Chance to earn some bread in sandwich shop scheme

Sandwich shop Pret A Manger has announced a drive to hire 70 apprentices from disadvantaged backgrounds in the new year.

The chain will select the new recruits from homeless, ex-offender and disadvantaged backgrounds to work in shops in Edinburgh, Manchester, Birmingham, Liverpool, Glasgow and London. They will be employed on a three-month scheme with a view to gaining permanent positions.

Pret A Manger will train the apprentices across different aspects of the business, including front-of-house shop floor work and sales, marketing and IT if they are interested.

Nicki Fisher, head of sustainability at Pret A Manger, said: “We hope this initiative will give new hope to dozens of people who have been written off by society and who may have even written themselves off.

“All the recruits start with a clean slate and are given every chance to build a career and rebuild their lives.”