Introduction

The following Retail Training Curriculum was developed based on input from the Retail Industry Advisory Council. The Council is a collaboration of businesses, the National Retail Federation (NRF), the community colleges, the Workforce Investment Boards (WIBs), and One Stop Career Centers in the North Jersey Partners' eight county region. The purpose of this curriculum is to provide individuals interested in the retail industry a career pathway and is supported by North Jersey Partners.

This curriculum is available through the North Jersey Workforce System and offered periodically. Training for businesses can be scheduled on an "as-requested" basis. To find out more about the curriculum, when it is offered, and any applicable fees, please contact the community college in your county:

Bergen Community College
Walter Hecht
Dean, Continuing Education, Corporate & Public Sector Training
(201) 612-5300

Essex County College
Maureen Behr
Director of Corporate & Business Training
behr@essex.edu
(973) 877-3330

Hudson County Community College
Nicholas Micucci
Director, Center for Business & Industry
nmicucci@hccc.edu
(201) 360-4243

County College of Morris
Robert Lipka
Manager, Sales & Marketing
Center for Business & Technology
rlipka@ccm.edu
(973) 328-5185

Passaic County Community College
Lisa R. Hiscano
Associate Director of Continuing Education
lhiscano@pccc.edu
(973) 684-6213

Sussex County Community College
Sivaraman Anbarasan
Dean, Continuing Education
sanbarasan@sussex.edu
(973) 300-2141

Union County College
Eileen Mallor
Director, Industry-Business Institute
mallor@ucc.edu
(908) 965-2358

Warren County Community College
Maija Amaro
Workforce & Industry Training Specialist
mamaro@warren.edu
(908) 835-4029

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Finance & Accounting Fundamentals

Overview: This foundation-level course is designed for non-financial managers who need to gain an overview of accounting and finance to help with planning, decision making, and managing a profit center or business unit. The program will be customized to the needs of the company.

• Glossary of Terms
• The Accounting Process:
  • Chart of Accounts
  • Numbering
  • General Ledger
  • Journals/Entries
  • The Closing Cycle
• Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP)
• Financial Statements
• The Annual Report/Ratio Analysis
• Debt Management
• Budgeting

Program Length: 14 hours

Desired Outcomes: Learn the basic elements of accounting and receive an overview of recording business transactions a general survey of modern business practices.

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Operations/Retail Management

Overview: The Operations/Retail Management curriculum aims to provide learners with an overview of retail industry concepts and processes and an understanding of the role of a Retail Manager including system design, as well as planning and system operation and control to improve effectiveness and efficiency. Ideally, learners will have some retail and/or management experience. The goals for the curriculum include becoming familiar with how the retail industry works; understanding the areas of accountability for retail management; understanding how the role of the manager impacts the success of a retail business; and identify the learner's level of interest in pursuing a career in retail management and operations.

The program also can be delivered with a non-retail focus. Topics include forecasting, capacity and aggregate planning, material requirements planning, technological issues, scheduling, facility layout decisions, inventory management, just-in-time concepts, and quality management.

Program Length: 12 hours

Desired Outcomes:

• Improve efficiency and cost effectiveness of operations
• Learn how retailing works and the factors that influence its success
• As a manager, learn how to create a shopping experience that builds customer loyalty
• Learn how to receive, present, and maintain merchandise
• Learn the human and operational functions that support service and sales organizations
• Understand how to drive sales growth and use financial reporting

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Problem Solving

Overview: This workshop will help participants identify and define problems in the workplace and solve these issues using creative thinking patterns. Participants learn to examine and evaluate data, develop alternative ways of solving problems, and present the solutions to others.

Instead of applying dead-end solutions to recurring organizational problems, workshop participants learn new ways to approach problem-solving, and develop practical ways to solve some of the most pressing problems and reach win-win decisions.

This course covers:

• Learning Styles
• Making Win-Win Decisions
• Problem Solving Defined
• Analysis and evaluation
• Cause and effect
• The Problem-Solving Model
  • Phase One: Problem Identification
  • Phase Two: Decision Making
  • Phase Three: Planning and Organizing
• A Problem-Solving Toolkit
• The Problem-Solving Process
• Gradients of Agreement
• Facts vs. Information
• Decision-Making Traps
• Implementation
• Types of Decisions
• A Personal Action Plan

Program Length: 2-3 days

Desired Outcomes: Participants will be able to identify and define problems in the workplace and use criteria to solve these issues using creative thinking patterns.

