Apprentices take charge of their Migros stores

Migros Valais cooperative will hand over control of its Le Ritz supermarket in Sion to 21 apprentices between 19 January and 7 February 2026. This young team will be given full responsibility for running the store, covering every process, from logistics to till management. Meanwhile, Migros Vaud will entrust the management of its Les Cèdres store in Chavannes to an 18-strong team of apprentices on 2-14 February 2026. In this case, the youngsters will be given responsibility for store operations. Similar initiatives are conducted every year at various Migros cooperatives in French-speaking Switzerland and German-speaking Switzerland. However, this is the most wide-ranging programme yet.

An all-round experience

One new aspect of the latest iteration is that responsibility will no longer be limited to sales. This year, apprentices from other key retail areas - like logistics, transport and decoration - will also be involved. The project offers complete immersion into the reality of store management, covering everything from the distribution centre to shelf layout and the points of sale, including delivery, customer service, promos, stock management and daily orders. This new model will undoubtedly inspire other Migros cooperatives and their trainees.

"We're extremely proud of this initiative," says Mario Caldelari, the Managing Director of Migros Valais. "It reflects our commitment to vocational training and our desire to prepare young people to become the leaders of tomorrow. Their dynamism and creativity are an inspiration to the entire Migros Valais team." "Like its neighbour in Valais, Migros Vaud is keen to promote future careers too. By handing over the overall management of supermarkets to its apprentices, Migros is putting its faith in the next generation and playing a significant role in promoting apprenticeship," says Anton Chatelan, the Managing Director of the Migros Vaud cooperative. "We want to train young people so that they are ready to meet the challenges of a rapidly changing retail industry."

Maintaining customer proximity and inspiring new careers

Throughout the initiative, customers will be able to chat to apprentices and find out more about the many training opportunities available at Migros. Migros is a leading training provider, employing more than 3200 apprentices, mainly in the food and non-food retail, healthcare and financial services sectors. Migros offers training in a wide range of professions as well as numerous career opportunities. It promotes personal development and encourages talented employees throughout their careers.

For more information about our apprenticeship opportunities: https://jobs.migros.ch/en/apprenticeship