Retail Apprenticeships

Some of the UK’s biggest retail employers including Tesco, B&Q, Ryman, Sainsbury’s and Morrisons recognise that Apprenticeships are vital to the retail sector; and across the UK thousands of learners are undertaking an Apprenticeship. Indeed, the Government has also shown its support for the programme by announcing substantial extra investments in Apprenticeships over the next 12 months.

Investing in training through Apprenticeships can enable companies to offer young people and adults an opportunity to develop their skills and as a result contribute more to their bottom line.

How will your business benefit from this?

Apprenticeships offer retail employers of all sizes the opportunity to develop the knowledge and skills of their team. Research tells us that Apprenticeships are “good for business” and help to:

• Recruit the right people
  83% of employers who employ apprentices rely on their Apprenticeships programme to address short-term recruitment problems and also secure the skills and workforce of the future.
• Improve staff retention
  Labour turnover for apprentices can be significantly lower, saving on recruitment costs.
• Increase productivity
  80% of employers who employ apprentices agree they make their workplace more productive. The flexible and varied nature of the programme can ensure apprentices develop the knowledge, skills and confidence to help achieve the business objectives.
• Enhance competitiveness
  Apprenticeships can help retailers recruit the right people, be recognised as an employer of choice and contribute to the success of their business. 81% of consumers favour using a company which takes on apprentices. Training a new generation of retail professionals will also help a business stay competitive.

“The benefits are clear; it provides us with a team that is motivated, focused and trained to work hard to deliver what our customers want. The Apprenticeship programme is good for individuals, it is good for business.”   Sir Terry Leahy, Ex-Chief Executive, Tesco

How do Apprenticeships work?

Designed by retailers for retailers, Retail Apprenticeships ensure a retailer’s workforce has the practical skills and qualifications needed now and in the future. The retail qualifications in the Apprenticeship programme equip the apprentice with the skills, knowledge and understanding required for their role in retail. These qualifications offer the flexibility of optional units and pathways tailored to retail sub-sectors; job roles covered by a retail Apprenticeship range from bakery assistant to beauty consultant. The programme also includes literacy and numeracy skills.

Apprentices benefit from on-the-job training leading to nationally recognised qualifications guided by trainers and assessors who provide one-to-one support and advice throughout the programme.

How long does it take?

Retail Apprenticeships are available in two different qualification levels: Level 2 Apprenticeships in Retail (equivalent to GCSEs) and Level 3 (equivalent to A Levels). Level 2 takes about a year to complete and Level 3 takes about two years. This only a rough guide though, as there is no fixed time and it will very much depend on the learner.

How much will it cost?

The employer pays the wage of the apprentice, with additional funding coming from the Government for the cost of training apprentices. There are national guidelines in place as to how much is available to support adults and young people.
Apprenticeships are available in over 200 job roles, some of which may suit other areas of a business, such as accountancy, payroll or IT.

For futher information

More information about Retail Apprenticeships can also be found on the following websites:
www.nsaforretail.com
www.skillsmartretail.com
www.apprenticeships.org.uk (England only)