UK supermarket chain Morrisons is to fund foundation degrees in retail management for 1000 school leavers.

The ‘Futures’ programme offers the funding with the view to employing recipients in senior management roles at the company.

A Morrisons goup director, Norman Pickavance said: "This is an opportunity for young people who have the right drive and attitude to reach senior management levels in the company. It offers a genuine alternative to self-funded university qualifications."

The programme, which will be run through the University of Bradford School of Business, is targeted at students with at least two Bs and a C at A level.

Students will spend six months working in a Morrisons store before attending intensive study courses at regional centres and completing eight homes study at home each week.

Graduates of the programme can expect a £12,000 starting salary and to reach management level within seven years.  

A spokesperson for the company noted that there will be no obligation for the graduate to take up a place at the company and the course would have “currency” with other employers.

Morrisons has reserved a £4 million budget for the scheme. It is expected that the first 100 places will be offered by the end of this summer.

The supermarket chain already offers more apprenticeships than any other British company.

While successful candidates of this scheme will have their courses partially funded, most British students starting university courses this year face recently trebled tuition fees.