Why was the Retail as a Career Initiative started?

Following a CEO Summit of leading retailers the decision was made to launch the Retail as a Career initiative. The general consensus was that the industry, despite all its positives, was acquiring a bad reputation, particularly for its long-term employment opportunities. The public needed to know that retail is not only a great industry to work in, but it's a great career choice. As a result, Retail Council of Canada has developed initiatives to help build awareness around the benefits of a career in retail.

What are we doing?

Retail Council of Canada created its education arm, Canadian Retail Institute (CRI), to support retail as a career. It has developed two National Certification and Training Programs - Retail Sales Associate and First Level Manager - to help provide retailers with cost-effective, valuable training programs. CRI has now started to spread the word about retail as a career by attending career fairs and schools, and delivering retail presentations. We are also developing an e-newsletter, and have created this Web site full of important information for anyone interested in a retail career. Check out our Training Needs Assessment which highlights some of the gaps in front line retail training and what needs to be done to bridge these. 

• Retail Careers
• Retail Facts
• Retail-Related Links
• Retail as a Career Tools