In a New Zealand first, The Warehouse Group has sponsored the Sir Stephen Tindall Chair for the new Bachelor of Retail and Business Management degree at Massey University.
The move is part of a strategy to transform the perception of retail as a career in partnership with Retail NZ.
The Bachelor of Retail and Business Management Degree is a general retail degree designed to develop retail leaders and specialists.
“For far too long, it has been really difficult to attract people to retail as a career of choice,” said Mark Johnston, CEO of Retail NZ.
“Retail has been seen as a lesser choice or something you do until you find a ‘real job’,” he said.
In 2012, Retail employed more than 259,000 people in NZ, accounting for $70 billion in sales, and contributing $16 billion to GDP.
The new degree is tailored to the industry’s requirements, with content put together with input from a number of different retailers.
“The benefits to our industry of transforming our trade to one where people seek out retail as a chosen career field, where the roles are recognised as a profession rather than the unfair just a job speak for themselves,” said Johnston.
Students will be exposed to retail-based papers, such as retail buying and planning, merchandising, strategy and business planning, and retail operations, and will be available for both on campus and distance learning.
“Collectively, retailers need to ensure the success of this degree program for all participants to benefit, get behind it, proactively support it and participate in it.”
