Meet - Howdens

Howdens is the UK’s No.1 trade kitchen supplier with over 950 depots across the UK and Europe, trusted by 460,000 trade professionals. As a top apprenticeship employer since 2022, we prioritise talent development with training, career growth, and supportive management.

Our entrepreneurial culture seeks individuals eager to grow through apprenticeships such as Trade Supplier, Supply Chain Warehouse Operative, Fitted Furniture Design Technician, Chartered Management Degree, Manufacturing, and Supply.

Committed to inclusivity, we value dedication and hard work, offering a welcoming work culture and rewarding opportunities, making Howdens a preferred place to build a career

Skills Apprenticeship Details Locations How to apply What our apprentices do Behind the scenes Related Resources Where to go next

Skills we look for

What makes us a great employer

Rewards and benefits

From a competitive salary to wellbeing support, working with us comes with rewards and benefits. These include:

Financial incentives
Generous annual leave
Retail discounts
Health memberships
Ways to support local causes

For more information, visit: Rewards And Benefits | Life At Howdens | Howdens Careers

Learning and Development

At the heart of our learning and development programmes are our training plans, which allow our people to excel in their roles, work safely and develop essential skills to progress their careers. We also encourage personal growth, build expertise and support our teams in taking charge of their journeys with confidence. Through our dedication to continuous development, we ensure everyone has the tools and opportunities to thrive. This allows us to build communities of skilled experts, leaders and innovators who embody our values of quality, ownership and excellence.

Diversity and Inclusion

Diversity and Inclusion is a fundamental part of our hiring and working practices, ensuring there are opportunities and fairness for everyone. Our ambition is to be worthwhile for all. We want our business to feel like home, a place where everyone can be themselves, do their best work and achieve their potential. Everyone is encouraged to succeed and is welcomed irrespective of background. To find out more, visit: https://careers.howdens.com/life-at-howdens/diversity-and-inclusion

Top 100 Apprenticeship Employer

We’re proud to be ranked in the Top 100 Apprenticeship Employers list for the fith time in 2026, at number 44. This annual list celebrates employers for new, diverse, and successful apprenticeship programmes.

We also placed 85th in The Sunday Times Best Apprenticeship Employers table, which celebrates the UK’s top employers for their commitment to creating opportunities, supporting diversity, and ensuring successful apprenticeship outcomes.

Excellent Career Progression

The opportunities for progression in Howdens are endless, with 1 in 10 of our current employees starting as apprentices! You will be supported by a fantastic team to help build your skills, confidence and resilience to progress as far as you can!

Apprenticeships Details

In-Depot Apprenticeships

Build your future and launch your career with Howdens

We offer a range of apprenticeship roles in-depot, such as:

Trade Sales & Service
Warehouse Person
Kitchen Sales Designer

Our qualifications in-depot are L2 Trade Supplier, L2 Supply Chain Warehouse Operative and L3 Fitted Furniture Design Technician.

847locations Locations

Applying for our Apprenticeships

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1

Once you have seen an apprenticeship on Howdens Careers you are interested in, look for the ‘Apply Now’ button on the job advert page. In this stage of the application, you will fill out the application form and upload your CV and a short cover letter to tell us more about you.
2

If we think you sound like a good potential candidate for the role, we will contact you and arrange a face-to-face interview.
3

For certain higher-level apprenticeship roles, such as the Chartered Manager Degree Apprenticeship, we invite applicants to join us for an assessment day after the initial interviews have taken place. This doesn’t apply for depot or most office/support roles.
4

If you are successful, you will either receive a phone call or an email from the depot manager and they will then discuss the next steps with you.
End

Start

Online Application Form

Once you have seen an apprenticeship on Howdens Careers you are interested in, look for the ‘Apply Now’ button on the job advert page. In this stage of the application, you will fill out the application form and upload your CV and a short cover letter to tell us more about you.

Interview

If we think you sound like a good potential candidate for the role, we will contact you and arrange a face-to-face interview.

Assessment Centre

For certain higher-level apprenticeship roles, such as the Chartered Manager Degree Apprenticeship, we invite applicants to join us for an assessment day after the initial interviews have taken place. This doesn’t apply for depot or most office/support roles.

Outcome

If you are successful, you will either receive a phone call or an email from the depot manager and they will then discuss the next steps with you.

End

Need some extra support?

We will do everything we can to support you during your application. If you need us to make any adjustments to our recruitment process, please email [email protected] with the job title and location, and we will be happy to help you.

What our apprentices do!

“My apprenticeship has helped me develop confidence, communication skills and a greater understanding of the business. Through working with customers, supporting day-to-day operations and learning from experienced colleagues, I have gained the knowledge and experience needed to grow within my role.”

Ellie

Trade Sales and Service Apprentice

Level 2 (Intermediate)

“One of the most valuable aspects has been learning from both academic study and practical experience. Collaborating with colleagues, engaging with industry professionals and gaining exposure to different areas of the business has helped me develop a broader understanding of supply chain operations and professional working practices..”

Fabian

Demand Planner - Supply Chain Management Degree Apprentice

Level 6-7 (Degree)

“One of the most valuable aspects has been completing placements across several business functions. Working on improvement initiatives, supporting employee engagement activities and presenting ideas to colleagues gave me experience outside of my comfort zone and helped me develop my problem-solving, project management and presentation skills.”

Harrison

Chartered Management Degree Apprentice

Level 6-7 (Degree)

“The apprenticeship has allowed me to gain valuable workplace experience while continuing to learn and earn at the same time, which is massive. I’m learning how to manage a full-time role while developing key skills like organisation, problem-solving, and handling customer calls.
It has helped me mature professionally, grow in confidence, improve my professional skills and gain a better understanding of working within a fast-paced business environment.”

Harvey

Trade Sales and Service Apprentice

Level 2 (Intermediate)