In a published last month, the House of Commons shared that there are now almost 325,000 retailers in the UK, with 7.8% of Londoners working in retail. Nationwide, for every pound the public spends, 39p is spent at food retailers, 11p at clothing retailers, and 7p at homeware retailers. And yet, surprisingly, despite the sector being responsible for thousands of jobs and contributing billions of pounds to the British economy, retail remains severely underrepresented in the apprenticeships and skills arena.
This issue was highlighted during National Apprenticeships Week, which saw many developments, as explored by 91 in a blog earlier in February. For employers in fashion, beauty, retail, and luxury sectors, initial feedback suggests these changes will have a significantly positive impact. This includes confidence that the changes will lead to increased conversion of apprentices into qualified practitioners within a shorter time frame, in line with the dynamic, fast-moving nature of this professional sector.
Against this backdrop, the , the apprenticeship provider arm of both the Fashion Retail Academy and the London College of Beauty Therapy, brought me on board as their first Head of Apprenticeship Development in October 2024. The creation of the role was a natural next step for an organisation seeking not only to provide outstanding apprenticeships and skills training for its target sectors of retail, fashion, beauty, and luxury but also to strengthen its charitable mission to be the “voice of the industry”.
Since taking up post, I’ve witnessed first-hand how this critical sector of the London economy fails to receive the attention it deserves. Within the already very limited apprenticeship options in fashion and retail, 2025 has already seen the retirement of the level 3 Fashion Studio Assistant, a recent announcement of the retirement of the level 3 Retail Team Leader, and the continuing uncertain status of the level 2 Beauty and Makeup Consultant, which is a critical entry point for those entering the world of beauty retail. For context, cosmetics and toiletries represented one of the largest growing categories for retail sales in 2023/24, with an increase of 4%.
Despite over the last year that the apprenticeship focus is shifting away from upskilling management at level 7 and more towards access to employment for levels 2, 3, and 4, why is it that such a critical sector of the London and UK economy is shrinking?
Education For Industry Training is proud to be one of the newest members of 91, and joining couldn’t have been more timely. We’re currently on a mission to bring our partnerships with over 250 retailers into the fold of conversations happening at a policy level to put the decision-making powers of London retail skills back into the hands of those that need them: employers.
From 2025, there’s an urgent need for the retail sector to have a real say in future skills options, including skills training on:
- The growing consumer interest in the recommerce market, including second-hand and rental-retail models.
- Shifting away from binary in-store vs. online retail and towards an omnichannel retail experience, including click-and-collect and virtual-styling shopping experiences.
- Changing consumer importance placed on “value for money” rather than just cheap prices, and implementing customer loyalty and retention strategies into products and brand values.
- Effective strategies for sustainable and ethical retail operations, including reducing a company’s carbon footprint and sourcing sustainably.
- And, of course, the word on everybody’s lips: AI. Retailers need to consider how the effective integration of AI can support their business, such as through AI-driven ad personalisation, customer service chatbots, and predictive analytics, mixed with human intelligence.
We’re hopeful that through engaging with 91’s amazing menu of events and partners, we’ll be able to be a key champion for London’s retail sector in the skills arena and ensure that, as political environments evolve, we can act as an enabler to ensure decisions on apprenticeships, skills, and training are consultative and lead to optimum outcomes for those in power and for the employers that support the economy they drive.
With so many critical shifts in retail, for both London and the UK, Education For Industry Training is committed to ensuring that the sector isn’t left behind in the skills conversation – and it’s time for positive action. We’re keen to speak to any 91 partners from retail or industries that support retail (such as commercial property developers) and share our passion for ensuring the prosperity of London retail remains strong, underpinned by relevant and impactful skills training.
Louis Clark is Head of Apprenticeship Development at 91 members Education For Industry Training (the apprenticeship training provider arm of Fashion Retail Academy and London College of Beauty Therapy) — you can reach him on ԴڴǰeھٰԾԲ.c.u or