Daniel Diole (31) from Meriting, Rustenburg, climbed the career ladder from Grocery Shelf Packer to Branch Manager in just 10 years thanks to his can-do attitude and tenacity.

After joining the Shoprite in 2011, Diole was determined to develop himself through the internal training courses and programmes on offer to gain a competitive edge and build his career. He also studied part-time and obtained a qualification in Human Resource Management from MSC Business College.

From Grocery Shelf Packer, Diole was first promoted to the position of Baker and then to Trainee Manager. He has since held various management positions – including Sales Manager and Fresh Foods Manager – before becoming a Branch Manager in 2019. Today he is the Branch Manager of the new Shoprite Sunrise Park.

“I started working at Shoprite to provide for my family and quickly realised that with the job security provided, I could focus on developing myself and ultimately my career,” says Diole.

The Shoprite Group is South Africa’s largest private sector employer with over 140 000 employees, excluding indirect employment. Despite the effect of the lockdown and unrest on retail trade, the Group still managed to create 4 608 new jobs in South Africa in the past financial year.

Over the past five years, the Group has spent more than R700 million on extensive retail skills and training programmes and about 65% of its employees are youth (under the age of 35).