NEWS that a supermarket giant will create thousands of jobs has been welcomed in Dorset.

Asda, the UK’s second-largest supermarket, yesterday said it would offer 5,000 new posts in a £500million expansion drive.

In Dorset, the retailer has stores in Poole, Canford Heath, Bournemouth, Castlepoint and Weymouth and is planning for a new store in Blandford.

Nigel Hedges, president of Bournemouth Chamber of Trade and Commerce, welcomed the news, but hoped it would mean more than just menial jobs.

“I’m very pleased, hopefully that will bring employment to the Bournemouth Asda operations and we’re very keen to see this being the start of careers in retail, not just shelf stacking.

“It’s an encouraging sign because it shows there’s a massive company looking to employ people after what for some was a bad Christmas,” he said.

The expansion plans will see 25 new stores, a further 43 refurbished and three depots created.

Asda, owned by the world’s biggest retailer, US-based Wal-mart, said nearly half of the jobs it created last year had gone to young people, who are currently battling high unemployment, while 8,500 jobs went to people through Job Centre Plus.

The chain, which employs more than 180,000 people and runs 528 stores across the UK, also pledged that eligible employees would be given the chance to take City and Guilds apprenticeships.

Michael Regenhardt, president of Dorset Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said: “It’s positive, at the end of the day anything that creates jobs is positive.

“If you look at Bournemouth alone we have two huge stores. It’s excellent that they’re looking at it and looking to create something in times that are challenging at the moment.”

Peter Scott, chief executive of the Dorset Chamber, added: “In these difficult economic times, this comes as a welcome move.”