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Project Management

Overview: Students will learn the process of defining, planning, and designing a framework, which will enable control of the project and change variables from inception through completion. Topics include: defining the project scope/size, the importance of a contract, unforeseen circumstances, planning & scheduling, risk assessment, budgeting/financial considerations, communicating with the client, progress status reports, delivery, and evaluation.

Program Length: 16 hours

Desired Outcomes:

• Understand just what is meant by a "project"
• Develop the skills a project manager must have
• Develop methods for keeping the team focused and motivated and the customer satisfied
• Identify simple techniques and tools for planning and tracking your project
• Recognize what steps must be taken to complete projects on time and on budget
• Enhance ability to sell ideas to the sponsor, the customer and the team through meetings and presentations
• Understand ways to add value to your organization

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Supervision I: Fundamental of Managing People

Overview: This program covers the fundamental skills needed by supervisors, and is especially good for new supervisors. During this class, participants will identify and discuss the different competencies of a supervisor. The session introduces the basic principles of planning, organizing, directing, and controlling. Topics include supervisory styles, communication, instruction, motivating personnel, documenting, disciplining, feedback, and training. Participants will develop critical management tools to plan, organize, direct, control their business activities, and motivate staff to achieve department goals and objectives. They will have tools to understand and improve their handling of relationship issues in the workplace environment.

Program Length: 12 hours

Desired Outcomes:

• Help clarify roles and responsibilities of the new job
• Adjust to the new role with confidence and an assurance you can handle the position
• Develop your communication skills in listening, asking questions, and giving feedback to employees
• Develop a technique for making sure you give employees instructions that are clear and understood
• Identify some techniques to deal with employee challenges such as hostility, complaints, and laziness
• Recognize the importance of being visible and available to employees
• Understand the importance of developing good relationships with employees and peers, so you are seen as fair and consistent

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Supervision II: Coaching, Motivating, and Developing Others

Overview: Supervision II will build on the skills learned in Supervision I. More advanced topics in managing also will be addressed, including motivating and coaching others. Alternative management topics can be addressed based on needs of the organization.

Coaching is based on partnership that involves giving both support and challenging opportunities to employees. Knowing how and when to coach is an essential skill. This course provides managers, supervisors, team leaders, and mentors with the knowledge and skills necessary to assess, plan and carry out a performance coaching dialogue with a mentee. Additionally, this course provides techniques for ongoing performance feedback and skills for recognizing a coaching opportunity. It will encourage managers to become involved on an ongoing basis with the performance growth of employees to develop and enhance their skills. Managers will participate in stimulated coaching dialogues to practice applying these skills in typical coaching situations.

Program Length: 12 hours

Desired Outcomes: Upon completion of this course, participants will be prepared to utilize the skills learned to motivate, coach, and empower their subordinates.

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Careers in Retail

This class will provide an overview of the types of career paths that are possible in retail, ways to prepare for and advance in these retail careers, earnings and regional job openings. In addition to retail careers, the class also will highlight a variety of related alternate careers that require similar foundation skills, such as workplace basic skills and customer service. Students will be exposed to real life examples of career paths of successful individuals.

This class will be offered by community colleges in multiple locations throughout the north Jersey region, and will be positioned as a front-end class to the other programs in the Regional Customer Service Curriculum Package.

Program Length: 3 hours

Desired Outcomes:

• A clear picture of the range of jobs in retail
• Understand ways to prepare
  • Educational background
  • Workplace basic skills
  • Professional development
  • On the job
• A clear picture of career paths and options for advancement
• Real life stories
• Opportunities for earnings
• Where the local/regional opportunities are / projected job openings
• Related, alternative careers and prospects for employment
  • Healthcare, Financial Services, Hospitality, "Green jobs", other
• Next Steps
  • Personal assessments
  • Opportunities through regional package/at local Career Centers/Community College
  • Resources, including relevant websites

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Business Writing

Overview: This program is for people who already have fundamental writing skills and need a writing skills review and tips help them to improve and polish their writing. Program participants will achieve competency in areas of basic grammar essentials, sentence and paragraph structuring, punctuation, capitalization, number usage, and abbreviations, as pertaining to business usage. They will also master the principles and techniques of writing business letters and memoranda, short reports, and proposals, and learn about e-mail etiquette.

