Careers News: Retail
The retail industry has been in a tremendous state of flux over the last few years as it battles to contend with impact of the financial crisis. This section chronicles the developments within the retail industry affecting the careers of its multitide of hard-working professionals - good news and bad, new ventures to store closures, new training initiatives to old-fashioned customer service.
Latest articles
Holland and Barrett launches new Natural Health Academy
Holland and Barrett's new training scheme launches tomorrow, where staff at the UK's biggest health food retailer can gain a qualification equivalent to A-level standard as they work on the high street. Holland and Barrett has invested £13 million in a vocational training programme across its 700 UK stores over the last five years. The company's training will be officially recognised by government-backed EDI (Education Development International) which will see more than 3,200 retail staff awarded qualifications for the 6, 18 and 36 week training programmes they have completed. The top tier qualification, entitled a 'Level 3 Qualification Credit Framework (QCF) Award', is equivalent to an A-level. The qualification forms part of the new Holland and Barrett Natural Health Academy and is the first recognised training scheme to cover health on the high street. The Company predicts that a further 3,000 employees will pass though the Academy in the next five years learning to advise on conditions including migraines, joint pain, cholesterol and circulation.
19 April 2012Tesco to pay for work experience
Tesco has announced that from now on any young person accepted for work experience with Tesco will be paid for the four-week placement, with a guaranteed permanent job at the end of it, provided they complete the placement satisfactorily.
29 February 2012Select promises 500 new jobs
Young value fashion retailer Select has said that it will be creating 500 new jobs as it embarks on its most "ambitious annual store portfolio expansion to date," with 30 new location openings planned for 2012, including Westfield Stratford City in February. The company said reported "impressive" sales growth for 2011 with annual like-for-like retail sales increasing 18% in its last financial year and seeing a "strong festive performance".
01 February 2012Holland and Barrett launches new Natural Health Academy
Holland and Barrett's new training scheme launches tomorrow, where staff at the UK's biggest health food retailer can gain a qualification equivalent to A-level standard as they work on the high street. Holland and Barrett has invested £13 million in a vocational training programme across its 700 UK stores over the last five years. The company's training will be officially recognised by government-backed EDI (Education Development International) which will see more than 3,200 retail staff awarded qualifications for the 6, 18 and 36 week training programmes they have completed. The top tier qualification, entitled a 'Level 3 Qualification Credit Framework (QCF) Award', is equivalent to an A-level. The qualification forms part of the new Holland and Barrett Natural Health Academy and is the first recognised training scheme to cover health on the high street. The Company predicts that a further 3,000 employees will pass though the Academy in the next five years learning to advise on conditions including migraines, joint pain, cholesterol and circulation.
19 April 2012Tesco to pay for work experience
Tesco has announced that from now on any young person accepted for work experience with Tesco will be paid for the four-week placement, with a guaranteed permanent job at the end of it, provided they complete the placement satisfactorily.
29 February 2012Select promises 500 new jobs
Young value fashion retailer Select has said that it will be creating 500 new jobs as it embarks on its most "ambitious annual store portfolio expansion to date," with 30 new location openings planned for 2012, including Westfield Stratford City in February. The company said reported "impressive" sales growth for 2011 with annual like-for-like retail sales increasing 18% in its last financial year and seeing a "strong festive performance".
01 February 2012Asda to create 5,000 jobs
Asda has unveiled plans to create some 5,000 jobs this year in a £500 million expansion drive. In plans welcomed by Prime Minister David Cameron, the supermarket said that it will open 25 stores, refurbish 43 existing outlets and invest in three new depots in 2012.
01 February 2012Jobs saved as JD Sports buys Blacks out of administration
Sportswear firm JD Sports Fashion has bought Blacks Leisure out of administration for £20 million.
16 January 2012Tesco: who do you think they are?
As the largest retailer in the UK Tesco may be one of the most familiar brands there is, but that familiarity is based almost solely on what they do rather than who they are or what they're like. In fact it is a business that has been relatively reticent to talk about itself in such terms. To lift the lid on its inner workings, values and culture, Calum MacLeod talked to 14-year Tesco veteran Jane Storm, its HR director for commercial and marketing.
13 January 2012Harrods and BFC announce graduate competition winners
Harrods and the British Fashion Council have announced Kate Wallis of the University of Westminster as the winner of the Harrods 2012 Graduate Competition.
02 November 2011Tesco expands Apprenticeship programme
Tesco has underlined its commitment to improving the training and development of its workforce with the announcement that it has grown its Apprenticeship programme by over 30% with 3,000 existing staff joining its 2011/12 scheme. At the same time, Tesco has also reported that it is receiving around 500 applications a week for its UK graduate schemes for 2012/13 - double the rate of applications as compared to last year.
02 November 2011Sainsbury’s launches growth plan
Supermarket giant Sainsbury's is aiming to create 50,000 jobs by 2020, double the amount of British food it sells and massively increase fairly traded products under a £1 billion sustainability plan. The firm, which has 21 million customers and almost 1,000 stores, said it was the most ambitious and far-reaching programme ever announced in the industry, setting out 20 targets covering its products, community work and employees.
02 November 2011Debenhams to recruit for 6,500 festive jobs
Debenhams has announced that it is on the look out for 6,500 seasonal temps to cope with its busiest time of year. Successful candidates will work with the department store from mid-November until the beginning of January, to cover the pre-Christmas spectacular through to the beginning of the January sale. The jobs will be split across Debenhams' 163 stores and average out at 40 per store, and are based in the menswear, womenswear, accessories, childrenswear, home, gifts or cosmetics departments.
02 November 2011
