Students on Entry Level courses at South Cheshire College have linked up with supermarket giant Sainsbury's to gain valuable work experience.

Ten students from the College's Dane Bank Avenue campus will be learning all the tricks of the shopping trade when they complete their work placements at the company's Nantwich store over the next five weeks.

Some of their duties will include helping out with shelf-stacking, on-line shopping, and customer service to help the busy store tick along.

They will also experience working in different areas of the store, inside and outside, including the clothing, fresh foods and bakery sections and on car park attendant duty.

Students have landed the placements through the College's new 'Ready to Work' scheme which helps finds students work placements and employment when they finish their studies and aims to forge links with local employers.

Entry Level programmes are for students with learning difficulties or disabilities and give them the opportunity to learn life skills through fun activities.

Ready to Work could benefit up to 35 students who are currently in their first or second year of Entry Level programmes at college.

The initiative will provide students with a foothold in the world of work, give students a confidence boost and help them to learn new skills.

Students have already benefited from work placements locally at companies such as Blue Bell BMW garage, which have been secured by the College's dedicated Work Placement Co-ordinator Carol Thelwall.

All the students attended a four-hour induction session at the Nantwich supermarket to give them a better idea of how the store operates.

Two students at a time will attend the store over the next five weeks and will be supported by learner mentor Eileen Mitchell.

Wendy Bartley, Store Trainer at the Nantwich Sainsbury's store, said: "We are very pleased to take on students from South Cheshire College and support them as they learn new skills."

Anne Timmis, Head of Curriculum for Entry Level at South Cheshire College, said: "We are delighted that Sainsbury's have agreed to take our students on work placements.

"As a big store and employer locally, our students are looking forward to the experience and will benefit from it.

"If students impress during their placements it could lead to permanent employment in the future which would be a real boost for them."