Program Length: 8 hours

Desired Outcomes: Polish writing techniques to improve written communication required at the workplace.

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Customer Service Workshop

Overview: In this workshop, participants learn about the importance of good customer service and practice techniques for effective internal and external customer service. Both face-to-face and telephone customer service situations will be addressed. The workshop is highly interactive, and is delivered using mini-lectures, exercises and role-plays.

Program Length: 6 hours

Desired Outcomes: This workshop will help employees in:

• Understanding the benefits of good customer service
• Knowing who are customers
• Creating trust
• Building listening and questioning skills
• Handling different types of people, including dealing with difficult customers
• Resolving conflict and diffusing tempers
• Effective use of language and voice
• Telephone Techniques
• Maintaining a positive and professional manner

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Interpersonal Communication Skills

Overview: This course helps participants improve verbal and interpersonal interactions with other people in the workplace and with customers. Participants will learn about and apply elements of the communication process, select communication styles to ensure clarity with others, and develop a personal list of tips and techniques to continue improvement of both internal and external communications.

Program Length: 8 hours

Desired Outcomes: Improve communication skills to increase effectiveness and prevent misunderstandings.

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Conflict Resolution: Dealing with Difficult People

Overview: In the workplace most people can't avoid interactions with a wide range of personality types, including "difficult" people. This program provides participants with an understanding of conflict and its many forms, and provides tools for both preventing conflict and for dealing with conflict, including turning it into a valuable resource.

This course covers:

• Drivers of Conflict
• Our own styles of dealing with conflict
• Reciprocal Relationships
• Dealing with Change
• Preventing Problems
• Dealing with Problems
• Causes of Difficult Behavior
• Changing Yourself
• Negative vs. Positive Interactions
• Why Don't People do what They Are Supposed To?
• Managing Anger
  • Guidelines for Assertive Anger
  • Some Lessons from the Works of Others
• De-Stress Options You Can Use Right Now!
• Conflict as a positive resource

Program Length: 8 hours

Desired Outcomes: Participants learn to:

• Recognize how their own attitudes and actions impact on others
• Find new and effective techniques for managing negative emotions
• Develop coping strategies for dealing with difficult people and difficult situations
• Identify those times when it's appropriate to walk away from a difficult situation
• Learn some techniques for managing and dealing with anger

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Sales/Upselling Skills

Overview: This program is designed to develop the skills sets of participants to increase the sales volume and profitability of an organization through proper merchandising of related items, face to face contact with the customer, and methods of enhancing the sale through that will make the shopping experience enjoyable for the customer, while increasing sales.

Program Length: 8 hours

Desired Outcomes:

• Develop direct selling skills
• Match the products to the customer
• Explain how to help customers make an informed choice
• Recognize when a customer is ready to make a purchase
• Develop the techniques of selling the features and benefits of a product
• Understand the role of up selling to the overall sales
• Build strong communication skills

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Team Building

Overview: Through an interactive format, this workshop helps participants to build a cohesive, cooperative, functional team. Participants gain knowledge about what motivates them as well as what motivates other people, and learn how to apply this knowledge to build effective, high functioning teams, with shared values and goals. Topics include: team charter and relationship to the larger organization's mission and goals, the stages of team development, group dynamics, communication and building trust, collaborative goal setting and problem-solving, consensus building, and team leadership. This workshop is a course for both team leaders and team members, designed to focus on the characteristics of an effective team player and the elements of an effective team.

Program Length: 16 hours

Desired Outcomes: Participants will leave this program with a plan for their personal development as a team player and as a team leader, as well as with concrete ideas on how to improve their work team.

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Microsoft Word

Overview: This course for intermediate level Word users can be tailored for Beginners and Advanced. Intermediate topics may include managing documents, using formatting tools, creating headers and footers, using time saving tools, finishing your document, merging and distributing. The exact topic list will depend on audience needs and the examples and exercises will be tailored to be relevant to the facility's workplace.

Program Length: 7 hours

Desired Outcomes: Sufficient proficiency with Word to create professional looking documents in a highly efficient and effective manner.

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Microsoft Excel

Overview: This course for intermediate to advance Excel users can be tailored for Beginners. Topics may include templates, formulas, functions, names and ranges, array formulas, managing tables, records and fields, tables and files, using Excel as a database, and enhancing your workbook. The exact topic list will depend on audience needs and the examples and exercises will be tailored to be relevant to the facility's workplace.

