Dartford MP, Dr Howard Stoate has visited the Bluewater Shopping Centre in order to witness first hand the role the centre is playing in helping young people to gain skills and experience within the retail environment through its apprenticeship scheme.

The Scheme is a unique long term initiative aimed at identifying and training 16 to 24 year olds for the retail industry.  It was created in partnership with the Learning Shop, to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the opening of Bluewater, and offers successful candidates the opportunity to work and train within one of the most successful retail operations in Europe.

The Learning Shop is pioneering collaboration between Lend Lease, North West Kent College and Jobcentre Plus.  Over the last ten years, this has helped to create around 22,000 jobs and more than 10,000 people have received some kind of training from the Learning Shop.  The Bluewater Apprenticeship Scheme is the first of its kind in the UK, and has been recognised by the National Skills Academy for Retail.  It provides successful candidates with a unique insight into every aspect of the retail business, from working to the shop floor to being part of the Bluewater management team.

Commenting on the scheme, Dr Stoate said, "the work carried out between Bluewater and the Learning Shop is fantastic and shows just what can be achieved when business and education work together.  This scheme is clearly doing a great job in helping young people to develop the skills necessary for a career in retail and management and I really welcome this."

For more details on the scheme, visit http://www.bluewater.co.uk/content/Apprenticeship

You can find out more about the Learning Shop by visit its website at http://www.learningshopbluewater.co.uk/