John Lewis has announced that it will take on 80 apprentices
this year.
The retailer will guarantee employment for 80 young
apprentices once their year-long training is complete. This is the first time
John Lewis has launched an apprenticeship scheme, and the firm hopes to provide
sustainable career paths for young people and an alternative to university.
The programme consists of two levels: the Modern
Apprenticeship Scheme for those who have left school at aged 16, and the
Advanced Apprenticeship Scheme, for students who have already completed their
A-Levels. Successful candidates will be rewarded the equivalent of five GCSEs
or two additional A-Levels depending on which scheme they enrol on.
The new hires will also automatically become Partners and
have access to all benefits and reward programmes.
Andy Street, Managing Director at John Lewis, says:
“Although the jobs market is slowly getting better, we recognise that young
people are some of the most affected by unemployment. At John Lewis, we have
always employed a large number of young people, but our apprenticeships scheme
really formalises this attitude.
“We see this as a primary source of recruitment for future
talent and have already been blown away by how savvy the young people from our
first intake are.”
Laura Whyte, Personnel Director, adds: “This apprenticeship
programme has long been an aspiration for us. We see it as a route to give
young people a genuine alternative to further education as well as begin
long-term careers at John Lewis. It was important for us to develop, own and
manage our own dedicated programme, one that fits with our co-ownership model,
and our values as well as aligns with our long term growth strategy.
“We hope to extend its scope by at least 25% in 2013, and
offer tailored programmes in retail and IT.”
Source: 14 November 2012, AskGrapevine
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