Supermarket chain Morrisons said it aims to create more than 7,000 new jobs in 2012 as it opens more stores and develops its manufacturing and logistics arms.
The company plans to open 25 new stores in 2012 and said many of the new posts would be 'craft skills' jobs such as butchery, bakery and fishmongery.
Half of the jobs at new stores are expected to go to former employees, the firm said, while three-quarters are likely to come from the local areas they serve.
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Around 300 people will be employed at Morrisons' new Bridgwater Regional Distribution Centre, which will provide serve the South West and South Wales.
"Despite the difficult economic conditions, Morrisons continues to have ambitious growth plans and that means we will be searching for people to join us in the communities in which we operate," said group HR director Norman Pickavance.
Morrisons' announcement comes on a bleak day on the employment front.
UK unemployment rose by 128,00 in the three months to October to a reach a total of 2.64m, according to the Office for National Statistics.
The rise was not as big as forecast by some economists, who predicted the figure would come in at 140,000.
However, the number of unemployed people is the highest since 1994, while the unemployment rate, which reached 8.3% of 'economically active' people, was the highest since 1996.
Logica, one of the largest providers of contract computer programmers in Europe, today said it would cut more than 1,300 staff saying some clients were reluctant to commit to contract reneweals.
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