9to5mac:

In video messages to employees in recent days and weeks, Ahrendts has been recruiting employees from United States-based Apple Retail stores to relocate to China to help build up Apple’s retail efforts in the region. In a note to employees late last week, sources say that Ahrendts reported that approximately 200 Apple retail workers from the U.S. have already offered to make the move. Ahrendts added that the offer to move to China “has no expiration date because as the business grows, our needs will only become greater, so as your personal and professional life changes, just always keep China at the top of your mind, because we’re going to need you…”

An interesting problem. Apple is rapidly expanding their retail presence in China, outstripping its ability to provide properly trained staff for the stores. Training employees to work in China is no small undertaking and no small expense. These employees need training beyond what they receive in their current position, including language and cultural training. But the cost of sending someone on a long term overseas assignment can be staggering.

There are moving expenses, travel back and forth to visit family and friends and for further training. And, I imagine, there must be a pretty penny set aside for bonuses to make an assignment like this worthwhile for the employee.

Finally, there’s the matter of robbing Peter to pay Paul. For every quality employee Apple sends to China, that’s one less quality employee for the current set of Apple Stores. The trick for Angela Ahrendts is to fill the needs of this new rapid expansion in China without diluting the existing talent pool.