Shopping centre in Peterborough switches on Bright Lights scheme to equip young for work

The training programme is being spearheaded by Serpentine Green, in Hargate Way, Hampton, and seeks to provide youngsters with the skills needed for careers in retail and hospitality.

Called Bright Lights, it is targeted at 16 to 24-year-olds in Peterborough and will offer free customer service training and work placements over a five-week period.

It starts on September 19 and will combine classroom learning alongside work placements at Serpentine Green’s retailers and food and beverage brands.

The scheme culminates with a graduation celebration in October, which will see those who have completed the five-week course receive their formal qualifications.

Bright Lights is funded by Serpentine Green’s owner British Land, and the programme is being rolled out across six of its shopping centres, in partnership with The Source Skills Academy, which is a leading centre for excellence in retail and customer service training.

David Wait, centre manager at Serpentine Green, said: “This is a great opportunity for Serpentine Green, together with our retailers and food and beverage outlets, to help the local young people of in Peterborough to get a head start on the career ladder.

“As we approach the busy Christmas period, competition for retail and hospitality jobs can be fierce, but Bright Lights offers young people in Peterborough high quality training which will help them to stand out from the crowd and equip them with the skills they need to succeed.”

Dianne Wainwright, head of operations at the Source Skills Academy, said: “We work very closely with retailers and hospitality outlets at Serpentine Green to ensure the Bright Lights training programme delivers all of the skills the sector is looking for in a trainee.

“It’s great to be able to offer this to the young people of Peterborough.”

A Taster Day will be held tomorrow to allow prospective trainees to see what the five-week course will involve and also allow them to get a flavour of what it is like to work in the dynamic world of retail and hospitality.

Young people who sign up to the programme can expect to receive coaching sessions from industry experts, qualifications in customer service and health and safety, support with interviews and CV writing, as well as a personal mentor to help set goals for the next six months.

To find out more visit http://www.serpentine-green.com/news-events/ready-career-retail