A RETAIL Academy created to prepare people for the upcoming surge in jobs created by the Westfield Broadway development will be unveiled on next week.

SkillsHouse Bradford Retail Academy is linked to the centre, which will open in autumn and is expected to create about 2,500 jobs.

The one-stop shop will be based at Kershaw House, opposite the Broadway site, and has been created by Bradford Council with the support of businesses, JobCentre Plus, colleges and other training providers.

The goal is to ensure people have the right skills to take up employment opportunities that become available, not only in the Broadway shopping centre but in the wider Bradford district and beyond.

On Monday, representatives of employers moving to the site like Debenhams and Marks & Spencers, will be at Forster's Bistro in City Park where further details of academy will be released.

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Councillor Susan Hinchcliffe, the Council's executive member for education, skills and culture, will host the event which will include talks by Kerry Robinson, the newly-appointed SkillsHouse manager; Sue Anderson-Brown, Westfield's Broadway manager, and James Kundi, the Broadway marketing manager.

Cllr Hinchcliffe said: "We wanted to create a central point where people could come and get the best possible advice on training and development opportunities.

"The regeneration which is happening in the city is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for our local economy and it's important that we connect local people to this success.

"We have been working hard with local colleges and a wide variety of training providers to ensure local people are equipped with quality and up-to-date skills so we can offer a pool of people who are pre-trained, enthusiastic and ready-to-work.

"The bottom line is that we want to see businesses growing and prospering in Bradford, and to do that they need good, quality staff."

Mrs Anderson-Brown said: "When The Broadway opens later this year, it will create about 2,500 jobs in Bradford, along with the 1,500 it has generated during construction.

"A key part of filling these roles is ensuring that local people get the training and support they need.

"The support SkillsHouse offers will help to make sure that local people have the right training, the right skills and the right experience so they can take full advantage of the fantastic job opportunities that will become available in The Broadway over the coming months."

SkillsHouse is largely supporting the retail, hospitality and visitor economy businesses in the district, and is part of the National Skills Academy for Retail UK-wide network of skills shops.

It will focus on providing skills in retail, hospitality, warehousing, distribution and logistics, passenger transport, business support and facilities management.

To search for vacancies and upload CVs go to skillshousebradford.co.uk