The John Lewis Partnership (JLP) has said it is offering thousands of jobs to young workers as part of this year’s Christmas hiring drive.
The company, which incorporates John Lewis department stores and Waitrose supermarkets, said it was recruiting more than 10,400 seasonal roles.
Of the roles, around 6,000 are with Waitrose’s 320 shops and 2,600 will be across John Lewis’s 36 shops.
A further 1,800 roles will be across the group’s distribution centres and supply chain.
The hiring drive marks a step down from last year when JLP aimed to take on 13,700 seasonal roles – its biggest-ever recruitment round for the Christmas period.
JLP said it recruits from all ages and backgrounds but that its seasonal roles have typically been popular among younger candidates – with around three-quarters of those hired in previous years being under 25.
Helen Webb, JLP’s chief people officer, said retail was a “vital stepping stone for young people entering the workforce”.
“With youth unemployment remaining a significant challenge, we recognise the role we play in providing meaningful opportunities to learn and grow,” she said.
The number of young people not in education, employment or training, so-called Neets, was over a million earlier this year for the first time in more than a decade, official figures showed.
This fell to 981,000 Neets, who are aged 16 to 24, in April to June, but remained 30,000 higher than a year ago, prompting renewed calls for more help to get young people into work.
open image in galleryJLP offers £13 an hour for seasonal roles, or £14.55 in London. Pay rises to £13.25 UK-wide and £14.80 in London after 30 days.
The company also said that, within the 10,400 roles, it expects to recruit 100 young people who have a background in the care system as part of a commitment to help reduce barriers for those finding work.
“By offering thousands of roles to under-25s and guaranteeing interviews for care-experienced young people, we are actively helping to break down barriers to employment and investing in the future of our communities,” Ms Webb said.
Meanwhile, JLP has laid out a three-year turnaround strategy to staff to “get John Lewis leading again”, according to internal communications reported by the Financial Times.
This includes targeting more than £100 million in additional profit through efforts to bring together its John Lewis and Waitrose loyalty programmes, which offer personalised rewards and benefits to customers, the report said.
JLP has been contacted for comment.