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Quick links: Programs and Services | Current Locations | Success Stories
Retail Skills Centers (RSCs) are one-stop industry career centers that provide employers in the retail and other service industries; and new and current employees, a dedicated resource for meeting their workforce needs. Skill Centers recruit, train, and place individuals in flexible job opportunities and long-term retail careers. They provide industry driven core customer service and sales skills to prepare new, job ready workers; as well as advanced training for employers, and workers seeking higher skills, challenges, and credentials from the industry. Skill Centers are organized and supported by partnerships including the NRF Foundation, shopping center developers, employers, local, state and federal workforce agencies, schools and colleges, and community-based organizations. These partners bring their expertise and resources to address the opportunities and challenges of the ever growing retail and service segments of the economy.
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Retail Skills Centers Provide:
- Workers with employability, communication, interpersonal, problem solving, and other customer service and sales skills and knowledge needed to be successful in retail and service sector careers.
- Students with essential work readiness skills for initial work experiences, as well as the value of customer service skills to align professional and academic goals and earn valuable industry credentials.
- Educators with opportunities to team with industry and align technical education and job readiness programs with industry expectations and credentials
- Employers with a dedicated avenue to recruit, prepare and advance the worker’s skills, thereby reducing hiring and turnover costs, and advancing career opportunities in retail and other service industries.
- Workforce and Government leaders with a proven strategy to address the growing employment needs of the service industry at all levels, while recognizing and promoting industry certifications that lead to high wage job opportunities.
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The skills program helped tremendously. Other places where we recruit do not have programs like this. Other areas need this--Retail Skills Centers should be everywhere.
-Recruiter, National Specialty Store (sporting goods) | |
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Programs and Services
Training at Retail Skills Centers is based on industry standards, and competencies that identify the skills, knowledge, and abilities of professional retail and service employees. Centers also provide access to curricula and training developed with support from the U.S. Department of Labor in partnership with the NRF Foundation, Toys "R" Us, Saks, Inc., The Home Depot, and CVS/pharmacy. These curricula provide blended learning (e-learning and classroom facilitation) in entry-level sales and service through retail management training for use by workforce investment system, community colleges, employers and others.
Retail Skills Centers offer a diverse range of programs and services to the distinct populations served. Typical programs and services include:
- Retail Readiness and Academic Assessments
- Assessments for National Professional Certification in Customer Service, Sales and Retail Management
- Literacy-based customer service training
- Computer-based Industry e-learning programs
- Links to post secondary education training and credentials
- Career counseling
- ESL training ESL training Moderate to intensive classroom and computer based blended training learning (one day to six weeks)
- Job placement assistance
- Retention and follow-up programs
- Job fairs and Targeted company recruitment
- Internships
- Customized job training and advanced training workshops
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I got the training I needed to excel in the retail field, made new friends, and received job placement assistance. The staff were great mentors to me.
-Mike, Skills Center training participant | |
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Retail Skills Centers use curriculum and training based on National Customer Service & Sales and Pilot Retail Skill Standards. Skill standards are tools that outline the skills, knowledge, and abilities needed by professional retail and service employees to perform their work successfully. Standards provide the framework for training program curriculum that addresses the key elements of retailing, and other sales and service related industries. The Skill Standards address both the work itself (work-oriented components), as well as the knowledge, skills and abilities needed to perform the work (worker-oriented components). More info on the Skill Standards and National Professional Certification in Customer Service. |
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You can tell when you sit down and talk with an applicant who has been through Skills Center training. There were some good people who wanted the job. Some had worked retail before and were looking to get into management.
-Hiring Specialist, National Specialty Store (clothing) | |
Current Retail Skills Center and Related Program Locations
- CA Bay Area Customer Service Skills Center
- CA Institute for Sales and Service Excellence at Westfield Palm Desert
- CA Customer Service Learning Center at Westfield Fox Hills
- CT Sales & Service Learning Center at Westfield CT Post
- IL Center for Professional Development at Westfield Old Orchard
- IL Chicago ServiceWorks
- MD Anne Arundel Sales and Service Training, Hanover
- MD MontgomeryWorks Sales & Service Learning Center, Wheaton
- NJ Customer Service Skills Center, Jersey City
- NJ Institute for Service Excellence, Atlantic City
- NJ Retail Skills Center, Elizabeth
- NC Sales & Service Training Center at Northgate, Durham
- NY City Sales and Service Training Partnership
- NY Community Learning Center at Greece Ridge, Rochester
- NY Sales & Service Institute at Tomorrow's Workplace, Spring Valley
- NY Tompkins Workforce New York, Ithaca
- PA Customer Service Training Collaborative, Philadelphia
- PA Retail Skills Center at King of Prussia
- RI Providence Skills Center, Inc
- TX Texas Institute for Customer Service Excellence - SW Region
- WA Washington Institute for Service Excellence, Tacoma
The NRF Foundation’s quality development and oversight of Centers is based on integration of standards-based assessments, industry driven curriculum and training tools, and national certification assessment programs.
Link to our August 14th Webinar:
streaming video
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Retail Skills Centers Contact: Debra Fieldhouse fieldhoused@nrf.com
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