Retail therapy milestone
April 1st 2008

Since 2004,Remploy's Burnley training centre has trained 500 people, helping those with disabilities find cleaning careers with the likes of City Facilities Management and Asda.This year, it aims to help 300 individuals into work. Brendan Coyne reports

According to Remploy's Steve Jepson, the Burnley facility launched in 2004 with support from City Facilities Management and Asda to bridge what was then something of a skills gap.

With Asda as one of its largest clients, the first step was to create a mini Asda store within the training centre – complete with stocked shelves, checkout and cleaning equipment as is used by City Facilities Management within the stores it cleans. Jepson says this facility is unique within Remploy – and possibly the only one of its type within the cleaning industry.

According to Jepson, the mini store is key in giving candidates of all levels of disability the confidence to work within its real life counterparts."Many candidates have never worked, and although they may be capable of doing the job just as well – if not better – than candidates without disabilities, fear of the unknown can be a barrier to work.The centre provides a soft landing, after which they are familiar with the procedures, processes and equipment: it not only levels the playing field in terms of getting people with disabilities a job; it gives them a competitive advantage."

After two days training (consisting of both practical work within the store environment and theoretical work on colour coding, product and equipment use and how to deal effectively with supermarket customers), the candidates are then given help filling in application forms and finding work. Around 60 per cent go on to find jobs with City Facilities Management within Asda stores, where they undergo a 13 week training course and are awarded a 'Skills Passport' upon completion. Last year 150 were placed within City Facilities Management.

This year, with the centre aiming to train 300 people, that number could reach 200.

But the set up isn't just a benevolent move by local business. Figures show that the staff retention rate at City FM is 10 percent higher for those placed through Remploy then through other channels, thereby saving the company time and money, and ensuring skills are retained within the organisation.

For the third or so of candidates who don't find work within the centre's main

partners, Jepson says they still have a far better chance of getting a job, as other local employers are "very receptive" to the scheme. In fact, he says such is the centre's success that Remploy is keen to hear from other partners in order to open similar centres across all business sectors.

Heading up the training programme at Burnley, Steve Heywood, who previously worked as a store manager for 20 years, says candidates tend to struggle more with the theory side than the practical, "so we make it as easy as possible for them". He says candidates are given a choice as to whether they want to use the machines and chemicals - as the range of available jobs encompasses roles such as litter picking and carpark attending - where those skills are not necessary. Over the last three years, Steve says there have been many highlights, but says perhaps the most rewarding example was that of a 56 year old, who after suffering serious injury in an accident as an 8 year old, had never worked."He spent two days in the academy and within two weeks got a job within City as a morning cleaner,"says Steve."You cannot buy that feeling."

Candidate, Paul Bromilow told me he was enjoying the course."It's good.You learn colour coding, hygiene stuff and its quite easy to understand." He says the best bit is learning how to treat customers."When they say 'can you tell me where the biscuits are please?', you just have to smile and say 'certainly madam, just follow me'..." His smile is certainly large enough to make the grade.

Remploy plans to open 40 high street recruitment centres by 2012 as part of its ambition to place 20,000 workers with disabilities across all sectors by 2012.