Congratulations to the Class of 2021 Apprenticeship in Retail Supervision Graduates. It was truly a joy to award 62 graduates with their Advanced Level 6 Certificates in Retail Supervision on Thursday, November 9th, 2023. The esteemed event was held at the Athlone Springs Hotel in Athlone and was attended by hundreds of individuals who gathered to applaud the successful completion of the two-year Apprenticeship in Retail Supervision programme. The guest of honour was Minister Richmond, the Minister of State for Business, Employment, and Retail.

There was a tangible feeling of excitement in the room with so many people there to celebrate the graduates’ success. This year the graduates hailed from 33 different retail employers, representing 23 different counties across Ireland. The day was made possible thanks to the outstanding contributions made by the graduates, workplace mentors, and retail employers over the two-year programme.

The opening address at the graduation was given by Edel Duffy, Learning and Development Manager at Boots Ireland and the Chairperson of the Consortium Steering Group. Edel highlighted the significance of the Apprenticeship in Retail Supervision programme for graduates, employer organisations, workplace mentors, and the wider Irish retail sector.

We were delighted that the Minister of State for Business, Employment and Retail was in attendance to deliver a motivational and encouraging speech which emphasised the importance of the programme in building career paths in the retail sector. Minister Richmond also talked about the importance of the retail sector to the Irish economy. Thereafter, Minister Richmond joined Dr. Oran Doherty, Programme Director and Theresa Gallagher, Quality Assurance Manager for the Apprenticeship in Retail Supervision Programme on the stage to award apprentices their certificates. Following this, Edel Clancy, the Director of Corporate Affairs at Musgrave Group, and the Chairperson of Retail Ireland gave an inspiring speech to all in attendance. Dr. Oran Doherty, the Programme Director for the Apprenticeship in Retail Supervision programme, also addressed the graduates. Roisin Woods acted as the Master of Ceremonies for the graduation ceremony.

The Apprenticeship in Retail Supervision graduates have come a long way since they started their studies in September 2021. Throughout the last 24 months, they have demonstrated resilience, hard work, and dedication to their studies, all while balancing their full-time work commitments. Graduation day not only signifies the completion of the programme, but also provides an opportunity to celebrate the apprentices’ remarkable achievements and recognise the contributions of their employers. This milestone marks a significant accomplishment in their learning journey and in developing career pathways for people working in the retail sector.

For more information on the next intake of the Apprenticeship in Retail Supervision programme in September 2024, please visit our website at https://retailirelandskillnet.com/apprenticeship-in-retail-supervision or email us at info@retailirelandskillnet.com.

Event Photographer: Clive Wasson – https://clive.ie/