Most of my colleagues were extremely enthused with the feedback, whereas others were determined to make sure they got a positive comment the week after.

After undertaking the basic E-Learning modules such as fire safety, working at height, preventing slips and trips and manual handling, I was ready to get to work. I was introduced to the ladies on the tills, where I would later find I spent most of my time building up to the busiest time of year for a store colleague. I was trained by Des one of the store colleagues who had worked in store the longest and she showed me everything I need to know about dealing with customers and using the till systems. It didn’t take me long to start serving customers myself and by the end of the day I had a good grasp of what excellent customer service looks like and how to use the tills to take payments from the customers.

When it got to 5:30, I was told to go home and be ready for another busy day in store tomorrow. When I sat down in my car I was worn out. I had just finished my first day in full time employment, but I had enjoyed meeting new people and was looking forward to learning lots from the people I was working with.

Want to know more? Find out here.

Apprentices at Boots: Rosanna's Blog

Assistant Planning Manager – Supply Chain Planning

My first placement on the Apprenticeship program has been within the Supply Chain Planning department, and I’ve been lucky enough to work on two very exciting projects. The first project involved me taking on the role of Project Lead which meant I had a high level of responsibility. As project leader it is my job to ensure the project is completed on time, within budget and with the stores best interest in mind. This role has given me exposure to a wide range of functions within the business and has allowed me to network with a large number of colleagues. The project is currently at its most critical point so I have to ensure all of the key stakeholders are playing their part to deliver the project successfully.

My second project involves supporting the Boots Supply Chain Olympic Planning Team, for this I also take on the role of Project Lead, with ownership of the project plan, risks and weekly updates. This project has been particularly interesting as it has shown me how an event like this impacts companies.

I’m currently in a transition period between my first and second placement. The second placement is located in Boots Christmas Warehouse, Burton, where I will take on the role as Inventory Team Leader, with responsibility for ensuring the integrity of the stock file for the warehouse. I’m currently in the training phases for this role whilst still working at Head Office on my other projects. I am very exciting about my second placement as the whole companies focus at this time of year is the build up to Christmas, so myself and my team will be under a great deal of pressure to deliver a successful Christmas.

My experience on the Apprenticeship program so far has been excellent; I’ve been given a great deal of responsibility whilst having the support of the program when I’ve needed it.

Find out more about our Apprentice Opportunities here:

Boots Apprentices - Holly's blog "Applying for the apprenticeship program".

I had just received my A Level results and had missed my first choice at university by 1.5% and I was gutted! I had managed to secure a place at my second choice, however i didn’t feel this was the right university for me and so I started to look at other options. It was then that my mum suggested I looked at apprenticeships; and yes embarrassingly my mum still has a lot of, supportive, yet present input in my life decisions!

Luckily I saw the Boots Apprenticeship Program on the closing date of the application process! To say that evening was tense is an under-statement! The behavioural questionnaire brought some light entertainment to the evening as being asked ‘Have you ever lied to your parents’ whilst your parents are stood behind you, can only end one way! The maths test then proceeded to bring dread in to my life. Maths, let’s say, was not my best subject at school, however I powered through and managed to answer as many as i could in the time limit.

Then the waiting game began. Thankfully I didn’t have to wait long and the following week I received a phone call asking to arrange a phone interview. I was with my friends at the time and my apparent ‘phone voice’ was the topic of humour for at least the next two weeks. On the morning of the phone interview I was up at 7am waiting. It is fair to say I was a bit nervous, seeing as my phone interview was planned for 2pm that afternoon! A friendly voice, who i now know to be Donnas’, with a matching friendly personality, asked me how I was and soon encouraged me to relax. The phone interview flew by and by the end of the interview i felt quietly confident that I had done a good job.

