John Lewis Partnership opens 10,400 seasonal roles

The John Lewis Partnership is opening more than 10,400 temporary positions across Britain ahead of the final quarter of the trading year, with the employee-owned group again expecting young workers to fill the majority of them.

Waitrose accounts for the biggest share of the intake, advertising 6,000 vacancies across its 320 branches. A further 2,600 will be based in John Lewis' 36 department stores, while 1,800 sit within distribution centres and the wider supply chain. The vacancies stretch the length of the country, from Edinburgh down to Exeter.

The programme is smaller than last year's, when the group set out to fill 13,700 seasonal posts in what was then its largest festive recruitment round, according to reporting by the Press Association.

Under-25s have historically taken around three quarters of the Partnership's seasonal jobs, and the retailer is framing this year's round around youth employment. It pointed to figures showing a million young people in Britain are currently outside education, employment or training, arguing that short-term retail work offers a route into the labour market for a group struggling to find it elsewhere.

Helen Webb, chief people officer at the John Lewis Partnership, said: "These roles appeal to people of all ages and backgrounds, and we're excited to welcome great candidates across the board. At the same time, we know retail is 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.

"Our seasonal roles are more than just a job for the festive period; for many, they are a catalyst for building confidence and kickstarting a long-term career. 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."

Within the total, the group expects 100 positions to go to young people with experience of the care system, through its Building Happier Futures scheme. That sits alongside a commitment made in June to hire 1,000 more care-experienced young people by 2030, more than double its earlier target. Between now and December the Partnership will also run 300 welcome visits and 250 job-shadowing placements, with everyone who completes a placement guaranteed an interview.

Hourly pay starts at 13 pounds, or 14.55 pounds in London, rising to 13.25 pounds and 14.80 pounds respectively after 30 days on the job. The retailer said successful applicants will also receive training and access to flexible working arrangements.

The hiring round follows capital spending of more than one billion pounds at Waitrose and 800 million pounds at John Lewis, directed at stores and at technology intended to give shop staff more time on the floor. The group credited that investment for Waitrose's sixth consecutive Grocer 33 Customer Service Award and for John Lewis being named Which? Retailer of the Year and topping the UK Customer Satisfaction Index.

Demand for festive product is already building. John Lewis put its Christmas shop online on 27 August after seeing search traffic climb as the school holidays ended, with a physical rollout to follow later in September. Waitrose brings its Christmas range into shops from September 21, publishing its Food Lovers Christmas catalogue the same day.

This article was drafted with the assistance of AI and edited by a FashionUnited journalist.