The structural change underway in the retail sector is having an impact on occupational profiles. The retail sector employs 3 million people in Germany, making it one of the country’s largest providers of jobs and vocational training. The move from stationary to online retail is having an impact on jobs as well, for instance as jobs are shifting from retail itself to the transport business. The growing trend towards multi-channel trading, which has seen the internet become a new sales channel, has also had implications on vocational training in the retail sector.

Attractiveness of working for a retail company compared with working for a company outside the retail trade, The average retail company has considerable potential to raise its attractiveness as an employer, In per cent (Source: IFH Köln/Great Place to work, Studie Arbeitgeber Handel - Fit For Future?!, 2012, Infografic as PDF (284 KB)):

The average retail company has considerable potential to raise its attractiveness as an employer Enlarge

© IFH Köln/Great Place to work, Studie Arbeitgeber Handel - Fit For Future?!, 2012

This is why the series of workshops will seek to find answers to questions such as: Digitisation: An opportunity or a threat? How can we safeguard good jobs? How will jobs and skills requirements change in the retail sector, and where will these jobs be? Which occupational profiles will become sought-after, which ones will be less needed? What skills will be important?

It is important to discuss:

  • The impact of digitisation on those working in retail
  • Ways in which vocational training must pick up on and respond to new requirements resulting from cross-channel trading.