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RETAIL ACADEMY HELPS WALSALL PEOPLE BENEFIT FROM TOWN CENTRE JOBS - 7 June 2007
Regeneration experts driving the renaissance of Walsall have hailed the success of an initiative to help local people grasp job opportunities in a rejuvenated town centre.
Walsall Regeneration Company (WRC) brought a number of organisations together as the ‘Retail Academy’ to assist recruitment of staff for the jobs-boosting 24-hour new ASDA superstore and the town’s growing retail sector.
The approach focused on finding out what businesses needed and how the partner organisations could provide it and helping the more disadvantaged communities in Walsall to benefit from the new jobs.
Jobcentre Plus, the Learning and Skills Council, Walsall College and Walsall Council worked with representatives from ASDA, the local community and other organisations, with WRC hosting and guiding the initiative.
The result was special training and advice sessions to help people to apply for the 500 jobs at the ASDA store and to prepare them for interviews. Practical assistance included form filling techniques, identifying their skills and handling group interviews. Those not chosen this time gained confidence and skills to help with future applications.
Walsall Council also looked at how public transport links and timetables could be changed to tie-in with shift patterns for the store to support local people to access jobs.
Dr Peter Cromar, chief executive of WRC, said: “Our major regeneration projects are re-establishing Walsall as a Town for Enterprise and that transformation includes much improved shopping facilities. We have been working to help the retail sector as a whole with staff recruitment and retention to ensure its long-term success.
“We listened to people to find out their business needs and brought organisations together to understand and meet their requirements and the result has been to help local people into jobs.”
The £25 million plus ASDA and 1000 space car park form phase one of the St Matthew’s Quarter regeneration project, one of eight major transformational schemes which WRC has identified to restore Walsall’s fortunes.
ASDA store manager Jon Clements said: “ASDA recruits for attitude rather than skill levels as we are confident we can train people to do a job if they have the right attitude. The co-operation and assistance given to us to find local people to work in our new store, which opens this month (June) has been absolutely fantastic. We have been made to feel really welcome in Walsall.”
Jobcentre Plus worked with Walsall College to develop a one-day retail skills course for unemployed people interested in the vacancies, and courses were held across the area. Bobbie Wearing, Jobcentre Plus manager, said: “It helped prospective applicants find out more details about the types of jobs on offer, as well as giving them interview tips and the chance to look at their transferable skills; it really gave people a head-start and helped build up confidence before they went to an interview. Other major retailers are making enquiries about Walsall’s approach to use it as a good practice model.”
Walsall College, a key participant through the provision of industry focused skills and training, has been central to the development of the Retail Academy. Its partnership with Jobcentre Plus in creating a tailored one day course now means that already more than 200 unemployed people have received training and increased their chances of securing employment.
Chris Ball, principal and chief executive of Walsall College, said: “This is an excellent example of partnership working that will drive the positive transformation of our borough. Not only are we playing our part in helping people get back into work but the Retail Academy has allowed us to build strong links with ASDA and our School of Business and Management. This relationship has allowed our students to obtain a valuable insight into the way a multi national organisation recruits its staff. Partnering this practical knowledge with our students’ theoretical work ensures we fulfil our commitment of creating ‘job ready’ individuals who can immediately contribute to their chosen industry.”
Retail Academy member Caldmore Area Housing Association runs a number of projects to help disadvantaged people and held pre-recruitment seminars at its Jervis Court foyer scheme in Walsall to help people understand what recruiters were looking for.
Chief executive Mike Hew said: “We welcome the new development and commerce coming into Walsall and as a community based association we want to do all we can to make sure the opportunities it brings are taken up by local people, especially those who are currently excluded. The Retail Academy gave us access to key people and was about taking action.”
The Walsall New Deal for Communities regeneration project, which helps people into employment, also hosted training and raised awareness of the ASDA jobs. Its economic development manager Bob Crundwell said the Retail Academy had shown the value of teamwork and he believed the processes would be used again and also extended beyond the retail sector.
Effective training and support was essential for retailers looking to maximise business opportunities, said Mark Loveday of the asset managers for Walsall shopping complex the Saddlers Centre. “There is a strong belief that Walsall has a promising future and will regain and increase its market share. We support measures to build on that local pride and confidence and ensure we have a well trained pool of labour to be able to capitalise on the opportunities as Walsall’s prosperity grows.”
Ends
Caption: Outside the ASDA superstore in Walsall, from left, are manager Jon Clements, new recruits Mark Wilson, aged 24, a warehouse distributor, and Jenna Watts, aged 21, events co-ordinator, with Dr Peter Cromar, chief executive of Walsall Regeneration Company.
Mark, from Bentley, Walsall, and Jenna, from Caldmore, Walsall, were recruited through the Jobcentre and attended the retail skills course.
For further information please contact Lorna Bishop or Nigel Pipkin
at Seal Communications on 0121 200 0780
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