I'VE GOT STORES IN MY EYES; Aiming to sweep the board in supermarkets; Stuart's on fast track to the top.

Shops are in Stuart Long's blood. His dad Maurice runs a general store, while his stepmum Linda manages a post office.

But Stuart wanted to do it his way.

"I could have joined the family business, but I wanted to make my own way in life," says Stuart who, at 24, is assistant manager with Budgens store in Abingdon, Oxfordshire.

And he got there by joining the Retail Management Training Scheme run by the supermarket chain.

When Stuart left school, he went to college and gained BTEC and HND qualifications in Business and Finance - while taking a careful look at his options.

"I wasn't going in blind-folded," he says. "I did a lot of research before deciding I wanted to join Budgens.

"I discovered it was an up-and-coming company and, because it wasn't as large as some of the other chains, I thought they could offer me fast- track promotion."

The management training scheme took Stuart 12 months to complete.

Stuart says: "The first six months were spent in various departments of the supermarket, learning about each one and getting the chance to run it before moving on,".says Stuart.

"The second half of the year was spent learning management skills and responsibilities, such as leadership and communication.

"That's very important when you have to deal with customer complaints!

"We were also taken to Budgens huge distribution centre in Wellingborough where we learned all about what happens to our products before they reach the store.

"We also met our suppliers, visited bakeries and took part in wine-tastings.

"It gave us a real insight into the other sides of the industry."

Stuart warns that the course isn't for the faint-hearted.

"We often had to stay behind at night, and we had a workbook to work through at home. "It definitely wasn't easy. There was a lot to learn and it was very hard work.

"But in the end, you gain the Institute of Grocery Distribution Foundation Certificate in Management, accepted and respected throughout the retail industry."

People who complete the course successfully can expect to be promoted to assistant manager. "That's when you get the chance to put your training into practice," says Stuart.

"As assistant manager I have to cope with all the day-to-day problems you face in a store, such as a delivery not turning up on time, or somebody going sick. You soon learn not to panic - they are all things that can be put right."

During his training, Stuart moved around several branches of Budgens.

"You are expected to be mobile, but only within reason - all the branches have been within travelling distance of my home base in Northampton," he says. "At some point I expect I'll move on again, either to become assistant manager of a bigger store, or I could go straight to being manager of a small store.

"After that, I might be interested in moving in to our Head Office.

"There are always opportunities coming up within the company."