John Lewis to offer degrees

Retailer John Lewis is to provide staff with the opportunity to study for degrees under a scheme dubbed “University of John Lewis”.

It plans to introduce a Level 6 vocational qualification, equivalent to an honours degree, aimed at staff in senior management. This is in addition to the retailer’s existing programme, which allows staff to progress from entry-level qualifications.

John Lewis personnel director Laura Whyte said: “There is an old-fashioned view that retail doesn’t offer people long-term career opportunities, but that is just no longer the case.

The business has 84,700 staff and operates 39 John Lewis shops and 290 Waitrose stores.