Graduate schemes at the John Lewis Partnership will open for applications on 1 October.

Last year the Partnership received 15,000 applications for its graduate schemes, which this year will have an increased focus on IT - a growing area that underpins the omni-channel growth of the business.

The five schemes are split across the John Lewis, Waitrose, and John Lewis Partnership divisions of the business, and are aimed at students graduating in 2016 or those who have already graduated and are seeking a new career opportunity.

The five available schemes are:

• Waitrose Leadership
• John Lewis Partnership Finance
• John Lewis Partnership Technology
• John Lewis Buying
• John Lewis Merchandising.

The Partnership has a business-wide focus on technology and retail innovation and is constantly evolving and modernising in order to meet customer demand. The omni-channel retailer is searching for talented graduates who can help continue to innovate and move the retail sector forward. All candidates must demonstrate excellent academic ability, a shared passion for retail and strong leadership potential.

David Hunn, Director, IT Delivery at John Lewis initially joined the Partnership on the Technology graduate scheme. David commented: 'I applied for the Technology graduate scheme not only because I had an interest in technology, but because I was really interested in a career in retail. Shopping is something truly visible that everyone can connect with on some level, and that really appealed to me. John Lewis' excellent reputation as an employer was also a great attraction.

'I've been with the business for 25 years now and have watched technology go from being something that supported the business, to being an integral part of every aspect of it. Whichever scheme you join today, you will see how technology plays a vital part in the running of our omni-channel business.

'We're looking for graduates that can not only demonstrate excellent academic ability, but show a thorough understanding of the retail market and how we can work together to move the sector forward.'

Godfrey Asare joined the Waitrose Graduate Leadership Scheme last year and is currently working as an Analytics Project Manager in the Waitrose eCommerce team. 'The Graduate Leadership Scheme has been challenging but hugely rewarding. ECommerce has a leading role in retail and is transforming the way we shop, so it's fantastic to be at the heart of this, playing such a key role in our Modern Waitrose strategy.'

Starting salaries will range from £24,000-£29,000 dependent on scheme, in addition to a Partnership discount card, ticket subsidies and even the chance to enjoy a discounted holiday at one of five holiday centres.

Candidates can apply at www.jlpjobs.com and entry requirements depend on the scheme applied for. Please be aware that candidates can only apply for one scheme.

In the event of an exceptionally high response rate, applications will close early and further submissions will not be accepted. Candidates are therefore encouraged to apply early to avoid disappointment.

For more information on the schemes, the selection process, to read our graduate blog and lots of other useful information from graduates themselves and our recruitment team, please see http://jlpjobs.com/graduates/.

Notes to editors

The John Lewis Partnership - The John Lewis Partnership operates 45 John Lewis shops across the UK (32 department stores, 11 John Lewis at home and shops at St Pancras International and Heathrow Terminal 2), johnlewis.com, 342 Waitrose shops, waitrose.com and business to business contracts in the UK and abroad. The business has annual gross sales of over £10bn. It is the UK's largest example of worker co-ownership where all 88,700 staff are Partners in the business.

Enquiries

For further information please contact:
Waitrose
Rob Cadwell, Senior Press Officer, Corporate
Telephone: 01344 826182
Email: rob.cadwell@waitrose.co.uk
John Lewis
Emma Cole, Communications Officer, Corporate & Brand
Telephone: 0207 798 3829
Email: emma.l.cole@johnlewis.co.uk