Graduate Programmes in Retail Management

Working in store our graduates have access to the most influential characters in the business - our customers. Managing an Arcadia store is challenging and the variety of tasks is endless, meaning no two days are ever the same. Our Graduate Management Trainees have a direct impact on the success of the business and enjoy lots of responsibility early on.

As a Graduate Management Trainee you'll be involved with all aspects of store management. From day one, trainees start in our stores learning on the job from experienced managers. The programme equips graduates with the necessary commercial skills to progress quickly to a store management position by the end of year one with further progression positively encouraged within senior store and regional positions.

As well as on the job training Arcadia provides all of its graduate -trainees with a tailored personal development plan. This involves a number of specialised workshops through out the first year that increase commercial awareness and knowledge of the core skills required to become a successful store manager.

Training

Throughout your development programme, you will be based in any one of Arcadia's seven brands or shopping concept Outfit. Starting in September 2008 with a National Induction event, your store-based training will continue with:

A structured induction programme
Early responsibility for store operations and team management
On and off the job training, including business assignments
Workshops covering behavioural and commercial skills
Placements in different stores or brands
A portfolio to help you track your own development
Regular reviews and a Personal Development Plan

Career path

Below is a typical career path for a graduate joining Retail Management.

Profile

Claire Brown
Graduate Management Trainee
Solent University - 2005 BA Hons Business Studies
Joined Dorothy Perkins in September 2006

After graduating from University I was not too sure what career path to pursue so I decided to take a gap year to help me decide. I have always had an interest in working in retail and I have a definite love of fashion so I thought it would be a great idea to spend my gap year working for Dorothy Perkins as it would give me an insight into store operations and allow me to discover if this really was the right career choice for me. Retail is a very exciting industry to work in as its very fast paced. Dealing with such an eclectic mixture of customers also means that no two days are ever the same and I love having to think on my feet and use my initiative.

I enjoyed my first six months so much that I decided to apply for the Arcadia Graduate Retail Management programme straight away. The online application form was easy to understand and I felt that I was able to accurately describe myself to the company. Once I submitted this I had to undertake some online ability tests, which were not too bad either. The final stage of the recruitment process was to attend a one-day assessment centre where I met representatives from all the different brands - although I was pretty nervous when I got there, the day itself was very relaxed and I felt I did well in all of the tasks. When I found out I had been offered a place on the programme for Dorothy Perkins I was delighted - especially as I already had experience of working within this brand.

I started in September with a national induction event where I met all of the other graduate trainees across all of the brands. It was a great way to start my career as I also met Sir Philip Green and other senior people.

Once I began work in my host store in Southampton the learning really began. It's very fast paced but there's lots of support available. As well as learning on the job in the store from my manager I also attended a series of workshops and had a portfolio to support my learning throughout the year. One of my favourite workshops was about leadership - I was helped to identify my leadership style and then to understand how this impacts on others. Once I translated this back to the store environment it really helped me to adjust my leadership style and in turn improve my relationships with my store team.

Another aspect of my training has been the personal development of the sales staff in my store - I have enjoyed this immensely. I worked closely with the team on their competencies and internal progression and it's been really rewarding seeing them develop. I have also helped to roll out a customer service project with other graduate trainees in my area. As a result not only has the customer service of Dorothy Perkins increased in my area but I have also built up a useful network of contacts.

I am currently on placement in Dorothy Perkins in central London. I thought it was important to experience different store types and customer bases as this all adds to my experience. I have found working with another manager great too as I get to benefit from her experience as well. I have received some really positive feedback working here and this has really improved my own self-confidence. I'm not too sure if I will return to the Southampton area or look for an appointment within London however Arcadia has supported me so much that I can make the best, informed choice for myself. I can't wait for my first managerial position!

Salary & Benefits

If you are successful and offered a position on the Graduate Retail Management programme you can expect to receive the following:

Structured training and development
Salary of £20,000
25 days holiday
25% discount on all brands
Participation in Company Bonus Scheme
Contributory Pension Scheme
Business dress allowance

What we are looking for

Our Retail Management positions are extremely sought after. In order to make your application as strong as possible, we suggest that you read the profile of one of our current graduates and also all the relevant information available on our website. It's also important to familiarise yourself with the Arcadia business by looking at all the other parts of this corporate website as well as each of our brand websites.

What are our education requirements?

You need to have:

already achieved or be studying for a degree or HND (or equivalent) in any subject
5 GCSEs (or equivalent) including Maths and English at grades A to C.

How to apply

Our application process involves the following steps:

Completion of online application form
Completion of online numerical ability test (provided by the SHL Group)
Telephone interview with a member of our Graduate Resourcing Team
Attendance at Assessment Centre (in London)

If you have the right to work in the UK and you're confident that you fulfil all our requirements, please click above to complete the application form. This could be the first step towards your future career.***Please Note: Applications for this programme will be closing on 17th April 2008***

At this stage should you have an enquiry about your application please email our Graduate Resourcing team at management.programmes@arcadiagroup.co.uk