International Keynote Speaker on Leadership - Jason Durham to introduce The Retail Academy

"I consider it an honor to be invited to the launch of The Retail Academy", Mr. Durham stated. He believes that: "Businesses don't make decisions, people do... That's why it is imperative that we introduce a change management culture that is continuously moving in the direction of improvement and innovation". He added, "The quality of our communication contributes everything towards how we experience our lives and the results we achieve".

Following an exhaustive market study on the limits of Kuwait's retail industry, it appeared that the common weak point observed is "Customer Service". Today's retail market is cluttered with competitors; old selling strategies such as price, brand or product alone are no longer enough for customers to notice the difference versus comparative choice. New selling trends have emerged such as loyalty programs, influencing emotional shoppers with added value and, most of all, the satisfying shopping experience, which leaves a clear impression on clients. Kuwait is one of many GCC countries to suffer from a non-adequate customer treatment, which originates from several factors such as culture clash (between the buyer and the seller), language barrier, and lack of training; as a result, businesses are affected, hence a reflection on figures.

The retail industry is one of the strongest growth industries, and offers a significant amount of job opportunities that are very attractive in their nature. The Retail Academy aims to highlight that these positions are fast paced, constantly evolving professions with growth, both on a personal and skill level, which counter the stale, desk office experience.

"Retail Academy will be creating a pool of learning and opening the door to wider career opportunities, setting the foundation for a work culture that will change the face of Kuwait's work force. This change will not only impact how the country works, but will affect the entire sales ethos, with there being visible differences in what products are made or selected for sale, the ability to communicate on the same level with customers, and the profitability in having a skilled, committed and engaged workforce", added Mrs. Boardman.

"It is not only about the salesman, or merchandiser, or POS. It is about integrating complete insight into the industry", said Mrs. Al Musallam. "Retail offers a diversity of business sectors, each with their own wide spectrum of opportunities to grow in, such as automotive, fashion, casual dining, and electronics to name a few".

She continued: "In these sectors, there are more people contributing than just what is seen at the point of sale; behind these people in the showroom are many more individuals getting the product from point A to point B, such as Buyers, Merchandisers, Stockers, Security, Loss Prevention, the HR and Finance departments. These positions are vast in Kuwait, and if filled can play a significant part in the country's growth".

Also commenting, Mrs. Yasmeen Al Musallam, GM of HRD International, said: "Today, on the one hand, young Kuwaitis are entering into new experiences regarding their careers. Careers in the retail industry are growing to be more and more attractive to Kuwaitis, while existing education and training programs do not offer any learning opportunities catering to this sector".

"Our Retail Academy is offering career planning for high-school graduates as well as those who left school ealrier. The expanded list of internationally recognized courses and certificates is opening up now that Kuwaitis are being exposed to international standards via travelling and visiting the most luxurious retail stores globally. "

Most importantly, at the core of Retail Academy is a solution to one of Kuwait's most dire problems: Oversaturation of certain private sector industries with local hires.

With the introduction of the government's "Kuwaitization" process - the government mandated percentage of Kuwaiti citizens to be employed in every private sector industry - certain industries have been targeted by the local private sector work force as part of a cultural mindset that believes these are the only industries they may grow in. With the focus being on such industries as telecommunications, finance, and banking, this has created an oversaturation in these industries, leaving little room for growth or employment for the local private sector workforce.

Couple this with the lessening need for employees in the government sector, the rerouting of employees towards the private sector, and the scheduled increases for the percentages attributed to each industry, and the ample ocean of opportunities in the retail industry will beckon.

Retail Academy will meet this challenge by facilitating career planning in joining the retail industry through a program of professional accreditation. This accreditation encompasses all of an employee's surroundings, such as education, culture, market needs and qualifications. Furthermore, this will instill an understanding of the ability to 'move up the ladder' in the industry. Targeting this growing segment of the population will enable Retail Academy to meet the demands of the industry in producing competent, well-qualified professionals without resorting to locating manpower from abroad.

In order to do this, Retail Academy is changing the perception of employment within the industry, emphasizing that there is the ability to be even more engaged in a career and reap the same, if not better, rewards.

The Retail Academy's training will assist Kuwaiti companies in enhancing and empowering their functions. It allows retailers to undertake a complete business review and then implement action plans for employee development and staff training, all via intensive courses and training classes, which will grant employees an opportunity to gain the knowledge and skills required to work effectively in a retail environment.

Retail Academy is a part of Human Resource Development International (HRD International), the leading provider of HR services, management development and business training in Kuwait and the Gulf Region. HRD International is a Joint Venture Company created by the National Real Estate Company in Kuwait and GKN of the United Kingdom.

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About Retail Academy
Retail Academy is the first training centre specifically designed to meet the requirements of retail businesses in Kuwait and the Gulf Region. Retail Academy was founded to assist Kuwaiti companies to keep abreast of the rapidly growing and changing local economy. Broad exposure to international travel has led to high expectations from retail customer service.

Retail Academy aims to be a pioneer in vocational education in the Kuwaiti market. The Academy strives to raise the bar of customer satisfaction by focusing its training programs on a mixture of practice and theory, thereby offering sound, practical knowledge of retail work in real-world environments.

RA Diploma is an internationally recognised qualification which is part of the 'Retail Services Training Package' accredited by the Australian Government, Department of Education, Science and Training.

Retail Academy was established in May 2010, by the mother company Human Resource Development International (HRD International) which is a Joint Venture Company created by the National Real Estate Company in Kuwait and GKN of the United Kingdom.

The business strategy behind the establishment of this retail training institute utilises HRD International's vast experience and expertise in the Human Resource sector.

More information is available on www.retailacademy-kw.com

for more information, please contact:
Retail Academy
Debra Boardman - Operations Manager
Tel: +965 22636596 ext 101 Mob: 97668466 email: d.boardman@nrec.com.kw

BPG Public Relations
Nancy Nusrally - Account Director
Tel: +965 22411676 | Fax: +965 22492644 | email: nancy@batespangulf.com