Pick n Pay

About Pick n Pay

Pick n Pay is one of the best-known supermarket groups in South Africa. Raymond Ackerman started the business in 1967 by buying four stores in Cape Town. Today the head office is in Kenilworth, Cape Town, and the group is listed on the JSE.

The company runs company-owned and franchised stores across the country. It also trades in several neighbouring African markets. Its formats include supermarkets, hypermarkets, clothing outlets and liquor stores, and it employs tens of thousands of people. Because of this size, Pick n Pay needs a steady flow of trained retail, logistics and business staff.

How Pick n Pay supports students and young people

Pick n Pay is best known for work-based training rather than traditional university bursaries. Its main route is the learnership. A learnership combines paid workplace experience with an accredited qualification, so young people earn while they learn.

Recent programmes have included a Wholesale and Retail Operations learnership at NQF Level 3, which is based in stores. The group has also advertised supply chain learnerships linked to its distribution centres. In addition, it has offered graduate programmes, such as a graduate buyer intake for business students. Stipends and durations differ from one programme to another, so applicants should read each advert carefully.

These opportunities suit different people. School leavers can start with a retail learnership. Graduates in commerce, logistics or supply chain management may look at the graduate and management routes instead.

Retail careers can lead far beyond the till. Store managers, buyers, merchandisers, planners and IT specialists often begin in entry-level roles. The group also holds a stake in the Boxer discount chain, which adds more store and supply chain jobs. Learners who show initiative can climb the ladder, so a first learnership is worth taking seriously. Many successful managers began as shelf packers or cashiers and studied part-time while they worked.

What to know before applying

Most learnerships ask for a matric certificate. Many also set an age range for young unemployed applicants, which is commonly 18 to 35 years. However, the exact rules depend on the programme and the funder, so always confirm them on the advert itself.

Apply only through the official careers section of the Pick n Pay website. Pick n Pay does not charge application, deposit or registration fees. Therefore, anyone who asks you to pay for a place, or who offers a spot through a social media group, is likely running a scam.

Finishing a learnership does not guarantee a permanent job. Even so, strong performers often get a chance to compete for vacancies in the stores or distribution centres. Prepare your ID, matric results and CV before applications open, and watch the Pick n Pay careers page for new intakes. Opening dates change every year, so check early and often.