MORE than 100 unemployed people have so far landed jobs as shop workers in Bradford's new Broadway centre, thanks to an innovative training scheme.

The SkillsHouse retail academy gives jobseekers the training and support they need to land top jobs at the £260 million shopping centre, as well as other shops looking to recruit across the district.

As part of the scheme, three colleges have been providing jobseekers with two-week courses in retail, hospitality and customer service.

So far, about 400 people have taken the training, with all three colleges - Bradford College, Forster Community College and Shipley College - seeing 100 per cent pass rates.

Those gaining the qualifications have formed a pool of potential employees which big high-street names have been able to choose from when hiring staff.

Broadway's anchor tenant, Debenhams, has so far offered jobs to more than 30 of the candidates.

Debenhams store manager Craig Baldock said: "It's been great to have the SkillsHouse working with us throughout our recruitment for Debenhams. They have really pulled out the stops to help us."

Seven unemployed people are starting work with Marks and Spencer next week, and it has taken on another 15 candidates on two-week trials.

In total, 143 people have so far secured work through the scheme, which is run by Bradford Council with support from the colleges and partners such as the JobCentre Plus and careers organisation Aspire-i.

The jobseekers are also being taught customer service skills as part of a programme called World Host - the same scheme that trained the volunteers who proved so popular at the London 2012 Olympics.

SkillsHouse manager Kerry Robinson said they were looking for people with an enthusiasm for retail.

She said: "We will look at them as a person more than anything. It is important people can understand the industry and can have a love for it in future, and will be the right kind of people to serve Bradford, because we want to be a World Host city."

Matthew Brannan, employment and skills manager at Aspire-i, said some of the people they had helped into work had spent two years or more looking for work.

He said: "They have said how valued they feel. The experience has given them a sense of belonging to Bradford.

"It's just nice to see there's a range of jobs coming into Bradford that meets people's needs and skill levels.

"Hopefully it can be built on as the centre of Bradford starts to develop.

"It's nice to see things are happening. That's what's needed in Bradford. The people of Bradford need to be given hope that there is a change.

"Years ago there was so much textile and manufacturing and even engineering work.

"But in the last ten years everything's died off."

Councillor Susan Hinchcliffe, Bradford Council's executive member for education, skills and culture, said: "We're really pleased that these big employers are taking advantage of the pool of trained people we have to offer through the SkillsHouse.

"Bradford is on an upward trend and now is the time for the district's population to capitalise on that."