TESCO is offering people the chance to pick up what might just be the best Christmas present of all – a job.

While work continues on building the new store on the former cattle market site, Tesco has begun recruiting for more than 100 new jobs.

More information about the jobs available at Tesco will be provided at a two day jobs fair to be staged at Tenbury High School.

It has also sought to provide opportunities for the long-term unemployed to get a job.

The new Tesco Tenbury superstore is set to open its doors in late February and is looking to recruit new staff from the local area for a range of opportunities in store.

It has more than 130 vacancies, with a variety of roles and hours available. Vacancies can be found on the Tesco careers website and interviews will be conducted locally at Tenbury High Ormiston Academy.

As part of the recruitment process Tesco has teamed up with the local Job Centre Plus to form a regeneration partnership which looks to help encourage, train and support the long-term unemployed into securing a role at Tesco.

Since the programme began in 2000, Tesco has run 60 regeneration partnerships creating roles for more than 5,000 staff members across the UK.

The regeneration partnership programme works with the Job Centre Plus to support people in long-term unemployment back into work.

People on the programme will take part in a three work skills course to help develop skills for the workplace and boost confidence. Everyone who passes the training is guaranteed an interview for a Tesco vacancy.

“I am looking forward to the new store opening in February and for me and the team to start serving the people of Tenbury,” said Dave Ashton who has been appointed as manager for the new store.

"The recruitment process is now underway and we are looking for colleagues who are willing to go the extra mile for customers and have a passion to deliver the best possible customer service.”

Mark Willis, Mayor of Tenbury, welcomed the job creation in Tenbury.

“The town council and I welcome Tesco and the career and job opportunities being provided.”

But the arrival of Tesco will not be universally welcomed in the town.

The issue has divided Tenbury since it was first mooted as long ago as May 2010 with critics concerned that the supermarket chain will hit business and take jobs from existing shops in the town.

However, supporters believe that the Tesco store will bring people into Tenbury and that this will provide opportunities for existing businesses in the town to benefit from an increase in the number of people that visit.

To find out more about the available roles and working for Tesco more generally, there will be job fairs held at Tenbury High Ormiston Academy on Tuesday, December 20, from17:00 to 20:00 and on Wednesday, December 21, from 10:00am to 13:00pm.