Skills Support for the Workforce
URBN Outfitters specialises in purchasing, sales and distribution within the retail sector, specialising in high street and e-commerce.
The pandemic saw an effect on their high street sales, which had a knock-on effect on their e-commerce warehouses. This meant that additional training and development was required to provide support to the department. The URBN Outfitters team undertook both Warehousing & Storage training plus Team Leading (Principals) to support the workforce in securing new roles.
URBN Outfitters were introduced to the Skills Support for Redundancy programme by Jobcentre Plus so their employees at risk of redundancy could be supported to secure new employment. As the Skills Support for the Redundancy programme is co-financed by the European Social Fund and the Education and Skills Funding Agency, the support was accessed at no cost to the business or the individuals.
31 employees undertook warehousing and storage, and team leading training. The courses were specifically designed to support the affected employees to find new roles within the sector following redundancy.
URBN Outfitters said that the programme not only supported the staff but also stretched their skill set to mirror their ambitions and prepare them for future roles. Many team members had taken on extra responsibilities whilst shutting the site down, which meant the additional development has been beneficial to all parties during a difficult time.
