School Students Learn Retail Skills at Almondvale

Date: 14 Mar 2007

 

Five fifth-year pupils from St Margaret’s Academy are on Work Experience placements in the Almondvale Shopping Centre as part of the Retail Steps qualification.

 

Retail Steps is the first course of its kind in Scotland and has been designed in partnership with Land Securities Group, which is developing The Elements, a £90m extension to Almondvale Shopping Centre, which will bring more than 1,600 FTE jobs to Livingston.

 

The course, recently approved by the Scottish Qualifications Authority, aims to give young people a taste of the skills required for careers in the retail industry, such as cash handling, health & safety, licensing laws and customer service.

 

Land Securities Group has supplied £5,000 funding for computers, printers, digital cameras, materials and an awards ceremony.

 

Pupils in the class have already enjoyed first-hand experience of running their own business by conducting market research, sourcing raw materials, manufacturing products and developing their selling skills by operating a stall within the Almondvale Shopping Centre and also within St Margaret’s Academy.

 

Cath Whitten, a teacher at the school has been developing and delivering the qualification and has been responsible for making the course the success it is.

 

During their placements pupils will learn the importance of time-keeping and developing their interpersonal skills, both vital life-skills required to be successful in any field of employment.

 

Paul Marsh, Almondvale Shopping Centre Manager, Land Securities, said: “Land Securities is delighted to support the Retail Steps course which introduces pupils to the skills required in the retail sector. The retail sector offers a huge range of job opportunities with excellent prospects for career progression.

 

“The Elements will add a further 380,000sq ft of retail space to Livingston Town Centre, attract a range of new retailers, and bring a whole host of new job opportunities which many of the pupils at St Margaret’s Academy could benefit from in years to come.”

 

Councillor John McGinty, a strong supporter of partnership working between local schools and businesses, said: "I believe that our partnerships with local business have been key to making West Lothian one of the leading European authorities in the delivery of Enterprise Education."

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