SBT2269 Careermag for Parents Issue 5 v2 FINAL | Page 41

SECTOR SPOTLIGHT - RETAIL INDUSTRY
Occupation
2020 Jobs
2027 Jobs
2020 - 2027
Change
2020 - 2027
% Change
2020 - 2027
Openings
Annual
Openings
Median
Wages
Education
Level
Sales
and retail
assistants
1,291,365 1,299,914 8549 0.7% 356,299 50,900 £18,275.34
Level 2
NVQ; GCSE
at grades
A*-C
Source:
the same way as working on a
construction site, a retail job can
involve moving stock and being on
their feet for hours at a time, so it
does help if they’re fit and healthy.
They’ll need to be cool under
pressure and flexible too, which will
allow them to comfortably handle
any rushes of customers and deal
with the sometimes long and
unsociable hours – weekends and
holidays are usually the busiest if
they work in-store.
Solid maths skills are also required
as they can be working with stock
levels and handling monetary
transactions, while an eye for detail is
a great bonus if they’re considering a
role as a buyer or window dresser.
In return, they’ll be able to top up
their skillset, with much of what
they learn transferable across a
variety of roles in the sector and
even to other industries.
Retail and COVID-19
In a customer facing
role, it’s essential to
be a ‘people person’
who is happy talking
to anyone & everyone
The current pandemic has focused everyone’s minds on the health and
safety of workers on the front line in retail. You can see the Government’s
current guidelines about working safely in shops and stores here.
www.careermap.co.uk Issue 5 | 41