How it works
The Create Academy gives people, including those who were formerly homeless or sleeping rough, a formal, structured route to employment. It combines real work experience, accredited training and personal support to help trainees find and keep a job.
About the Academy
Our Academy offers a work based learning programme and a hub for organisations that work with homeless people to come together and join up their services.
Each year, Create aims to train 80-100 people in each of our locations and get them into employment through our food businesses and partner organisations. Trainees spend three days a week in the workplace and two days looking at what they have learned. They work on developing the skills they will need when they return to employment.
What our trainees learn
Our food businesses provide two routes to employment for trainees. Their work placement places them in a great possition to go on to a job in our catering company or our restaurant. Trainees also gain work experience across all our businesses, which helps them think about and plan what they want to do with their future career.
Our catering business provides high quality, professional food, from working lunches and busy conferences to community events and wedding receptions. Trainees will:
- learn food hygiene, preparation and presentation skills
- gain valuable experience working alongside qualified chefs
- develop important customer service and communication skills.
Our very first Create restaurant in Leeds provides kitchen and front of house training opportunities. Trainees will:
- learn food hygiene, preparation and presentation skills
- work alongside qualified chefs and hospitality professionals
- develop customer service, cash handling, sales and marketing skills.
Assessments and qualifications
Our trainees can gain a nationally recognised Level 2 qualification in Food Safety through our Academy. They can also sign up for a QCF (formerly NVQ) in Retail Skills and Customer Service. In week 10 of the Academy, trainees can take key skills tests and get accreditation up to Level 1, including assessments in key skills, such as English and Maths.
Where we are
Our Academy and food businesses currently run in Leeds, Doncaster, Sunderland and Greater Manchester and we are in the process of expanding into Liverpool. Find out more on our Locations page.
Get in touch
If you are a business, social enterprise or any other organisation and you want to know more about the Create Academy, email info@createfoundation.co.uk or phone 0113 245 2405. If you’re interested in joining the Academy, you can find out more on our Information for applications page.