Program Length: 7 hours

Desired Outcomes: Build proficiency in using Excel to improve administrative operations.

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Microsoft Access

Overview: This class will introduce how to use Microsoft Access to solve business problems. Topics include: working with interface, creating a database, records, tables, formatting, forms, queries, reports, sorting and filtering, viewing and printing.

Program Length: 8 hours

Desired Outcomes: Ability to use Access to create and use databases for workplace productivity and business results.

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Microsoft Excel

Overview: This program will address how to use PowerPoint to create effective slide show presentations. Topics include file tasks, tables, and charts, adding graphics, and adding audio/visual effects.

Program Length: 8 hours

Desired Outcomes: The participants will have the ability to create effective presentations, using PowerPoint.

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Microsoft Outlook/E-Mail

Overview: This class will introduce participants to the proper use of Email as a job related tool. For groups of experienced Outlook users, the class can focus on intermediate and advanced product features.

Program Length: 7 hours

Desired Outcomes: As a result of this workshop, participants will be able to:

• Create and Change E-Mail Accounts
• Manage and Organize Messages
• Operate the Outlook Address Book, Calendar, and Distribution List
• Apply Proper Business E-Mail Behavior

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Microsoft Project

Overview: This course will introduce how to use Microsoft Project in the process of organizing, scheduling, and managing tasks. Collectively, these tasks are called a project which is a temporary undertaking with a new product or service as its output. Participants will also explore the use of sub-projects and resource pools.

This course covers:

• Developing a resource sheet and assign resources to tasks
• Review and completion of the planning
• Create a base line plan is to track results against plan
• Adjust tasks durations in accordance to the end date of the project

Program Length: 12 hours

Desired Outcomes: Participants will have the ability to create a project by listing tasks, calculate task durations, and link tasks together.

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Computer Basics/Windows

Overview: This class is for non-computer users seeking to gain a basic understanding of the PC components and operations in the Microsoft Windows environment.

This course covers:

• Proper Start-up and Shut-down of Windows
• Running Application Programs
• Managing and Organizing Files and Folders
• Printing Procedures

Program Length: 8 hours

Desired Outcomes: As a result of this workshop, participants will be able to:

• Understand How to Use the Keyboard and Mouse
• Understand Desktop Layout and Operations
• Navigate and Operate Windows
• Install and Delete Programs

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English as a Second Language Level

Overview: ESL training will focus on spoken English, but also will cover specific reading and writing skills required at the workplace. The training will be practical. Employees will work on developing vocabulary needed for life and work-related conversations. Emphasis is placed on everyday words and phrases, job instructions, and work orders and documents. The level of vocabulary and grammar depends on the starting level of the class participants. The program is designed using national standards for literacy.

Program Length: 40 hours

Desired Outcomes: Enable service industry personnel to communicate with customers and company management, and to complete current work assignments requiring English skills, and prepare them for future work.

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Business/Retail Mathematics

Overview: This is course is designed to access the math skills of the participant, develop and deliver a prescriptive plan for the participant to progress as far as his or her ability will permit towards the basic and practical math and measurements requirements of the workplace.

This course covers:

• Basic Addition, Subtraction, Multiplication, and Division
• Fractions and Decimals
• Measurements

Program Length: 20 hours

Desired Outcomes: As a result of this workshop, participants will be able to:

• Use Math to Solve Workplace Problems
• Develop the ability to add, subtract, multiply, and divide whole numbers, decimals, and fractions
• Understand the need for accuracy in counting and completing work related documents

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Communication Skills: Interpersonal and Writing

Overview: This course will help participants improve listening, verbal and non verbal interpersonal interactions in the workplace, with customers and in their personal lives. Participants will learn about and apply listening, writing, speaking and behavior skills, and can be used by anyone to further their ability to interact with people. Participants will also build on improving and polish their writing. Program participants will achieve competency in areas of basic grammar essentials, sentence and paragraph structuring, punctuation, capitalization, number usage, and abbreviations, as pertaining to business usage. They will also master the principles and techniques of writing business letters and memoranda, short reports, and proposals, and learn about e-mail etiquette.

Program Length: 40 hours

Desired Outcomes: Improve communication skills to increase effectiveness and prevent misunderstandings. Polish writing techniques to improve written communication required at the workplace.

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