Recent research carried out in Turkey showed that the retail sector vocational training is limited to an average of 5 hours. On the one hand there are the companies where the staff trainings are exclusively well-done, with multiple sessions and effective methodology; on the other hand most of the companies organize the trainings orientation-like meetings. That creates a low profile for the retail training with 7.5 hour average, which is neither sufficient nor adequate. For the companies those provide adequate fundamental training for their staff devote serious time a resources for the trainings. However, it is common that the trained staff works within the company shorter than the devoted resources for their trainings are recouped; therefore the process repeats itself for the new candidates. Food Retailers Association with Category Retailing Association together began to address this problem about a year ago in the Education/Employment Joint Committee to find solutions and design a path. The regular brainstorming and meetings led both Associations to the conclusions as following: • The Fundamental Retailing Training curriculum needs to be renewed and nation-wide standardized. • Dissemination of the Retailing Training is great importance, both as traditional and distance learning. • This particular Training should be recognized as a requirement for all blue-collars. • Members of both associations, who participated to the ‘Standards of Retail Sector’ workshops organized by Vocational Competence Authority, concluded a consensus on the adoption of vocational training standards and professional qualifications. • Blue-collar (store staff) need to be trained tested and certified within the framework of improved standards. • Exams/tests at the end of the trainings should be designed as accessible and common. • Certificate of Proficiency should be recognized nationally/internationally and ease the employment. Modern food and food / fashion vast majority of employees in non-retail consists of young people and women. Female- male ratio approximates 56% to 45%. 70% of the total employment is covered by the young men and women of the age between 19 – 36 ages. The employment rate remains at 28% for the ages 36 to 45. Enhancing the employability of young men and women in retailing sector as well as support this by setting standards and providing fundamental retail education, additionally to increase the competitiveness, quality, motivation and mobility of employees. In that spectacle, the purposes are as follow; 1. A sustainable, updatable, extendable, configurable Fundamental Retail Training Curriculum to be designed together with the partners from Turkey and Europe; a. To be designed as a basic formation that can be used in various sectors b. As a module to be used as Lifelong Learning opportunity c. to add flexibility to the employment conditions d. to expand the range of employment age in the sector e. to create opportunity in order to increase the preferability as a profession 2. Training Module planned to focus on the subjects: Basic principles of product management, Service area cashiering, Supply -driven product management, Product management analysis, Consulting and sales, Retail marketing with additional chapters on a. Food b. Personal Care c. Household supplies d. Books and Stationary e. Toys and Entertainment f. Consumer Electronics g. Optical h. Furniture and Home Accessories i. Sporting Goods 1. Infrastructure implementation in order to disseminate the education as distance learning, e-learning as well as simulations and via webinars; a. Updating and adapting the European Retail Training Module b. Focusing on the basic vocational education problems encountered in the retailing sector c. Determining higher standards in vocational education in Retail 2. Initiate a structure in order to setup Education, Examination and Certification Centers ; a. Preliminary studies in order to gain institutional accreditation and get the know-how for the process b. Getting international accreditation for these centers c. Studies regarding the partnership with EuCoCo and MYK for the international certification center d. Efforts concerning Test Center’s international certification e. Preparations for set of questionnaire and qualification tests 3. Raising the hours of education 4. Increasing the ratio of women and youth in the employment 5. Decreasing the costs of vocational education 6. Increasing the standard quality of services 7. Organizing the Retail Conference Europe-wide retail sector operates in quite similar applications. Beside the applications, due to technological and economic developments, employees also have similar characteristics, education and profile. Even though there are distinctions subsector-wise and location-wise between the workforces, the fundamental vocational education on retail appears to be in need of standardization. The differences in educational m
The Food Retailers Association (GDP) with Category Retailing Association (KMD) and the project partners designed “Enhancement of Skills in Retail” Project in order to create standardized online vocational education and publicity for the industry as a way to raise awareness for the employment opportunities. The project web site http://www.e-learnretail.org and the European Union Moodle training platform as a web site http://pergel.boun.edu.tr/ were adopted for Retail Vocational Training. The initial cooperative communications have been made through several channels depending on the location of the partners. Meetings were held and correspondences have been carried out with the partners in principle agreed on. All partners have wide audiences, networks and communicative skills and means to disseminate the project results. The workshops and meetings were held where brainstorming and planning was done by vocational education and human resources professionals of leading sector companies where the following conclusions were assessed; *Fundamental Retail Training curriculum needs to be renewed and standardized nation-wide *A Fundamental Retail Training content should be developed, that has to be compatible with distance learning *The Fundamental Retail Training should be sustainable, updatable, extendable, configurable when needed, where needed *Dissemination of the Retailing Training is great importance, both as traditional and distance learning. *Fundamental Retail Training should be recognized as a requirement for all blue-collars. *Members of both associations, who participated to the ‘Standards of Retail Sector’ workshops organized by Mesleki Yeterlilik Kurumu (Vocational Qualifications Authority), concluded a consensus on the adoption of vocational training standards and professional qualifications. *Blue-collar (store staff) need to be trained tested and certified within the framework of improved standards. *Exams/tests at the end of the trainings should be designed as accessible and common. *Certificate of Proficiency should be recognized nationally/internationally and ease the employment. Implementation of this project is based on the intention of partners to strengthen their cooperation in the framework of the vocational trainings and skill enhancement in retail sector, through addressing the issues and challenges limiting the employability. - Promotion of employment of young and women in the retail sector; - Standardization of Vocational Retail Training - Elimination of financial and time-consuming burden of retraining - Extend the accessibility of the vocational trainings to all - Upgrade vocational training to the European level, therefore support the social and commercial mobility and understanding - Cultural dialog amongst partners and participators - Develop team-work in international level amongst partners and participators - Improved internationalized perspective There are five main outcomes of this project: 1) FORMATION OF THE VOCATIONAL EDUCATION MODULES FOR RETAIL : The education modules formed within the framework of the Project under the following titles: a) Basic Information b) Customer Relations c) Sales d) Cash Procedures e) Supply-Chain f) Regulations g) Self-evaluation Test h) Glossary The sample modules are attached at Appendix to the project report and all of the modules could be seen on the training platform as a web site http://pergel.boun.edu.tr/ 2) SWOT ANALYSIS: In order to ensure the benefit of retail sector employees from a broad participation education platform and to get the highest efficiency from the Project, the strong aspects, weak aspects, possible opportunities and threats of the Project will be analyzed. 3) FORMATION OF THE ONLINE EDUCATION SYSTEM: The online education system was formed within the framework of the Project on the web site http://pergel.boun.edu.tr/ It was structured by Boğaziçi University which was among the Project partners at the same time. The online education system show compliance with both EU and Turkey vocational compliance criteria in addition to being easily accessible. The European Union Moodle training platform as a web site http://pergel.boun.edu.tr/ were adopted for Retail Vocational Training. 4) PREPARATION OF THE QUESTION PACKAGES AND EXAMINATION SYSTEM: At the end of each module, there are quizes regarding the relevant subject with which the students will strengthen what they have learnt. 5) EFFECT ANALYSIS: Effect analysis was made as to assess the development of the retail sector employees and the reflections of this development on the sector as a result of this Project. It was expected that the Project deliverables and reports will enlighten the future studies of project partners.