John Lewis to set up IT centre in Birmingham

British department store group John Lewis is set to open a new IT and technological hub in Birmingham, as the group continues to invest in new technological and digital ways of working.

Set to open this September, the new hub will create four engineering roles in the city, which is expected to increase over the years, reported Drapers. In addition, John Lewis is set to work with a select number of local universities to develop part-time internships for young technologists, with recruitment set to start later this year.

“Our new Hub in Birmingham is about putting innovation and agility at the core of our business,” commented IT director Paul Corby to Drapers. “We chose Birmingham because of the opportunities it offers as a growing tech city with a wealth of skilled technology professionals and world class technical universities.”

News of the hub opening comes after John Lewis opened its 250,000 square foot flagship in Grand Central in Birmingham last September. In total, over 1 billion pounds was invested in further developing Birmingham last year, as the city continues to grow as an economic hub.