Mon, 10 Jan 2011
The Heathrow Retail Academy has won a national Big Tick award for contributing to the local community.
As well as helping local school children gain a greater understanding and interest in retail careers, it provides access to staff training and qualifications for Heathrow employees. In addition, the Retail Academy has been rewarded for equipping local jobless people with the skills needed for a career at the airport.
The Academy offers a range of qualifications and training for employees and local out-of-work people. These include NVQs, foundation degrees, apprenticeships and Skills for Life.
The Academy’s qualification programmes have already benefited more than 500 students. A further 2,500 have been placed in airport jobs through recruitment schemes such as Routes to Work, which focuses on targeting local unemployed people.
Karima Sakhi, Heathrow Retail Academy’s manager, said, “We’re delighted to accept the Big Tick award in recognition of the contribution that the Retail Academy has made to local employment and raising skill levels in Heathrow’s neighbouring communities."
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The learndirect team