The online electricals store, AO.com, has pushed the button on recruiting over 50 new I.T. roles across its Bolton and Manchester offices over the next 12 months.
In its biggest ever I.T. recruitment drive since it was founded in 2000, AO is looking for everything from Software Developers, UX Designers and Business Analysts to Commercial I.T. analysts to support its future growth.
To accommodate a larger I.T. team, AO has expanded into a brand new, second office at Parklands Business Park, which is often described as Lancashire’s Silicon Valley because AO is based there.
AO’s approach is to develop the majority of technology systems in-house, allowing it to quickly adapt to opportunities and make online shopping as easy as possible for its customers with simple solutions. The new roles form a pivotal part of that.
Built from the ground up by entrepreneurial Founder and CEO, John Roberts, AO is famous for the career opportunities it offers its people, who are known as “AO’ers”.
Carl Phillips, AO’s I.T. Director, said:
“What makes our I.T. team unique is the range of projects that people get to work on and the freedom that they have to get things done. From infrastructure to coding, our teams get the opportunity to use the latest technology and working practices on a daily basis. It’s an exciting place to develop new skills and broaden your career in a way that you wouldn’t get to do anywhere else in the North West.”
“We put passion and a willingness to learn before experience and expertise when looking for new candidates for the team. We’re willing to give people a chance who haven’t had a traditional education and background in tech, and to invest deeply in training and personal development to get the best out of our people.”
Ryan Robinson first came to Carl’s attention when he applied to AO while working as a baker in Preston. After teaching himself coding for approximately six months, Ryan decided he’d prefer bytes to baking and secured a job as an I.T. junior with AO. Six years later and Ryan is now a Senior Software Developer within the AO family.
“I’m grateful for the opportunity that AO has given to me”, explained Ryan. “AO took a chance on me and I was trained very quickly. During my time here, I’ve been able to broaden my skills and knowledge working on all sorts of technologies. These range from a brand new telephony system to the e-commerce websites themselves. I feel really lucky to have been given the opportunity! I doubt many other companies would invest so much in new talent.”
The new roles are being advertised here: https://www.ao-jobs.com/all-jobs/?keywords=&team=it over the next 3 months.