With 16 different businesses, 4,900 outlets and 110,000 people, The Co-operative Group isn t just a food retailer but also a travel provider, a funeral director, a pharmacist, a legal services provider, and much more.
But the real difference lies not just in what they do; it's what they are — a co-operative (and the world's largest consumer co-operative at that). Unlike a plc, they do not just exist to make profit. Everything they do is for the benefit of their members and the community as a whole. They are driven by their social goals and their co-operative values give them a positive advantage.
But that doesn’t mean they are any less ambitious — they still offer the depth and breadth of challenge expected from a commercially focussed business. For those who want to pursue a rewarding career without compromising their values, the Group offers two programmes: Business Management and Finance.
On the Business Management programme, whether it be Funeralcare, marketing or Food Retail operations, graduates can choose from a wide range of business critical projects ensuring the entire experience meets their career aspirations. On the other hand, graduates with a passion for finance might want to consider the CIMA accredited programme. This gives them transactional experience of accounting software packages and an overview of financial processes. It will sharpen their commercial approach through working directly with the different businesses, as well as giving them a broad perspective of financial strategy.
Whichever route they choose, graduates will gain experience across the businesses and develop technical knowledge and professional skills through The Co-operative Group's structured development programme.