Individual - What is Cora

What is CORA?

Cheshire Oaks Retail Academy has been established since 2003.
It is a unique collaboration of public and private sector organisations including Cheshire West and Chester Council, Cheshire Oaks Designer Outlet (part of the McArthurGlen Group), West Cheshire College and other organisations such as Job centre Plus, Connexions, Business Link, Visit Chester and Cheshire and the YMCA.

I learned all my skills in store and learning was a whole new world to me. I was being paid, I was learning to do a job, I was meeting the public and it felt good.

All of the partners are committed to addressing the retail employment and skills needs of the region. According to the National Skills Academy for Retail, retail is the largest private sector employer in the UK with 291,000 businesses, three million employees and an annual turnover of 265 billion.

CORA is ideally located in the North West to offer training and support to individuals from a wide area of West Cheshire including the towns of Ellesmere Port, Chester, Winsford, Northwich and the market towns of Neston and Frodsham.

When you are doing an Apprenticeship you don't have to wait for the teacher to tell you when it's time to start because you are on the shop floor learning for real.

The original pioneering centre is based in the heart of the UKs largest designer outlet: Cheshire Oaks Ellesmere Port. In recognition of our excellent track record, we have secured funding to expand and offer training at other venues across the area over the next two years.

The National Skills Academy for Retail provides access to consistent, high quality training for retail businesses, their employees and future workforce, delivered through a network of quality-marked retail skills shops. In April 2009, CORA became one of the first Skills Shops to be approved by the National Skills Academy for Retail.

Group Launch In London
"CORA Executive group receive membership from National Skills Academy for Retail"