Blackburn College announce new partnership with ASDA

Blackburn College has partnered with supermarket giant, ASDA, and DFN Project Search to boost their Supported Internship offer with a one-year placement in ASDA’s Blackburn store.

Blackburn College, recently named as the third-best college in England, has extended its Supported Internship programme to support people with special educational needs looking to pursue a career in retail.

The internships will be available for work-ready students aged 16 to 24 with an education, health and care plan (EHCP). EHCPs go beyond special educational needs (SEN) support and the plans identify educational, health and social needs.

Students will have the opportunity to work in the ASDA Blackburn store’s bakery, George clothing and shop floor, and general merchandising.

The aim of the internship is to help the students grow in confidence, learn key soft skills required in the workplace, and get exposure to a real-life working environment.

Claire Thompson, Head of Inclusion at Blackburn College, said: “To have such a large employer join our Supported Internship offer here at Blackburn College is fantastic.

“It’s a location many of our students will have visited, being a popular location in Blackburn town centre, so it will be ideal for students to gain working experience somewhere they are familiar with.”

Dr Fazal Dad, Principal and CEO of Blackburn College, said: “We welcome the support of ASDA and DFN Project Search to our Supported Internship offer. 

“The businesses we have right on our doorstep here in Blackburn can make a real difference to the lives of our learners. We welcome those interested to get involved.”

John Brooksbank, Store Manager at ASDA Blackburn, said: “We’re excited to welcome the interns to our store in September, as we know how much value they will bring to our team. We’re proud to become a part of their journey, and hope they will gain a lot from working alongside our team here at ASDA.”  

To enquire about Supported Internships at Blackburn College, please contact Claire.Thompson@blackburn.ac.uk or call 01254 292929.