United Drug Plc. have recently become members of the IBEC Retail Skillnet Network.

United Drug Plc. have been servicing pharmacies throughout Ireland for over 60 years, and are the leading wholesale distributor in this area.

United Drug have now partnered with IBEC Retail Skillnet to bring the FETAC Level 5 Retail training programme to their 1600 customers.

Ann Walsh, Pharmacy Services Manager, explains, “At United Drug we are constantly listening to feedback from our customers in a bid to provide services that will not only help to sustain their current business, but also to grow their market in difficult financial times”.

She points out that “Training is a key area that needs to be addressed and constantly monitored in any retail environment, not just pharmacy”. She concludes “We have tailored the IBEC Retail Skillnet programme specifically to suit our customers and we feel that this programme is going to vastly enhance any pharmacy who commits to it”.

Lifestyle Sports have recently joined the IBEC Retail Skillnet Network. Lifestyle Sports started trading in 1979, as a department store in a large supermarket chain. Lifestyle Sports now operate 77 stores across Ireland and a further 22 stores in the Czech Republic.

Lifestyle Sports employ around 900 staff and are one of Ireland’s fastest growing retail chains.

Lifestyle Sports are dedicated to continued investment in their stores, product, presentation, customer service and training.

Nikki Mullan, Continuous Development Manager, states “We strongly believe in equipping our staff with the necessary skills so they can carry out their job and lead their teams to the best of their ability”. She added “The IBEC Retail Skillnet training programme complements our management development programme brilliantly”.

The Kilkenny Group is Ireland’s largest retail chain for Irish designed products, including: jewellery, crystal, pottery and unique gifts. The company originated from the Kilkenny Design Workshop, set up by the Irish Government in 1963. Kilkenny became an independent retail group in 1999, and the company has expanded to operate 7 stores nationwide.

The introduction of Occupational Qualifications in the Kilkenny Group flagship store, in Nassau Street, Dublin has proved to be a huge success. The groups experiences have been reported in a new IBEC publication “The Essential Guide to Employee Engagement”.

Staff in the store have already completed several modules including: Retail Customer Service, Retail Selling and Retail Security. A spokesperson for the store stated “the modules have proved very useful in re-emphasising the standards and behaviour required, even for long term staff”. They added that the “growth in confidence among staff members has been outstanding…and the modules have reinforced their skills and provided them with internationally recognised qualifications.

The Kilkenny Group motto is “Being the best at what we do” and the modules have contributed to this aim.

The feedback has been so positive that Occupational Qualifications will be introduced, in the near future, in the Kilkenny Group’s other stores.

The Kilkenny Group held an Awards ceremony recently in their Nassau Street store to recognise the achievements of their staff who were receiving Level 5 FETAC Awards in Retail.

Kilkenny Group Managing Director, Marian O’ Gorman and Financial Director, Mark Sexton presented staff with their awards.

They congratulated the staff on receiving their qualifications and said how pleased they were that the company could give staff this opportunity to learn, develop and achieve recognition for the skills they possess and the job they do. Marian and Mark also commended staff for their loyalty and service to the company.

Caroline Heagney, IBEC Retail Skillnet Regional Consultant paid tribute to the hard work of the staff and the effort and enthusiasm of Mary Keane, their assessor.

Mary Keane recently represented the Kilkenny Group at a Retail Council gathering in Dublin. Mary made a presentation to Council members regarding the benefits of training for staff, customers and the company. Caroline Heagney, on behalf of the Council, thanked Mary for her excellent presentation and her continuing contribution in the promotion of Retail based training in the Dublin area.

Pictured are staff from the Kilkenny Group who received their FETAC Level 5 Certificates. Also pictured is IBEC Retail Skillnet Regional Consultant Caroline Heagney (Back row, left)

Click here to see further pictures from the Awards Night

Winter Assessment is now well underway, with candidates working towards achieving their Occupational Qualifications. Just a reminder of the deadlines for returning Assessment Books to IBEC Retail Skillnet:

Estimates are due by 24th September 2008

Assessment Books due by 31st October 2008

Estimates and Assessment Booklets can be sent directly to Head Office, or they can be given to the Regional Consultant responsible for your area.

For further information on your local Regional Consultant, Click here