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Coles

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4.3
  • > 100,000 employees

Coles Graduate Programs & Internships

  • Retail, Sales & Consumer Goods

What it does: One of the ‘Big Two’ supermarket chains, accounting for about a third of the Australian grocery market
Staff stats: Over 130,000 team members spread across 2,200 supermarket and liquor stores, manufacturing locations, distribution centres and store support centres.
The good bits: Great starting salary, potential for fast progression, variety of work

Discover Coles Graduate Program

Whether you studied economics or eCommerce, compliance or computer science, marketing or business management, you can choose from 19 career streams. This is your chance to start making your mark as part of our SSC Graduate Program and relish the challenge of hands-on experience. Maybe you'll work with machine learning to forecast daily store demand. Perhaps you'll test Coles Group own brand products before they hit the shelves. Or you could help build the next system that processes and manages 18 million transactions a day. There's so much happening here – and it can happen to your career. Now, that’s food for thought!

Discover Coles

Coles opened its first store in Collingwood, Melbourne in 1914, and over the course of the last century, we have evolved into an iconic portfolio of leading retail brands providing Australians with everyday products including fresh food, groceries, household goods, liquor, fuel and financial services via our store network and online platforms. 

We’re committed to attracting and employing people that represent the communities we work in. At Coles, we support our team members regardless of age, disability, race, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, religion, ethnicity, family responsibilities or cultural background to ensure they feel safe and included at work. 

As part of our Better Together strategy, we’ve committed to a number of diversity and inclusion initiatives to be achieved by December 2023. The program includes five key focus areas – Belonging, Gender Equity, Accessibility, Pride (LGBTQI+), and Indigenous Engagement. Each focus area has ambitious goals that are supported at the executive and board levels and worked towards by all team members. 

Recruitment Process

How to apply

It's simple to apply for the Coles Graduate Program! There are 4 stages to the recruitment process, and we will keep you informed at each stage. 

Before submitting your application, please make sure you check that you meet our eligibility requirements: 

  • Australian or New Zealand citizens or permanent residents at the time of application can apply. 
  • If you hold a Temporary Graduate Visa (subclass 485) by October 31st 2024 that is valid until at least February 14th 2028, you are eligible to apply for the Technology stream. 
  • For our Store Support Centre (SSC) Graduate Program, you’ll have completed a Bachelor’s Degree before commencing the program. 

If you have any questions during the process, please drop us a note at emergingtalent@coles.com.au and include in the subject line the Stream Function of the Graduate Program you are applying for.  

Applications for our 2024 Store Support Centre (Corporate Office) Graduate Program are closed, however Expressions of Interest for 2025 Graduate Program are open. 

Online Application

If you’re interested in applying, please complete the online application form. 

This helps us capture information about your background, experiences, and skills. We want to hear why you are the right fit for us! Make sure you check to see that you are eligible for the program before completing your application.

Completing an application form will take you approximately 30 minutes, and once our applications close, you can expect to hear an update on your application within 5 days.

Psychometric Testing

This stage of the recruitment process helps us understand more about who you are. Not just your skills but your preferred ways of working and how you approach certain situations. It also provides you with an opportunity to see what types of situations you could expect to experience when joining the Coles Graduate Program.

This online assessment should take between 45-60 minutes to complete and you can expect to hear an update in the next 1-2 weeks following the scheduled deadline.

Video Interview

The video interview takes place online where you will record your responses to a range of questions for us to review. It allows us to get a better understanding of who you are and your communication style. We will be looking to understand why you have applied to Coles and several competencies that we want to see in our future graduates!

The video interview will only take 15 minutes to complete, and you can expect to hear an update within the following fortnight as our team reviews each video interview.

Discovery Centre

The Discovery Centre gives us the chance to meet you and an opportunity for you to interact directly with us! You will participate in a range of activities during the session, but most importantly, we want to ensure you walk away from your time with them with an impactful experience where you gain some valuable insights and understanding of yourself, and of Coles.

