Media release
13 June 2024
For further information, to visit the Hub or to arrange interviews there, please email [email protected]
The West London Retail Skills Hub launched at Westfield White City on Thursday 6 June, and will be a truly pioneering way to address the retail skills shortage and grow the wider business talent pool in West London. The first of its kind, the Hub is a beacon of hope for the rest of the UK, too.
The West London Retail Skills Hub is a new resource developed by Westfield, the charity Spark! and West London College – supported by Ethos Farm, Inspire ATA and West London Business.
The Hub will support people of all ages to start or grow their career in retail and was inspired by one of the key recommendations arising from the West London Local Skills Improvement Plan (LSIP), which aims to improve skills and opportunities right across West London. It is funded through a blend of investment from the public and private sectors.
Located in the heart of Westfield London, White City, with an entrance next door to John Lewis & Partners, the Hub will develop over the next year to provide world-class retail training – including employment support and specialist retail programmes – for the local community.
Jobseekers looking for careers in retail can email [email protected] to schedule an appointment with an advisor.
Speaking about the launch, Katie Wyle, Head of Shopping Centre Management, Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield, said: “We are thrilled about the opening of the new Retail Skills Hub at Westfield London, which represents a significant step forward in redefining retail as a dynamic and rewarding career path. Our goal is to not only support our retail tenants by providing well-trained staff but also to inspire job seekers and employees with the diverse opportunities the retail sector offers. Through targeted outreach, recruitment support, and comprehensive training programs, we aim to showcase retail as a viable and exciting career choice.”
Karen Redhead OBE, CEO & Principal, West London College, added: “West London College is proud to be a key partner in the West London Retail Skills Hub. This exciting initiative opens up invaluable opportunities for communities across the seven boroughs of the region to gain essential skills and experience for a thriving career in retail. By collaborating with local businesses from Barnet, Brent, Ealing, Hammersmith & Fulham, Harrow, Hillingdon and Hounslow, the Hub empowers us to further inspire and drive economic success in the region through high-quality education and skills development.”
Matt Lent, CEO of Spark! shared: “Spark! is delighted to be a partner in the new Retail Skills Hub, based in the heart of the largest shopping centre in Europe, Westfield London. This resource is a game changer for retailers and young people alike, connecting employers with their future talent and creating the employability skills and pathways into rewarding careers for young people.”
For further information, visit www.retailskillshub.london
ENDS
For further information, to visit the Hub or to arrange interviews there, please email [email protected]
Notes to editors:
Photo 1: L-R: Matt Lent, Spark!, Katie Wyle, Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield, and Matt Fawcett, West London College, at the launch of the West London Retail Skills Hub.
Photo 2: The West London Retail Skills Hub launched on Thursday 6 June and will support people of all ages to start or grow their career in retail.
Images courtesy of West London Retail Skills Hub.
For a high resolution versions of the images, please click here.
About West London Business:
West London Corporate Leaders’ Action Group (CLAG) operates under the umbrella of West London Business, chaired by Shanker Patel.
West London Business (WLB) ensures West London is a successful, inclusive, environment for responsible business. West London is the UK’s global gateway; a £73billion+ GVA economy underpinned by 120,000+ businesses. We are a business-led leadership forum, with members including Heathrow and Amazon Web Services (AWS), as well as key regional firms such as Fuller, Smith & Turner and Bigham’s. WLB has 15,000+ supporters and convenes 30+ events per annum, including the West London Business Awards.
Our members work together through WLB to raise West London’s global economic competitiveness and catalyse action for people and planet. Through our work we inform and influence the work of local, regional, and national government policymakers and promote inward investment.
To find out more, visit www.westlondon.com.
Media contact:
Fiona Anderson,
GEC PR, 07931 382773
[email protected]