Uniqlo Management - Graduate Programme

Position: UNIQLO MANAGEMENT CANDIDATE - GRADUATE PROGRAMME
THE OPPORTUNITY EXPLAINED BY ONE FORMER GRADUATE HIRE
As we continue to grow, an average of 800 graduates around the globe join the “UNIQLO Management Candidate” graduate programme (UMC) each year. In Europe, opportunities exist in France, UK, Germany, Belgium, Netherlands, Sweden, Denmark, Spain and Italy.

Park Piao, a recent graduate of the UMC programme in Denmark, shared his experiences of the past year. He started off as a UMC in UNIQLO in September 2019 and within 18 months, he was able to obtain his Store Manager licence and become a part of the leadership team of the Danish Store UNIQLO STRØGET. In 2023, Pack was able to bring his store into the top 10 globally, all thanks to his strong leadership skills and the knowledge he gained from the UMC programme.

The biggest factor that motivated my decision to join the company was the connection between what I believe in and what UNIQLO stands for. Indeed, the company strives to grow in harmony with society and make everyone’s life better one piece of clothing at a time. The UMC scheme was a particular fit for me because I was looking for a position where I could be versatile and have a broad variety of career opportunities.

I believe that the UMC scheme was the right springboard to help me fulfil my future ambitions.

What does a typical day look like as a member of UNIQLO’s graduate scheme? Each day starts with an energetic team‑talk with all store members. It is the opportunity to discuss business performance and opportunities, focus areas for the day and, of course, new ideas on how to make customers happy! I also had daily time allocated to learn and practice something new with my trainer.

Everything I have learned comes from trials and errors : trying to handle new responsibilities, receiving feedback and gradually mastering one new skill at a time. This hands‑on approach of learning has been the best way for me to deeply understand our business : customers, colleagues and sustainable growth. Becoming a well‑rounded leader requires practising many skills over and over again;

starting from customer service to shop‑floor management, sales and stock planning, staff development, P&L optimisation…

It is a challenging programme, for sure. At the beginning, I felt excited but also somewhat overwhelmed with a lot of new information, new people and new responsibilities. UNIQLO is an incredibly fast‑paced business. The CEO, COO, General Manager have high expectations because they have, for some of them, graduated from the same programme themselves. They know that they should both stretch you and support you.

Everyone in the team is always willing to help anytime, anywhere. If you are determined to work hard, you can make it! The outcome is so rewarding : I have started to acquire in‑depth business leadership knowledge and experience which are fundamental to further grow my career in the future.

My short‑term goal is to become country manager for UNIQLO Denmark & Southern Sweden, driving the expansion in these markets. My dream is to make UNIQLO become the most beloved brand in Scandinavia. As for my long‑term professional goal, I have decided to remain open to all of the many different career possibilities that UNIQLO offers. Let me work hard, achieve results and see where the future takes me!

STRUCTURE OF THE UMC PROGRAM
Month 1 to 4 :
Brand Ambassador
You will work as a Customer Advisor in the store to master the UNIQLO shop‑floor standards and processes which includes RFID checkout, omni‑channel services, customer service, fitting rooms, deliveries, replenishment and more! We believe that effective leadership begins with setting an example in the small yet vital tasks that create a unique customer experience while gaining the trust of your team.

Alongside the on‑the‑job training, you will discuss with your COO your career aspirations, learn from successful leaders who started as a UMC, and participate to people management workshops.

Month 5 to 6 :
Supervisor
Now you are a UNIQLO shop floor master! With this new role come managerial responsibilities that require you to create and adjust the daily work schedule for your store team, and provide training…