Child employment law

Children below 13 cannot work with a few exceptions Children can work 12 hour week 13-14-year-olds can work five hours and 15-16-year-olds, eight hours on Saturdays Children can work two hours schooldays Children cannot work before 7am or after 7pm LEA must issue employment permit Children cannot work in factories

The company, based in Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire, devised a scheme in May aimed at attracting the best graduates by offering them starting salaries of up to �60,000 a year.

Mr Caudwell told the BBC: "I am recruiting people on �0.5m packages with very very big share options which are going to make them significantly rich in the near future.

"So in the long term there are very big packages but in the short term the wages will be about �3 an hour."

He is considering introducing a sales incentive scheme for the new recruits.

"Of course I am doing this for commercial reasons but also youngsters will have the opportunity to see what a business life is like."

The working conditions will conform to legislation on child labour.

Teenagers will work no more than six hours a week, and finish before 7pm.

Union concerns

In practice, the working hours during term time will have to be timetabled for weekends.

Junior high-flyer Chris Ansett is seizing the opportunity

But teaching unions say the company's strategy raises important concerns, especially at an age when teenagers should be studying for GCSE exams.

Raj Jethwa, youth officer for the TUC, said: "That attraction for some children could have disadvantages for children.

"They could think this is an alternative career route.

"We know it's not. We know that they should be concentrating on their education at this age and responsible employers know that also."

But potential recruits are jumping at the opportunity.

Teenager Chris Ansett said: "I am going for it because I think in the end you could end up on very good money and this puts you into it gradually.

"I thought it was a brilliant idea."

The graduates were recruited to help increase sales to �20bn by 2020. Last year's sales stood at �1bn.