ìRetail is still vibrantî says Skillsmart Retail amid job cut prediction

Skillsmart Retail has called for employers and staff not to write off retail amid suggestions that the number of people working in the sector is set to fall.

Richard Hyman, Managing Director of Verdict Consulting, today predicted that 100,000 jobs will be cut in the retail sector in the next two years.

But Skillsmart Retail, the Government-sponsored Sector Skills Council for retail, insisted that it is still the biggest private sector employer in the UK boasting a vibrant workforce with increasingly diverse opportunities.

Karen Charlesworth, Head of Research at Skillsmart Retail, said: ìOur own research shows us that retail jobs may well fall in the coming months, but we do not see the future as doom and gloom for those working, or looking to work in the sector. Retail is still the biggest private employer in the UK with three million jobs and it still provides a wealth of opportunities for people of all backgrounds.

ìThe retail industry continues to boom in a number of areas with huge new developments around the country. It is the fast growing employer in Northern Ireland, and there are a number of large new retail developments planned in both Scotland and England.î

She added that some of the reductions in staffing levels may be down to general changes in the shape of the industry such as online trading rather than simply a downturn in business.

She said: ìOur study into online retail will be published in March and may well show a huge shift in the way the industry works. Although the total number of people in the sector may fall, we can still see a buoyant industry which is rapidly diversifying into areas such as IT and is also outsourcing parts of its work to different industries such as distribution.î

Skillsmart Retail also called on employers not to cut back on looking for skilled new employees, something which it sees as important to help the industry improve its performance.

Karen Charlesworth added: ìOur Sector Skills Agreement which was published last year showed that the sector needs a new injection of skilled managers if it is to remain competitive and avoid a skills shortfall.

îThough the sector may be going through a tough time at present, it is vital that retailers continue to invest in training their managers in order to ensure that they remain competitive in years to come.î

More information on the work that Skillsmart Retail carries out can be found at www.skillsmartretail.com. Its work into the future of the industry in light of online trading will be published in March.