Our people

Our people

PROMOTING FROM WITHIN

Woolworths' diverse operations enable us to offer employees an unusually broad range of careers within the one company. Our commitment to promoting internal talent is strong: 30% of our executives switched roles and 8% of executives moved to another division during the 2008 calendar year.

Indeed experience in multiple divisions is a common characteristic of a Woolworths career. Many members of the senior management group have held leadership roles in two or more divisions. For example Julie Coates, Director of BIG W, previously led the HR and Logistics operations.

Many employees have had long service, including our CEO Michael Luscombe who has spent over 30 years with Woolworths. Approximately 31% of executives joined Woolworths aged 25 or younger, and over 4,500 past and present staff are members of the 25-Year Club.

The nature of retailing means a high proportion of our people join us as on a casual basis, often as teenagers new to work. A range of pathways allow these new employees to build their careers with us, develop their skills and then convert to permanent employment when it suits their personal circumstances. We have many programs to support them, including school-based and certificate traineeships and apprenticeships.

Likewise, a number of pathways exist for store staff to progress to management roles, including the Store Management Trainee Program and the Woolworths Graduate Program.

Some 47% of our management group and 46% of our executive group have over 10 years service with us.