Making training as simple as ABC

Retailers’ bugbear has long been that the industry isn’t taken seriously by prospective employees.

A Skillsmart survey has shown that about a third of retailers believe young people lack the skills they need in the retail world. But the complications of the vocational qualifications system has meant retailers have struggled to provide a structured framework for training.

However, such qualifications have now been made simpler for both retailers and employees to understand and access, thanks to changes by the Government’s Department for Business, Innovation and Skills.

An overhaul of the qualifications system has slashed study options from 150 to 10, with retail qualifications now ranked in three categories. These include: job-related qualifications for anyone already working in retail, which comprise Awards, Certificates and Diplomas in retail skills and retail knowledge; retail apprenticeships and foundation degrees; and ‘licence to practise’ qualifications - such as awards in food safety and alcohol licensing qualifications.

For anyone at college, school or university wanting to work in retail there are the forthcoming Diploma in Retail Business (in England), Diploma in Fashion Retailing and Diploma in Buying and Merchandising.

“In the past it was almost an alphabet soup of qualifications but now there is a simple structure and all qualifications are given a prefix - such as Award, Certificate or Diploma - that indicates the amount of time spent on the course,” says Beverley Paddey, head of standards and qualifications at Skillsmart.

“We have gone for a system where qualifications are built up in bite-sized learning pieces so you achieve the qualifications based on the number of credits you have and can build it up over time. Now there is much more clarity within the system and less overlap,” she says.

And according to Paddey, retailers have reacted positively as the changes have been made with the aid of retailers such as House of Fraser, Tesco and Sainsbury’s who have worked with Skillsmart. “Reaction from retailers has been that it’s exactly what they wanted because they couldn’t cope with how it worked in the past,” she explains.

Superdrug has been part of the Employer Advisory Group, meeting with Skillsmart Retail and other retail employers on a regular basis, and Superdrug apprenticeship programme manager Gail Gittins says the changes are important.

“The overhaul will allow more people to become more productive through enhanced skills developed throughout their qualifications. With better qualified individuals across retail, the sector will benefit as a whole, making retail a career choice for many more school leavers,” she says.