John Lewis has today opened applications for its new flagship IT degree apprenticeship, which will launch in September 2016. 

Developed in conjunction with The Tech Partnership, the four year degree apprenticeship will offer eight students who have completed A Levels the opportunity to gain on the job training within the head office IT department at John Lewis whilst studying for a degree in Digital & Technology Solutions BSc (Hons) at the programme's education partner, Queen  
Degree apprentices will spend three days per week working in the IT department at the retailer's head office in Victoria and two days per week studying at Queen Mary University London. IT apprentices will get the opportunity to work within several areas of the IT team in order to develop a technical specialism.

At the end of the four year programme candidates will obtain a full BSc (Hons) degree and progress to the next stage of their IT career within the John Lewis IT team. Candidates will progress their salary throughout the programme, with a starting salary of £16,000 rising each year based on performance, and will not amass any tuition fee debt.

Paul Coby, IT Director, John Lewis, said: 'It's fantastic to be able to work with The Tech Partnership to offer talented young people the opportunity to kick-start a career in IT through our new degree apprenticeship. This programme is a great alternative to university and successful applicants will receive transferable workplace skills in addition to a degree education, and I hope that we will find some future leaders in IT via this scheme.'

Karen Price, Chief Executive, The Tech Partnership said: 'John Lewis was among the first to recognise the potential of degree apprenticeships in tech, and they have been closely involved in developing the rigorous academic and practical curriculum. The programme, which has been accredited as Tech Industry Gold for its quality and business relevance, is an exceptional opportunity for talented candidates who want to build a successful and enjoyable career in technology. I urge anyone with passion for IT to apply.' 

Professor Rebecca Lingwood, Vice-Principal for Student Experience, Teaching and Learning at Queen Mary University London said: 'We're excited to build upon our track record of partnering with businesses. Graduates from this course will have the best of both worlds by learning from real-world situations and gaining the most up-to-date, technical knowledge from their courses and lecturers at Queen Mary University of London.' 

The programme will welcome its first intake in September 2016. This new programme will run alongside other John Lewis apprenticeship schemes - full details of all programmes can be found at jlpjobs.com/apprenticeships.

The IT Degree Apprenticeship is currently open for applications at jlpjobs.com.