Our Discovery Centre will be a 3-hour session, and look to provide you with an update following your attendance in the following week.

Remuneration & Career Growth

Rewards & Benefits 

Not only is Coles Group a great place to work, you’ll have access to a range of exclusive benefits and programs that support, reward and inspire team members.  

Discounts & benefits 

As a Coles Group team member, you’ll receive discounts across all of our internal brands – Coles, Coles Liquor and Coles Online. We also offer generous product and service discounts courtesy of our partners. These discounts cover a range of categories from phones and computers, getaways, sports and entertainment, health and fitness, vehicles and many more! 

Hybrid working  

Flexibility is a really big part of working at Coles. We champion hybrid working, allowing you the flexibility to work either from home or at our SSC. At Coles, The technology we have embedded into our ways of working enables us to work remotely, effectively.   

Team member share plan 

Own your own piece of the Coles Group. Our annual team member share plan offer allows you to make regular salary sacrifice deductions to purchase Coles Group shares.  

Career Growth 

Our grads undergo a combination of on-the-job learning, exposure to senior leaders, mentoring and an active support network to develop their skills and expedite their careers. The SSC Graduate Program is only the beginning of your career with Coles, with a guaranteed role at the end of the program.  

You are supported through: 

  • Continuous learning and development opportunities 
  • Working on real deliverables with clear ownership and accountability.  
  • Leading and delivering an Innovation Project, culminating in a presentation to a senior leadership team. The top team also has the opportunity to present to their Executive team and Board. 
  • An accelerator coach, a senior leader dedicated to you for the entirety of the grad program, to help you kickstart your career. 
  • Connecting with senior leaders from across the business, providing you the opportunity to build your personal brand and learn about their own career journey. 
  • A buddy, either a more senior grad or team member, to help you settle in from the beginning. 

Graduate Reviews

Overall Score
4.3
Overall score based on 80 reviews
They Score Best in…
8.8
Culture
8.9
Management
9.1
Sustainability
8.7
Work Hours
8.8
Culture
8.9
Management
9.1
Sustainability
8.7
Work Hours
What Graduates Say About Them
  • How seriously Coles takes their commitments to flexible working are. I'm encouraged to work where and when it suits me and which is extremely motivating.
  • I feel very supported as a graduate. The program is tailored to create an environment which fosters growth, learnings and gain professional skills that can be used in any industry
  • The diversity - we have amazing diversity in our team members, customers, and work that we do! There are not many workplaces where you can say you genuinely play a role in every Australian's life!
  • The fast-paced and dynamic work environment provides ample opportunity for networking, connecting, building your personal-brand and taking on new and different opportunities across the business.
  • Great work culture, very collaborative and supportive teams, recognition and appreciation of work, variety of challenging assignments
  • Varied opportunity, good exposure to the broader business, which will inevitably set you up to be a well-rounded/knowledgeable employee.
  • It has taken a while to adjust to the size and the way the company works as it is so fast-paced and there is a specific way that they do things.
  • There are a lot of people to navigate in the organization which can sometimes make things difficult to put plans into action
  • Workload/hours can be high at times
  • Steep learning curve (more of a challenge rather than a bad thing)
  • Location of offices not in the CBD
  • There are so many meetings! Big companies have a lot of people who need to be informed.

Jobs & Opportunities

Locations With Jobs & Opportunities
  • Australia wide
Hiring candidates with qualifications in
B
Business & Management
C
Creative Arts
E
Engineering & Mathematics
H
Humanities, Arts & Social Sciences
I
IT & Computer Science
L
Law, Legal Studies & Justice
M
Medical & Health Sciences
P
Property & Built Environment
S
Sciences
T
Teaching & Education
Current Jobs & Opportunities

Graduate Job

Melbourne
Choose from 2 unique streams in the Technology category to find a path that’s right's right for you.
Applications Close
2 Apr 2024
Start Date
12 Feb 2025
Salary
AUD 75,000 - 85,000

Graduate Job

NSW
Choose from 2 unique streams in the Engineering and Logistics category to find a path that’s right's right for you.
Applications Close
2 Apr 2024
Start Date
12 Feb 2025
Salary
AUD 75,000 - 85,000

Graduate Success Stories


  • Graduate stories
I love the energy that working at Coles brings; it’s an instant buzz every morning walking in.