After a couple of days I began to get nervous as I still hadn’t heard anything. It was then (I think) i got an email, (it all seems such a blur of nerves mixed with extreme excitement), inviting me in for a presentation day where all the categories across the business were to display what they did. Stereotypes bounced around in my head on the way to the head office. I presumed that everyone in IT would be shy and everyone in the commercial department would have hair worthy of a L’Oreal advert. This, I would like to point out wasn’t the case, (not to say their hair couldn’t feature in an advert!)

The presentation day broke down all the stereotypes I had previously accumulated and i went away, if not a little tired, but armed with a lot more knowledge that i had come with. It was on this day that we were given the credentials for our assessment day. We had to give a presentation that would last for 25 minutes on how we think Boots could better its customers right to ‘Feel Good’. One word jumped out at me, and not in a good way! Presentation. For 25 minutes! I was terrified. And like most teenage girls i went home and ranted to my mum with the typical phrase- ‘what am i going to do?! ‘.

After a well needed sleep, I woke up and began to brainstorm about ideas. After a busy couple of weeks it was time for the assessment day. The car ride was spent in silence, and anyone who knows me knows that this is a rare occurrence, and therefore something had to be going on. I arrived at reception to be met with 7 other candidates. When people say first impressions count, they aren’t lying. The ones in suits with briefcases terrified me, as they looked professional and knowledgeable. However one girl who chose to wear a going out dress (please don’t do this!!) made me, selfishly, feel a little more confident about the day.

My view with regards to the presentation was ‘fail to prepare, prepare to fail’. I had rehearsed and rehearsed and now it was the moment. In my head everything relied on this presentation. It was now or never. I was taken into a room where one smiley, but still fairly scary, lady sat. It was crunch time. I had been efficiently organised and numbered my cue cards and after the first one i felt a lot more confident. But then, my world collapsed around me. There was no number two. Where was my number two?! I even said out loud to my embarrassment- ‘and number two isn’t there..’. The lady reassured me that i could look for it, and after searching for long enough i decided to blag cue card number two. This I think was the turning point for me, i calmed myself down and reminded myself of my newly adapted life motto, ‘everything will be alright in the end, and if it’s not alright, then it is not yet the end.’ (admittedly stolen from a recent movie I’d seen!) The rest of the presentation went well and after answering a few questions i returned to join the other candidates. We then had a few other things we had to do, such as an interview and a group task, and then the day was over.

Like after anything similar, i was unsure on how the day had gone. I had thoroughly enjoyed myself, and it was nowhere near as bad as I had expected. The Boots team had tried relentlessly to make us feel at ease, which trust me, with 8 nervous young people it was not an easy task!

A few weeks later, i received a call saying that i had managed to secure a place on the scheme. I was meant to attend my first day at uni on the Monday but had decided to risk it, and thankfully on the Wednesday i received the call! I was amazed! I couldn’t believe it, and I’d just like to apologise to the poor lady that told me the good news on the phone as my mum screamed so loud that she probably burst her eardrums!

Overall, it was a terrifying, exciting and new experience but was definitely a worthwhile one. I am now thoroughly enjoying my placement, and to my surprise was placed within the commercial team. (I haven’t yet mastered the advert worthy hair but I’m getting there!)

 My advice for the process- Be yourself. Don’t try to be what you think you should be. And remember. ‘Everything will be alright in the end, and if it is not alright, then it is not yet the end'!

Find out more about our 2012 Apprentice Programme.

Boots were awarded two special acolades at the Recruiter Awards held in London recently - Best Graduate Recruitment Strategy and Innovation in Recruitment. 

The Best Graduate Recruitment Strategy Award was given in recognition of our Pharmacy Graduate Programme. The judges were impressed with the scale of the graduate programme and the success rate in the competitive market of resourcing pharmacists. 

The Innovation in Recruitment award was given to Boots to recognise the innovation revolving around the new online assessment tool for store colleague roles. 

Boots has unveiled a new look and feel for its pharmacies to help support a new condition-led pharmacy approach. 

The current look and feel of the pharmacy area across the entire store portfolio and online is to be upgraded. New designs and iconography are being introduced to make it easier for customers to find and access healthcare and pharmacy services. The new easy to understand icons and language will give a brighter, sharper and more dynamic way of communicating healthcare and pharmacy products and services. 

