TAFE NSW joins forces with Mirvac to deliver first time bespoke training

Image: Amra and Michael - retail students from Rhodes Waterside.

Retail trade is the second largest employing industry in Australia, employing one million people.

However, many retail workers are lacking the training they need to drive business sales, with data showing that only one in three workers holds a post-school qualification.

To upskill retail workers and create career development pathways, TAFE NSW has delivered a tailored Certificate III in Retail to Mirvac’s retailer partners across their nine Sydney shopping centres.

The course was designed in collaboration with Mirvac, specifically identifying areas of need for their retailers and co-designing a course that would plug skills and knowledge gaps across their centres. Retailers were upskilled in various areas of the retail process, including customer relations, workplace health and safety and conflict resolution.

Alison Flemming, General Manager Portfolio Management, Mirvac Retail, said the idea was born out of understanding the challenges retailers face in attracting and retaining retail passionate team members.

“We approached TAFE NSW after first-hand experience with their courses via one of our own team members – the idea came to us that we could create something bespoke to help our retailers upskill their staff.

“TAFE NSW provided a bespoke course designed to suit our retailers, ensuring training didn’t interfere with busy periods and was aligned to the core skills required. We’re really pleased to have been part of delivering this program to our retail partners team members,” said Ms Flemming.

The course demonstrates how, in working closely with industry leaders like Mirvac, TAFE NSW supports industry by providing the necessary training to meet skills needs and demand.

“TAFE NSW prioritises working closely with industry to ensure that our training meets skills needs. We focus on providing education that is designed with industry input, to ensure we are providing high quality, relevant training,” said TAFE NSW Retail Head Teacher Kerry Little.

“This is a future focused qualification that invests in retail workers across Mirvac centres, helping to further their career development opportunities.”

Thirteen students across Mirvac’s nine Sydney centres completed the course last week, including both local retailers and national chains, such as Sunglass Hut and IKEA. Amra Hrnjadovic, Product Recovery and Quality Manager at IKEA in Rhodes Waterside has felt her confidence and expertise increase because of the training.

“I always wanted to do further study but never had the opportunity while working full time. This course with TAFE NSW was the perfect chance to upskill, and I have already felt my confidence and knowledge grow with my qualification. “It also developed a great sense of community across our centre, as we were able to workshop and learn with other retailers who were also completing the training.”