Mixing it up in the marketplace

Source: Retail Digital

Date :20/06/2007 16:57:27

Anne Seaman introduces the aims of Skillsmart Retail

Run by retailers for retailers, Skillsmart Retail operates under licence to the Department for Education and Skills and is part of the Skills for Business Network: Anne Seaman explains the organisation’s role and objectives.

As many of you are no doubt aware, retail is the largest private sector employer in the UK, employing over three million people and creating more new jobs over the last five years than any other sector. With 64 percent of retailers claiming business is up on this time last year, the continued expansion of the industry and its importance to local and national economies is undeniable and looks set to continue.

Yet, despite this growth, the UK workforce continues to lack the required skills to be fully proficient and suffers with historically low levels of productivity, compared with our neighbours in Europe and the US. With as many as one in nine of us employed in retail, this shortage of skills and low productivity hits our sector hardest. This is where Skillsmart Retail comes in.

As the Sector Skills Council for Retail, we have worked to become the recognised and valued authority for retail skills development and promotion, influencing governments, supporting employers in up-skilling their workforce and promoting retail as a career of choice. Through initiatives like our Induction Workbooks and the highly-successful RetailPassport, Skillsmart Retail has created fit-for-purpose, best-practice products and services that meet the needs of retailers and can be implemented in the workplace. We also provide signposting services to help with the integration of qualifications and training solutions across your business, ranging from Apprenticeships and Foundation Degrees to the accreditation of in-house training programmes.

All retailers need to realise how important skilled employees are to the success of their business and ask themselves whether they truly value their team. We know retailers spend £1.6 billion on training every year but, at all levels, opportunities to achieve and progress in retail can still be limited with many employees denied the chance to fulfil their potential or proceed up the ladder. Skillsmart Retail is committed to ensuring all retail courses and qualifications are employer-led and meet the needs of the industry at every level. We urge you to think of investing in training as more than a short-term solution; it is an investment in your future.

Anne Seaman

Chief Operating Officer

Skillsmart Retail