Member Article

Gateshead College, intu and Job Centre Plus expand retail training programme

Gateshead College has expanded its retail training programme, run in partnership with intu and JobCentre Plus, after helping over 200 people to secure jobs.

Launched in May 2014, Retail Gold, formally known as the Gateshead College intu Retail Academy, helps to supply retailers in North East shopping malls intu Eldon Square and intu Metrocentr.

Courses are tailored to the needs of each employer, meeting key business objectives by training successful applicants into work-ready candidates with essential skills, knowledge and opportunities to gain employment in the hospitality and retail sectors.

The new course is now expanding to include specific training for the hospitality sector, alongside an introduction to intu’s customer services programme, basic food preparation, food safety, health, safety, equality, diversity and problem solving.

Completion of the three week courses, designed and taught by Gateshead College, sees participants gain qualifications including occupational studies for the workplace, health and safety level 1 and quality and diversity level 2, as well tips and advice for CV and interview success.

Judith Doyle, principal at Gateshead College, said: “Thanks to the strong partnership built between Gateshead College, intu and Job Centre Plus we have been able to equip local people with the skills and attributes employers need to deliver the highest quality service in their businesses.

“intu retailers are benefiting from access to a skilled pool of candidates and local people have the opportunity to secure jobs and careers. Retail Gold has been a real success and it is great now to be in a position where we can extend our programme to include hospitality giving local people the best opportunity to secure work in the many new restaurants and cafes.”