Retail Apprenticeships: What you need to know

A hero image for the blog title 'Careers in Retail' on a plain background containing the urfuture logo.
Written by
Ellie Carter
Published on
October 31, 2024

In a Retail apprenticeship, you can engage with customers, work in a team and work in a fast-paced environment. This industry is great for those wanting to develop their skills and be social. Take our Career Match and see if ur a good match to Retail.

An intro to Retail apprenticeships.

If you want a role with lots of interaction and communicating with all kinds of people, an apprenticeship in Retail may be for you. You will be meeting all kinds of customers and helping them with any needs they have, so it’s also important to be friendly. This sector offers a wide range of careers such as Store Managers, Visual Merchandisers and Retail Supervisors. You need to be able to work in a team as you will need to work together to make sure customers get a great experience. The Retail sector is fast paced and comes with lots of challenges and stressful situations. You need to be adaptable and able to keep calm in stressful situations.

By taking urfuture’s Career Match, you can see if you would be a match to this sector and find an apprenticeship that best suits you. View all our live Retail roles here.

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What is an apprenticeship in Retail like?

Retail apprenticeships offer work experience and academic learning in a classroom setting, working towards ur certification. This will provide you with the theoretical knowledge you need to do well. In an apprenticeship, you will receive lots of guidance & support from ur team and mentors, who will give you advice to help you constantly improve within the apprenticeship. These roles allow you to have lots of social interaction and work on ur communication skills as they’re customer focused.

As a part of ur apprenticeship, you could be based in stores and be able to work with a variety of different people. You’ll also be in a classroom for ur 20% off the job training.

If you want any more information on apprenticeships, we can give you a full breakdown on them!

Key working traits for this sector:

• Communication Skills

• Customer- Focused

• Patience

• Teamwork

• Adaptability

If you think you have any of these traits take our Career Match and see if ur a good match to Retail.

If you’re not sure if this is right for you, check out the other apprenticeships we have available and if you think you’d be better suited to an entry level job, you can learn all about them.

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Future career opportunities after an apprenticeship in Retail:

• Store Manger

• Retail Supervisor

• Buyer

• Visual Merchandiser

• Customer Service Manager

• Store Designer

• Retail Assistant

• Inventory Manager

How can urfuture help you get an apprenticeship in Retail?

urfuture make finding an apprenticeship a seamless process that’s tailored specifically to you. You can start by taking our Career Match, where we’ll predict the top 5 best career categories for you.

We’ll highlight the elements you may enjoy or avoid in a career, helping you to better understand yourself and what to aim for in ur professional journey. This will lead you to a career that aligns with ur goals and needs.

Backed by data and science, our approach works similarly to TikTok’s ‘For You’ page. TikTok examines the videos you’ve interacted with to suggest more you’ll like. In the same way, our Career Match predicts the best career fit for you. If you want to learn more about this, you can read all about how it works.

Once the Career Match is complete, we will recommend you specific jobs based on ur results and the needs of each employer, using the same algorithm. This allows you to get a score out of 10 to every job on the app.

Next, you can learn about every career category on Careerflix. Here you can find hundreds of engaging, short videos that tell you all about the sector. If you have any other questions, our CareerAi will answer them immediately.

You can also learn all about the entry level jobs available in Retail.

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Frequently asked questions - Finding an Apprenticeship in Retail

Will I get paid during my Retail Apprenticeship?

Yes, when doing an apprenticeship, you will earn a wage whilst learning but salaries often vary depending on the employer, location and level of apprenticeship ur doing.

What qualifications do I need to apply for an apprenticeship in Retail?

Every apprenticeship is different when it comes to entry requirements, and it also depends on the level. Level 2 apprenticeships require no previous qualifications, but other levels will usually require Grade 9-4/AC in Maths and English GCSE or Level 2 Functional Skills.

What happens after my Retail apprenticeship?

When you’ve finished ur apprenticeship you may be offered a full-time role with ur current employer, but if not, you will have gained lots of transferable skills during ur apprenticeship that will make you desirable to employers.

What types of roles can you do in a Retail apprenticeship?

There are a variety of roles within retail, for example, customer services, sales assistant, stockroom assistant and visual merchandising.