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Pre-employment Retail Skills Standard Retail Works. Introduction to the Retail Sector Skills Council’s Sector Routeway Programme. In response to sector recruitment and labour market needs Skills development to secure entry level jobs in retail sector
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Introduction to the Retail Sector Skills Council’s Sector Routeway Programme • In response to sector recruitment and labour market needs • Skills development to secure entry level jobs in retail sector • Developed in association with Jobcentre Plus and the National Employer Service of the Learning and Skills Council • Written with 2 Retail CoVEs and 4 national retailers • National consistent quality approach to pre-employment training • Encourages progression for further training and qualification attainment
Positioning of Retail Works The purpose of Retail Works is to give work ready learners the specific knowledge and understanding they need for gaining interviews and employment in the retail sector • Numeracy and literacy needs addressed • Generic employability standard met • Retail Works delivered to work ready learners, preferably using the employability toolkit • Intensive job search for learners who have met the retail skills standard through Retail Works • Progression to further learning
Retail Sector Employability Toolkit and RetailPassport • Selection event • Recruitment checklist • Three week optional work placement model • 1 Year Retail Passport http://www.skillsmartretail.com/categories.php?pages_id=74 www.retailpassport.co.uk
The training programme • Based on Jobcentre Plus benefit criteria i.e. 30 hour training programme/ 2 weeks – can be incorporated into longer term pre-employment programmes • Flexible modular content which can be delivered to meet the learning needs of the candidates • What is Retail? • First impressions last • Personal effectiveness and teamwork • Effective customer service • How are you communicating? • Product knowledge • Effective selling skills • Health and safety • Security • Job search, assessment centres, on-line recruitment and interview techniques
Learners engaged in the programme • Hard to reach and economically inactive • Long term unemployed • Returners to the labour market • Lone parents • Career changers • Benefit claimants • Young people not in education, employment or training • Delivered by experienced pre-employment training providers ideally with retail specialism
Learner benefits • Increased motivation and confidence • Better informed for interviews, assessment centres and online assessments • Able to tailor their CVs specifically for the retail sector • Are job ready and have a grounded knowledge of store operations • Aware of the career and progression routes available within the retail sector • Encourages improved retention • Progression to level two qualification • RetailPassport and certificate of completion
Training provider benefits • Training programme designed with the retail sector to address their recruitment needs • Programme specifically designed and proven to assist those with no experience of retail into sustainable employment within the sector • A training programme recognised by the retailers as a quality standard for potential interviewees • A tutor guide to support the delivery of the Retail Works candidate workbooks • Opportunities to progress learners to a level 2 qualification • Tracking opportunities available through RetailPassport
Employer benefits • Effective recruitment method that improves retention and reduces recruitment costs • Reduces time in sourcing and interviewing potential employees • Training programme designed specifically to meet their needs • Access to work ready learners Retailers employing Retail Works candidates include: Next, New Look, Lacoste, Monsoon, Cinema de Lux, River Island, John Lewis, Waitrose, Asda, Primark, Morleys, Tesco, WH Smith
Retail Works – progress to date • Retail Works is being delivered across the 4 nations • Retail Works is being used as the retail specific pre-employment training programme for retailers and regeneration developments e.g. Cardiff, Leicester, Bristol, White City, Manchester, Leeds, Sheffield etc. • Over 60% of Retail Works learners gaining employment in the sector following completion of the programme • The LSC and JCP are promoting Retail Works as their sector routeway programme for retail through their training providers through Skills for Jobs funding and LEP agreements
Retail Works Costs Candidate Workbook £15 each + VAT • RetailPassport valid for 1 year • Certificate of Completion Tutor Guide £40 + VAT • CD-ROM • Lesson Plans for each module • Task related resources to support the delivery of the candidate workbook
Gemma BehanSector Routeway MangerGemma.Behan@skillsmartretail.com07747 470904