Never fear, Skillsmart retail and Retail Trust are here. Together, they are offering ten scholarships to attend this centre of excellence – meaning you can learn all the tips to reaching the top from the biggest names in retail absolutely FREE. The intensive week-long residential course, held annually at Keble College, is run by the British Shops and Stores Association and BHF includes exercises, lectures and tutorials, team-building events and social activities aimed at delivering an inspirational experience that helps junior managers in retail realise their true potential.

The scholarships, designed to offer a way for smaller or independent retailers to benefit, may be worth nearly £2k, but delegates report the experience as being impossible to value in terms of knowledge gained and ideas to bring back to their businesses. Indeed, no course is as well respected for exposing the problems, decisions and challenges involved in running a retail business, perhaps explaining why the list of past speakers (Ian Cheshire, Charlie Mayfield, Nick Robertson, Peter Williams) reads like a ‘Who’s Who’ of the industry. Skillsmart Retail and Retail Trust are urging EVERY junior manager in a smaller or independent retailer (i.e. less than a thousand employees) to apply. Aside from the learning, an enviable list of evening events will give you the perfect chance to let your hair down and network with representatives from some of retail’s biggest businesses. Make no mistake, this is a course that will change your life and the way you do your job for the better. Please send an email stating your name, job title and business details to the email address below.