Christmas is a special time at Boots and, as the UK's leading health and beauty retailer, this year we're looking to recruit around 7,000 people to come and join us in our stores between now and then.

Our aim is to deliver great customer care whilst helping people feel good during and in the run up to the festive season.

We're looking for people all across the UK and Ireland who can demonstrate genuine care and interest in our customers needs and go the extra mile to ensure everyone has a fantastic shopping experience whilst in our stores, as well as providing the best health and beauty advice available.

To find out more information on what we have to offer and how to apply please visit

www.boots.jobs/christmas

Boots Graduates will be attending the Manchester University Finance, Business and Management Fair on October 20th.

The event will be held at the Manchester Central Convention Complex. It opens at 10.30am and we'll have graduates and line managers there to talk about the various Boots Graduate Programmes.

Come by and see us if you are in the area.

On Thursday 8 September, the winners of Retail Week's 2011 Skillsmart Retail Rising Stars awards were announced at London's Grosvenor House Hotel. The Rising Star Awards celebrate those individual and teams who really make a difference to their company's performance.

The award ceremony brought together hundreds of retail professionals to honour those who have performed outstandingly over the last year. Through gruelling interviews with every individual, the judges were looking for people who demonstrated the skills and intuition to serve the needs of the business both at the support centre and in stores. The categories were tough with competitors from almost every retailer represented.

We are so proud to announce.....

• Alex Ball from our Baby Category scooped the Winners award in "The Buyer/Merchandiser of the year" category.
• Rachel Horsefield was highly commended in the "Online Team/Individual of the year" category.
• Oliver Warner from our Supply Chain development was also shortlisted within the Store Support of the year category.

A massive congratulations to all.

Boots is committed to recruiting talent of the future and we realise that not everyone is interested in or suited to, doing a degree course.

Our Support Office Apprenticeship is a brand new programme being launched July 5th that has been designed to provide an opportunity for bright, motivated and ambitious individuals who have completed their A levels and are looking for a role that will allow them to learn, and develop their skills, whilst working.

Applications are open until August 31st 2011

Take a look here for more information

We still have a few places left on our IT Leadership Graduate Programme and applications are being accepted until May 31st.

This programme is about leadership rather than technical skills and is an exciting opportunity for anyone interested in using technology to increase business performance and customer satisfaction.

Find out more and apply here.

Britain’s Next Big Thing - BBC 2, Tuesday 8.00pm

Britain’s Next Big Thing follows small businesses and entrepreneurs on their journey for their products to be stocked by a major retailer including Boots.

Hosted by Theo Paphitis from BBC’s Dragons Den, it starts on Tuesday 12 April at 8.00pm with 7 one-hour episodes shown over a 7-week period. Boots will feature at length in most of the shows, along with Liberty and Habitat who will also be following their own journey from prototype to the shop floor.

We’re delighted to be consistently ranked amongst the best companies to work for, according to the latest results of two prestigious national surveys.

Boots Opticians scooped the coveted first place on The Sunday Times Best 25 Big Companies to Work For list. As well as being the UK’s very best big company to work for, we also won a special award for ‘Innovation in Engagement’ in recognition of the work the Boots Opticians Forum does to encourage open communication across the business. Boots Opticians was awarded a Best Companies Three-Star Status, which makes us an ‘extraordinary’ company to work for!

This year, Boots UK earned a brilliant 19th place in The Sunday Times list and a prestigious One-Star Status – it’s the second year running that we’ve been considered a ‘first class’ organisation to work for.

In Ireland, we’ve been leading the way for even longer. For the last three years running we've been ranked one of the Best Workplaces in Ireland, as featured in the Irish Independent.

Perhaps the best thing about these awards is that they’re based on feedback from our own people. Teams across the business reported that they relish the great team spirit and feeling of reward, recognition and appreciation.