THE Trafford Centre has linked up with local students to help provide an innovative new course in retail.

Students from Broadoak School in Partington, and Ashton-on-Mersey School in Sale, are amongst the first in the UK to study for the new Diploma in Retail Business.

"Mock shop"

The course will be centred on a brand new state-of-the-art facility at Broadoak School in Partington, which will recreate an interactive retail environment – or “mock shop” for students to use.

The school is set to open the new Retail Suite next September, to take students behind the scenes of the retail world, teaching them the principals of the industry from buying and selling to logistics and finance.

The Trafford Centre has signed up to help provide real-life experiences in one of the country’s best-loved shopping destinations. Students will experience two weeks of work experience at the Centre, as well as meet there monthly for venue-based learning.

Said Broadoak School headteacher Andrew Griffin: “It’s important for today’s students to make links with industry as early in their careers as possible – and we are lucky to have The Trafford Centre on our doorstep as a perfect fit for the Diploma.

"Collaboration"

“We were delighted to be acknowledged as the lead school for this exciting Diploma. OFSTED already grades our curriculum as Outstanding and our new retail facility and collaboration with The Trafford Centre shows our continued commitment to offering choice and opportunities to our young people.”

Gordon McKinnon, Director of Operations at The Trafford Centre, said: “Retail is the UK’s single biggest private sector employer, and provides around three million jobs in this country.

“With many thousands of those jobs at The Trafford Centre, it makes sense for us to support new initiatives which introduce the next generation of retailers to this exciting industry.

“Whether it’s buying and selling on the supply chain, marketing and finance, or even store design and window displays, the scope of this Diploma is very impressive.

“We’re very excited to be a partner in this, and to be joining forces with a local school which already has such a superb reputation for delivering retail-focussed studies.”

Interactive

Following the school’s 100% pass rate in BTEC Retail for 4 years running, and a successful bid written by Assistant Head Lee McConaghie and Retail teacher, Sarah Barrett, the school has got the go-ahead to develop the interactive Retail Suite to bring learning to life.

The course is on offer to pupils throughout Trafford from September 2010 and encourages work-based learning in the highest private employment sector in the country.

NOTES:

As a retailer if you are interested in supporting the retail business venture please contact Sarah Barrett at sbarrett@broadoak.trafford.sch.uk

For further enquiries or images relating to this story, please contact the press office at The Trafford Centre, on jwebb@traffordcentre.co.uk