Service Skills calls for action

 

hand, businessThe new Service Skills Australia CEO, Yasmin King, is addressing the industry identified need to expand the merchandising skills of the country’s retail workforce, by making the Merchandise Buying and Planning project a priority.

“As the Industry Skills Council representing retail it is vital that we work directly with industry and respond proactively to their skills development needs,” King said.

The project was set up by Service Skills Australia, with the support of the Australian Retailers Association (ARA), to come up with strategies to deal with the shortage of skilled merchandisers in the Australian retail industry.

It is widely recognised that the Australian talent pool for merchandise buyers and planners is limited with many retailers recruiting from skilled staff from overseas, especially from the UK, which is a costly exercise

A Specialist Reference Group (SRG) made up of industry specialists from a range of sectors is overseeing the Merchandise Buying and Planning project.

The SRG’s objectives include looking at issues impacting on retailers when recruiting talented merchandisers and defining best practice in skills development. This will be included in the revised retail training package.

The SRG has representatives of a range of industry sectors to ensure a wide range of views are taken on board. Members include Myer, Sussan Group, Just Group, Breakaway Apparel, Harris Farm Markets, Woolworths, as well as the National Retail Association and the ARA.

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