Comment: Apprenticeships could inspire a generation of new retail leaders

But they would do well to consider how best to nurture the next generation of retailers who will be charged with stewarding the sector through the good times and the more challenging times to come. 

Youth unemployment remains disappointingly high, recent Government data shows that the unemployment rate among 16-24 year-olds stands at 20.9%, which compares with an overall unemployment figure of 7.8%. There is, therefore, not only a need but importantly an opportunity for the industry.

While many of today’s retail leaders started their careers on the shop floor, there’s a misconception that the retail industry has limited career prospects for talented and ambitious individuals. Many of the world’s power lists include people from the retail industry, from the likes of Burberry boss Angela Ahrendts, to Arcadia owner Sir Philip Green, yet many young people still do not think of retail as a viable career route, and if they do, many often don’t know how or where to begin.

The industry needs to, for want of a better word, PR itself by showcasing the opportunities available beyond the usually envisaged part-time Saturday job that many school leavers have of retail. Invigorating this appetite is an education piece that will require an investment of both time and resource.

Last month we saw the major food retailers pledge to create 12,000 training places for unemployed youths. This is a positive step that will help address such issues. Apprenticeships can take this to the next level, offering candidates not only valuable experience, but also insight into the mechanics and prospects a career in retail can offer.

Indeed, taking on an apprentice can be a good way to boost productivity and offer an opportunity to take a fresh look at how things are done and why. Long gone are the days when a work experience candidate or apprentice would expect to spend their weeks photocopying and making tea before they could get involved in the day job – many are now expected and expect to contribute from day one.

Apprenticeship schemes can also provide retailers with an opportunity to think about future vacancies in the business and how candidates could work towards such permanent roles. It’s important to remember that apprenticeships can be offered across the breadth of a business though, not just on the shop floor, but in support roles such finance, IT, design and marketing, to transport and distribution. All would offer great opportunities for a young person to learn a trade.

There is a clear focus on investing in the next generation, and there is help to do this, from financial to more direct support in helping businesses find, employ and train apprentices, such as through Barclays’ LifeSkills: Bridges into Work initiative.

Retail can offer lifelong, fulfilling careers. Having an intrinsic understanding of how and why an organisation operates in the way it does, alongside the hands-on experience that is only gained by working through the echelons of an organisation, will do much to support retail’s next generation of talent.

As huge numbers of our youths face a challenging employment climate, there is a chance for retailers to lead the way in supporting them, and the industry’s future leaders.

Richard Lowe is head of retail and wholesale at Barclays