Solihull College, along with Birmingham Metropolitan College (BMet) and University College Birmingham (UCB) have given many unemployed people across the region a chance to upskill and gain knowledge in retail and hospitality. Courses will be completed in time for the opening of Grand Central, Birmingham’s new shopping centre which will bring many opportunities to the region with 60 retail outlets, restaurants and cafes within the centre, including one of the largest John Lewis department stores in the country.
Solihull College has worked with the National Careers Service and Jobcentre Plus to give people the skills to put them on track for employment. Along with BMet and UCB, Solihull College has provided a bespoke pre-employment training programme which covers Hospitality, Food Hygiene, Customer Service, Retail Knowledge and Personal and Social Development. The training programme has aimed to give people the skills and techniques needed to secure jobs.
The full time course has been run over two week periods with those completing the course gaining a Level 1 qualification as well as developing their knowledge of interview techniques. All of the skills taught on the course will give those who are currently unemployed exactly what they need to get back into work.
Director of Employment and Skills at Solihull College, Shaun Hindle commented “??Solihull College in partnership with BMet and UCB have had the fantastic opportunity to offer bespoke courses which are vital to give people, who are currently unemployed, the skills and qualifications to be able to benefit from opportunities that will arise from the development of Grand Central. The SMILE programme offered in conjunction with the collective has not only given our students the skills that they need to be successful in finding employment but has also developed their interpersonal skills and many students have shared how they feel more confident since completing the course, I have no doubt that we shall see many successes from our students following on completion of their course.
“??We, as a College, are always looking for exciting opportunities to offer people qualifications and job prospects; the Work Grand Central Excellence Programme is definitely an opportunity that we have felt privileged to be involved in.”
Those on the course have had the opportunity to complete their application forms and hope to move on to the interview stage of the recruitment process for Grand Central.
For more information on the courses available for people who are currently out of work please visit www.solihull.ac.uk or call 0121 678 7000.
