“If you’re good enough, you’re old enough,” is a phrase echoed by many of those who have completed Lidl Ireland’s graduate development programme. It also explains why the 18-month programme can kickstart a truly exciting career in retail.
This rings true for Ornaith Mahon and Emma Ryan.
Ornaith joined the programme in 2021 and is now a senior project manager working across store layouts, in-store experience and technology, while Emma started the programme after finishing college in 2025 and now occupies a permanent project manager role with Lidl.
Four years may separate their experiences, but each describes being given responsibility from day one, having a clear view of where a career at Lidl could take them and deriving a genuine sense of satisfaction in their role.
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Emma became aware of the Lidl graduate development programme long before she applied, thanks to a Lidl ad at a Dublin bus stop featuring a former graduate sitting on an unbelievably large croissant.
“It definitely caught my eye,” she says.
Graduates taking up the programme for 2027 can expect to earn a salary of €45,500 and while Emma confirms that the overall remuneration package is attractive, what sets the Lidl graduate development programme apart is that graduates get real responsibility from the start.
The breadth of the graduate development programme added to the appeal. “What made it stand out was how much of the business I’d have access to. Graduates are either on the shop floor, at one of our regional distribution centres or in head office learning how the business operates.”
That exposure starts the same way for all graduates irrespective of academic background, with a three-month placement in store learning the operational side of the business. This gave Emma an understanding of how every part of a store works, from the tills and shop floor, to store KPIs and rostering, before she moved into the store layouts, in-store experience and technology team.
“What interested me compared to other programmes is how much of the business you get to see,” she says. “You’re not left to the side; you’re out on the shop floor and learning the frontline operations. The three months of operational training at the start really show you what the business is, and how it actually works. You get to understand how the business really works from the inside-out, which gives you incredible well-rounded experience."
Ornaith Mahon relished the opportunity to make an impact. “I got stuck in from the start,” she says. “Retail requires that commitment. If you show up with willingness Lidl will give you the work and the opportunities.
“Today I get great job satisfaction from seeing the direct impact on the shop floor,” she says. “It’s very rewarding when we launch a new system that takes the friction out of a customer’s visit or makes a store colleague’s job on the floor easier, or when you see customers enjoying a clear, well-organised middle aisle layout. Lidl has more customers come through its doors than any other retailer across the island of Ireland and knowing that projects I work on make a genuine difference to thousands of people every day is a great feeling.”
Emma, working as a project manager within the store layouts, in-store experience and technology team, feels a similar connection to the customer. Unlike work where the outcome can feel removed from the person doing it, retail offers an almost immediate opportunity to see how something has landed, she says. She can finish work, walk into a Lidl store and see customers engaging with something her team may have rolled out a short time ago.
That visibility extends to career progression, too. For Emma, seeing former graduates move through the business has made it much easier to envisage her own career. “If you can see it, you can be it,” she says.
Mentorship plays an important role in that. Emma was paired with Lidl chief commercial officer Kevin Duffy as her mentor, alongside having a business partner and graduate buddy, giving her support at different levels of the organisation.
“Mentorship is a massive part of the culture in Lidl,” she says.
Ornaith Mahon’s mentor, Lidl’s chief customer officer Ivan Ryan, had a lasting influence on how she works. Ivan introduced Ornaith to the ‘five whys’ approach to problem-solving, something she still uses today.
Five years after joining Lidl as a graduate, she has now become a mentor herself. She says that good mentorship includes creating an environment where people can learn when things do not go to plan. “As managers we can set the tone for the day, so even when a day doesn’t go to plan, it’s an opportunity for us to learn and grow together.”
Her career has already taken her well beyond early expectations. She recently spent just under a year working at Lidl’s international headquarters in Germany, an opportunity that came with one fairly obvious challenge.
“I was thrown in at the deep end with my lack of understanding of the German language,” she says. “But Lidl never throws you into a pool you can’t swim in.”
Applications for the 2027 Lidl graduate development programme intake are open until the end of October. Ornaith Mahon has advice for potential candidates. “Be curious,” she says. “Back yourself, and don’t be afraid to put yourself out there. Lidl is a place where if you work hard, show initiative, and have drive, people take notice and you will be rewarded for it. Trust the process and trust the leaders around you, they’ll push you out of your comfort zone because they see potential in you. Just bring high energy, be genuine, and be ready to hit the ground running.”
Emma has finished the programme and secured a permanent role; Ornaith has progressed from graduate to senior project manager, worked internationally and is now helping mentor the graduates coming behind her. Each remains ambitious about what comes next, and each sees those next steps at Lidl.
To find out more and apply see jobs.lidl.ie
