As part of the delivery of the Apprenticeship in Retail Supervision programme, we recently hosted a series of 2-day Mentoring and Coaching for Retail Leaders Workshops in Dublin, Galway, and Cork. Developed in collaboration with Dave Dorgan, these workshops brought together a dynamic and diverse group of Workplace Mentors who are committed to supporting their apprentices throughout the programme.

The role of the Workplace Mentor is pivotal to an apprentice’s success on the programme. These workshops focused on developing key skills, competencies, and best practices for effective mentoring and coaching in the retail workplace. The sessions fostered strong conversations, practical insights, and a spirit of collaboration amongst participants.

Throughout the two days, our Workplace Mentors explored real-world retail scenarios, shared experiences and best practices, and gained valuable tools to build coaching and mentoring cultures within their retail businesses. We were pleased to welcome a large number of mentors across the training sessions in Dublin, Galway, and Cork.

Some of the feedback from attendees included:

Fiona McConnell, Store Manager at TK Maxx and mentor to two first-year apprentices, shared her thoughts:

“What a thought-provoking workshop this was! One of the best I have completed. It’s a MUST for any Mentor supporting an Apprentice. We had the opportunity to network with other businesses in a structured and interactive environment, which helped us enhance our skills and become better mentors. The workshop is fun, engaging, and packed with practical techniques—plus, those role-play scenarios are invaluable in our retail world!”

Another Workplace Mentor commented:

“The workshop was probably one of the best I have attended. I enjoyed listening to the presenter and learning from the experiences and challenges faced by different retailers across the sector.”

The Empowering Retail Leaders: 2-Day Mentoring and Coaching Workshops were specifically designed to strengthen the skills of Workplace Mentors and to foster a strong community of practice across the Apprenticeship in Retail Supervision programme. The apprenticeship model in Ireland is built around the strength of excellent mentoring and a culture of knowledge-sharing. From the workshops, the collaboration with Dave Dorgan, the feedback we have received, and the remarkable results our apprentices are delivering, it is clear that our programme benefits from some of the best Workplace Mentors in the sector.

Recruitment is now open for the September 2025 intake of the Apprenticeship in Retail Supervision programme. We look forward to welcoming new apprentices to the programme in Dublin, Galway, and Cork in September and look forward hosting the next session of the Empowering Retail Leaders: 2-Day Mentoring and Coaching Workshops later in the year.

 If you want to find out more about the Apprenticeship in Retail Supervision programme, visit our website or email roisin.woods@ibec.ie.

Apprenticeship in Retail Supervision, join our weekly online information sessions – Every Wednesdays at 10:00am.

Degree in Retail Management, join our weekly online information sessions – Every Wednesdays at 10:30am.