Amy Tomlinson

  • Graduate stories
I love the energy that working at Coles brings; it’s an instant buzz every morning walking in.

Amy Tomlinson

  • Graduate stories
While my role within the project team does involve relatively in-depth analysis, it's basic goal is simple. This is to identify and implement improvement opportunities.

Jesse Kestenberg

  • Graduate stories
While my role within the project team does involve relatively in-depth analysis, it's basic goal is simple. This is to identify and implement improvement opportunities.

Jesse Kestenberg

  • Graduate stories
I love the energy that working at Coles brings; it’s an instant buzz every morning walking in.

Amy Tomlinson

  • Graduate stories
I love the energy that working at Coles brings; it’s an instant buzz every morning walking in.

Amy Tomlinson

  • Graduate stories
While my role within the project team does involve relatively in-depth analysis, it's basic goal is simple. This is to identify and implement improvement opportunities.

Jesse Kestenberg

  • Graduate stories
While my role within the project team does involve relatively in-depth analysis, it's basic goal is simple. This is to identify and implement improvement opportunities.

Jesse Kestenberg


A Day In The Life Of


  • Day in the life

Belinda Hardiman

Belinda Hardiman completed a Bachelor of Communication Design & Bachelor of Business (Marketing) at Monash University in 2017 and is now working as an E-Commerce Graduate at Coles.
  • Day in the life

Belinda Hardiman

Belinda Hardiman completed a Bachelor of Communication Design & Bachelor of Business (Marketing) at Monash University in 2017 and is now working as an E-Commerce Graduate at Coles.
  • Day in the life

Loredana Perris

Loredana Perri studied a Bachelor of Information Technology at La Trobe University in 2015 and is an E-Commerce graduate at Coles.
  • Day in the life

Loredana Perris

Loredana Perri studied a Bachelor of Information Technology at La Trobe University in 2015 and is an E-Commerce graduate at Coles.
  • Day in the life

Belinda Hardiman

Belinda Hardiman completed a Bachelor of Communication Design & Bachelor of Business (Marketing) at Monash University in 2017 and is now working as an E-Commerce Graduate at Coles.
  • Day in the life

Belinda Hardiman

Belinda Hardiman completed a Bachelor of Communication Design & Bachelor of Business (Marketing) at Monash University in 2017 and is now working as an E-Commerce Graduate at Coles.
  • Day in the life

Loredana Perris

Loredana Perri studied a Bachelor of Information Technology at La Trobe University in 2015 and is an E-Commerce graduate at Coles.
  • Day in the life

Loredana Perris

Loredana Perri studied a Bachelor of Information Technology at La Trobe University in 2015 and is an E-Commerce graduate at Coles.

Videos


Coles Graduate Virtual Expo Q&A Panel 2022

Hear what our 2021 and 2022 graduates had to say about the program during our recent Coles Graduate Program Virtual Expo held in March.

Discover Own Brand @ the Coles 2022 Graduate Expo

Learn more about our Own Brand function from current graduates in that space.

Coles Graduate Virtual Expo Q&A Panel 2022

Hear what our 2021 and 2022 graduates had to say about the program during our recent Coles Graduate Program Virtual Expo held in March.

Discover Own Brand @ the Coles 2022 Graduate Expo

Learn more about our Own Brand function from current graduates in that space.

Advice


How much do new grads earn at Coles?

Here's what new grad roles are paying at Coles Australia.

What grades do you need to get into Coles' graduate program?

What grades are you going to need to land a fresh grad role at Coles? Well, it's not what you think.

How much do new grads earn at Coles?

Here's what new grad roles are paying at Coles Australia.

What grades do you need to get into Coles' graduate program?

What grades are you going to need to land a fresh grad role at Coles? Well, it's not what you think.