A Retail University from Reliance by 2008-09
Close on the heels of Bharti Enterprises setting up a joint venture with the Chandigarh-based Global Retail School (GRS) and Pantaloon Retail (Future Group) tying up with the Mumbai-based Welingkar’s Institute to offer training courses in retail management, Reliance Retail, the wholly owned retail arm of the Mukesh ambani owned Reliance Industries, has decided to set up a retail university by 2008-09, reports PTI. Besides, Bharti and Pantaloon, even RCOM, Times Business and NIIT have also jumped in to the fray and have decided to offer courses in retail management in joint venture with leading colleges and universities.
The move comes in the wake of acute shortage of skilled manpower required by the sector. The problem is going to only accentuate in the coming months as new mega retail chains among others of Birlas and Bhartis begin rolling out on a large scale.
Reliance has already is already begun discussions for sewing up tie-ups with various learning partners, who will help in developing curriculum on retail that is suitable for the requirements of the industry.
“Once big retail format stores like RelianceMart kick off in large numbers, which we expect to happen by 2008-09, the retail university will also start,” said Bijou Kurien, President and Chief Executive Officer, Lifestlyle (RRL), Reliance Retail. He was talking on the sidelines of CII Marketing Summit in Delhi on Tuesday.
The courses on retail would focus mainly on requirement of the front-end operations although lessons on back-end processes would also be imparted, added Kurien, while talking about course content.
University will set up many study centres at different locations depending on the presence of large stores, he added.
Over 2.5 lakh new jobs, according to expert estimates, are expected to be offered by the sector, in the next two years and around three fourth of these will be for manning front-end of the business.
The Bharti-GRS joint venture, in which Bharti apart from providing support on developing course content, will also hire the skilled personnel, has decided to set up 60 training centres across the country, during this year.
SOURCE:INDIA RETAIL BIZ