Retail

The aim of the programme is to increase independent living, functional skills, vocational skills in the area of retail, and employability skills in order to access supported or open employment in the future.

This programme is timetabled across three days. You will start college at 9am and finish at 2.30pm, 4.15pm or 4.30pm. You have a morning and a lunch break each day and you will be studying with around 10 other students with one tutor and at least one learning support assistant. The curriculum is based upon project-based learning, which means you will get actively involved in each session and have the opportunity to work in teams and individually. You won’t just be sitting in a classroom you will be out and about in the community, collaborating with other groups from Supported Studies and other curriculum areas from across the college. Although your course is based at the Stevenage campus, for some elements of your course you may access other sites.

During the 2013-2014 academic year the retail group set up the All Sorts college shop and are responsible for running it two days a week, other groups in the department staff the shop for the rest of the week. Linking the gap between college and work, the All Sorts shop offers students a wealth of opportunities to learn about the world of work and develop employability skills while providing a valuable service for students and staff at the Stevenage Centre. The shop sells a range of goods from stationery, sweets, cards, gifts, toiletries and many more items. All Sorts is going from strength to strength as new projects emerge, with consistently positive feedback from customers. On the days you attend the retail programme and staff the shop you are required to wear black clothing to promote a positive image in retail.