Preparing for pressure of selling in the market

THE GOOD NEWS from the retailing front is that it remains a buoyant area of employment which constantly demands well-qualified people who can project themselves well.

So says the head of the DIT's school of distribution at Mountjoy Square, Pat O'Neill. Retailing is a pressurised, challenging and people-oriented business, he says, but it can also be exciting and extremely rewarding.

The DIT offers a range of retailing courses at both certificate and diploma levels, a number of which are specialised. "All our programmes are aimed at preparing people for the hard world of business," O'Neill says. Minimum entry requirements for all courses are grade D3 in English or Irish and maths and three other subjects at ordinary level.

There are two-year certificate courses in business studies - management (DT 521), which is designed for people who wish to embark on retail management careers; retail marketing (DT 522), which is aimed at people wishing to pursue marketing careers in companies that service the retail sector; and proprietorship (DT 523), which is geared towards people who intend to work in the family business or start their own retail enterprises. All three programmes include a language - either French or German - which is offered at both beginner and advanced levels. Subjects covered in the first year include marketing theory, the business environment, accounting, quantitative methods and economics, computer studies and visual merchandising. The management and proprietorship courses also include retail management, while retail marketing offers a financial retail management component.

In year two, all students can expect to study marketing and retail design, while management and proprietorship students will also take management, management skills and accounting. Retail enterprise development and management information systems are included in the management programme while the proprietorship programme offers business development, business statistics, information technology and management skills.

Meanwhile, retail marketing students cover marketing research, marketing finance, communications, information technology and retail enterprise development. In their second year, students work on individual business development projects, which are "stringently assessed by the staff", O'Neill notes.

Last year, up to 70 students were admitted to the certificate in business studies (management) programme on a minimum of 300 points. Up to one quarter of certificate holders go straight into employment, usually in trainee management positions, O'Neill says, and 70 per cent go on to further study. The retail marketing and proprietorship courses each offer 35 places.

In 1995, students gained entry to the former course with a minimum of 290 points, and to the latter with 200 points.

Students who achieve at least 60 per cent in their final certificate exams may embark on the DIT's one-year diploma in business management, DT524, which offers either a retailing or a security option.

The course includes four core subjects - finance, management information technology and marketing - and five specialist subjects. The retailing options cover merchandising, law, property, acquisition, security and economics. Over half the graduates go directly into employment, mostly at trainee manager level where annual starting salaries range between £9,000 and £11,000, O'Neill says.

High achievers also have the possibility of transferring from this course to a degree programmes in business management and marketing.

The DIT also offers 35 places on each of a number of specialist certificate courses in retailing: a two-year course in business studies (bar management), DT 541; a one-year course in business studies (meat marketing), DT 531. a one-year programme in retailing (supermarket), DT 532; and a one-year course in retailing (clothing), DT 533.

Bar management apart (270 points last year), entry points for these programmes remain relatively low - 150 for meat marketing, 170 for supermarket retailing and 180 for clothing retailing, last year.

Many of the students entering the bar management programme are from families who are in the licensed trade, O'Neill says. The course includes marketing, management, law, economics, computer science, financial control, business administration and bar catering. "The bar business is extremely structured in Dublin and you have to start as an apprentice. However, our graduates find niches at trainee management level," O'Neill comments.

If you're considering entering the meat trade, the certificate in business studies (meat marketing) will give you a grounding in the sector.

The course includes meat marketing, technology and processing, law, costing accounting, taxation and weekly work experience (shop practice).

If you embark upon the certificates in retailing (supermarket) or retailing (clothing) programmes you can expect to spend two days each week working in the relevant retail area. Course subjects include retail management, merchandising, communications, computer applications, human resource management, accounting, retail security and visual merchandising.

According to O'Neill, "the great advantage of these courses is that people are obtaining shop practice and a high proportion of students are offered jobs as a result."