Area Manager

From Apprentice to Area Manager: How Aldi empower their colleague career aspirations and growth

Aldi, the UK’s fourth largest supermarket and multi award-winning employer, is renowned for providing long-term positions with vast opportunities for career development and progression. Aldi support its colleagues from entry-level roles, such as the highly sought-after Apprenticeship Programmes, to more experienced Area Manager positions. One example of a colleague climbing through the Aldi ranks is Apprentice-now-Area-Manager Freddie Wakelin, and here we spoke to him to learn more about his career journey.

Why did you choose an Aldi Apprenticeship?

“I saw the benefits of an Apprenticeship Programme and chose Aldi because it was the best programme on offer. I loved my Apprenticeship at Aldi; no day was the same! It’s a very reactive role which keeps you busy and ensures you pick up different skills. I always had tasks to complete which allowed me to enjoy my work and make progress.”

Freddie embarked on his career with Aldi as an Apprentice back in 2012, excited by the idea as it provided the opportunity to gain a qualification while working. Rather than following a traditional route of going to college or university straight out of high school, Freddie saw the immense value in the Apprenticeship Programme in providing him not just a job but a career.

Freddie acknowledged that the Aldi Apprenticeship offered a detailed training programme, allowing him to know what skills he could learn and carry with him throughout his career.

How has Aldi supported your personal and career growth?

“I worked through every rank within the store gaining great experience at each level, making it a privilege to have progressed from an Apprentice role to Area Manager. In this time, I have learned valuable lessons that I apply to my day-to-day role in leading and understanding my entire team.”

Being a natural leader, Freddie’s interest and passion for people management, along with his strong work ethic, enabled his quick progression to a Deputy Manager role in 2015.

Shortly after, he was promoted to Assistant Manager in 2016, followed by Store Manager in 2020, and most recently being promoted to Area Manager in July 2024.

Freddie elaborated on why he believes he’s followed this impressive career with Aldi: “I think I was given the opportunity to progress because of the trust put into me from the various management teams I worked under. If you give 100%, then your manager at Aldi will give you 100% and more back. You really feel supported if you want to develop within your role at Aldi, which has been fantastic for my career growth.”

In 2019, when Freddie was an Assistant Manager, he decided to take on another challenge and study a degree at university. To Freddie’s delight, Aldi were more than supportive of his decision.

“Aldi supported and helped me enormously by providing me the opportunity to have one set day off each week so I could attend my course. Being in a senior position, I didn’t think that was possible - it made me feel valued and I was grateful I didn’t have to sacrifice any part of my job or studies to pursue my goal.”

Freddie studied alongside running the store, before graduating in late 2021. Throughout Freddie’s career at Aldi, he’s been given the opportunity to be a leader, and bring his different people together to work as one team. Despite Freddie’s impressive experience with Aldi, his career journey doesn’t end here.

“My career aspirations with Aldi are to go as far as possible, I always strive to be the best I can and support my colleagues to do the same.”

What advice would you give to someone who wants to work at Aldi?

“There is huge value in new starters asking questions and being intrigued about every job role, including their own. At Aldi, we hire the best people who give 100% from day 1, so try and be the best version of yourself on a daily basis.”

Freddie believes the best advice for new starters is to give it their all, be passionate and do their best. It’s crucial for colleagues to be a sponge when they start a new role so they can understand their duties and responsibilities.