An innovative employer led Foundation Degree will encourage up-skilling in the retail sector, it was claimed.
Dr Stephen Farry, Minister for Employment and Learning, acknowledged the new qualification at a recent event in Junction One’s Omniplex cinema complex in Antrim.
Addressing the retailing employers attending the event, Minister Farry said: “One of the ways in which my Department is supporting the up-skilling of the workforce to this level is through our commitment to expand the provision of part-time Foundation Degrees such as the innovative employer-led Foundation Degree in Retailing programme.
“The work-focused nature of Foundation Degrees means that they offer employers the opportunity to recruit new staff, or up-skill existing staff, with the higher technician and professional skills they require. Foundation Degrees can not only raise the skills levels of your workforce, but also by strengthening our indigenous skills base, support the Northern Ireland economy as a whole.”
Lead partner Northern Regional College hosted the showcase event to give HR, store and training managers from retail organisations throughout Northern Ireland, an insight into the initiative which is soon to celebrate its first cohort of graduates.
The unique two year practical and e-learning programme was created in response to employers’ and employees’ needs in the highly competitive retail sector.
The aim is to enhance leadership and management skills and provide the opportunity for retailers to study around their working lives. A new intake of retail students will embark on the 2012 degree course in January 2012.
The e learning course, which is completed part-time over a two year period, also features 12 master classes when successful retailers share their experiences and strategies with students.
For details on the 2012 Foundation Degree in Retailing contact Anne Birt-Macartney at Northern Regional College Tel 028 9085 5000 or email anne.birt-macartney@nrc.ac.uk.
Head of Faculty, Business and Management at NRC, Sam Bell, said: “The University of Ulster validated qualification is an exceptional example of co-operation and collaboration amongst the six regional colleges in partnership with industry.”