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| President of Bervidson Retail Group, Mr. Joseph Ebata with some of the graduands |
By OLUWAGBENGA BANKOLE
It was indeed joy at its peak as the first set of trained
retailers graduated from the foremost retail school in Nigeria, Retail Academy.
The Academy which started on October 3, 2017 with the Retail
Training & Internship Program (RTIP)
was a breathe of fresh air and hope for the 23 students participating in the
program. The Retail Academy training exercise is designed to equip and develop
participants with the up to date global best practices success principles.
RTIP is designed as an invaluable program for individuals
interested in starting and developing a career in retail.
While speaking at the graduation ceremony about the program,
the President of Bervidson Retail Group, Mr. Joseph Ebata said that the retail
academy is a program or training put together by Bervidson Retail Group as an
answer to retail industry, particularly as it was demanded at the last Retail Leaders’ Conference.
He noted that the program was designed to support retail in
training people who will choose retail as a career or choose retail as a
business enterprise, explaining that the school is put together to address the need of the
retail industry in the area of developing right entrepreneur spirit.
According to him; “the program was structured into three and
it was for four weeks. The first part is the classroom training which was done
during the first week. The class room training was facilitated by different
facilitators. The second part of the program was two weeks internship with
retail organisation within the country. The third part of the training is
project work by students. From this programe at least about four of the
graduand have jobs and with others possibly to get jobs. This programme will
definitely reduce unemployment rate in Nigeria.
Some of the graduands who spoke with BRANDINFO expressed
their happiness and said that they are indeed fulfilled as the training
tremendously transformed them and opened their understanding to what retail is
all about.
The class Governor Maranatha Ngene said the program was a
worthwhile experience for me, adding that it came when she needed it most.
“ I have always had passion in entrepreneurship and I did
just know how to go about it. I now believed that there are better ways of
doing business instead of doing it like someone who is not learned. The academy
has helped me to know that retail business can be done in a better way. For me
it was an experience of mindset, body confidence, self realisation and many
others. It was through the programme I realise what I really want to do for
people. I was taught the better way of rendering customer service,” she said.
Ngene noted that she
did her internship at Vidora Gioiellejia and the experience was great,
saying that learnt a lot including how to convince customers to buy products.
According to her she has the plan to set up her own retail store
but it is not now because she got a job where she did her internship, adding
that part of the whole idea of the internship is to help you get a job.
Ngene implore all youths in the nooks and crannies of the
country to register for next edition of the program.
The program was a dream comes through for Ajila Abiola
Samuel, a young graduate from Federal University of Technology Akure.
He said the program has being a worthwhile experience due to
the fact that he has learnt a lot about retail marketing, retail merchandising,
sourcing and many more.
Samuel said he has learnt a lot about the retail sector of
the distribution channel, from various experts in the field and have been able
to gain insight and detailed knowledge into the retail market.
“I also learnt a lot from the internship I undertake. I did
my internship at Food Co Supermarket in Ibadan. I have been able to get the
practical of what the retail sector is all about. I hope to get a job in a big
retail outlet and apply everything I was taught at the retail academy. Later in the future I hope to start my own
retail store because one has to be an entrepreneur in this age that we are,” he
stated.
Okosodo Stephen from
Delta State said that the experience he gathered during the training was indeed
awesome from the first day of the training till the internship section and the
project level.
He said he was exposed to the whole idea of how retail
should be run and the whole process which he applied at the internship level.
Stephen said he did
his internship at Trimart Neighbourhood Stores, Lekki Phase 1 and was able to practicalise everything he was
thought during the training.
“What really motivated me to come for the training is due to
the fact that I have a vision to have my own online retail store and I think
this training will help me. I want to
implore the youths to come for the next edition of this program because this is
the program that can help them to reshape their minds,” he said.
Another graduand, Elizabeth Komolafe who with our correspondent
said that: “the program was a wonderful experience. The internship was a
practical experience. I did my internship at Adam and Eve, GRA, Ikeja. I was
educated on the unique selling point of all the products in the store in order
for me to know how to convince customers to buy goods from us. In the future I
have the plan to set up my own retail store.”
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