Retail Education: Training Employees For Greater Success, Productivity

In Indias robust retail sector, the demand for skilled retail associates is never ending. There is mostly always a shortage of trained, informed staff and it has been estimated that India will require around 15 million educated retail staffers by the year 2020

- Sandeep Kumar

The Indian Retail Industry is very vast and is considered to be a platform which has employment for all. Be it the educated, barely educated or the uneducated, the skilled or the unskilled, labours or managers, everyone can find some kind of employment in this industry. The reason for this endless employment opportunity is simple – the Indian Retail Industry has been on a continuous growth spree since its inception. With each passing day, plenty of retail space is being created, and along with this come employment opportunities.

There was a time, when making a career in the retail industry was considered an easy thing. Ideally, departmental stores, kiranas, local shops, factory outlets, warehouses, retail outlets etc. were the commonest areas of interest for an average individual seeking a job in retail. Store owners met and hired dozens of applicants seeking jobs, every single day.

India has the highest density of retail outlets in the world – for every 1,000 persons there are 15 retail outlets in the country. The overall size of the retail market here is estimated at 15 lakh crore at present. Out of this, 4 percent of retail trade is conducted in the organised sector, while the remaining 96 percent is in the unorganised sector. Globalisation and economic liberalisation have opened new doors, pulling in retailers, brands and trends to the country.

In this robust sector, the demand for skilled retail associates is never-ending. There is mostly always a shortage of trained, informed staff. It has been estimated that India will require around 15 million trained retail staffers by the year 2020 according to Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT).