Training as a retail specialist: Experience report by lecturer Daniel Ruch - qualifying for a store management position in the retail trade

Portrait-Foto Daniel Ruch
Daniel Ruch

Please tell us about your career to date.

My name is Daniel Ruch and I am 59 years old. At the vocational school for the retail trade in Bern - bsd. Bern - I have one of my lecturer mandates in the retail trade specialist course. I have been self-employed for 3.5 years. I originally trained in a commercial profession, completed a commercial apprenticeship and then moved into marketing.

Who is the Retail Trade Specialist course particularly suitable for?

The retail trade specialist course is ideal for people who work in the retail trade and have decided to take on more responsibility and become a more competent contact person for managers and employees. Retail specialists qualify for the next step in their retail career.

What requirements must participants fulfill for the training?

fulfill the requirements of a retail trade specialist?

Ideally, people should have a federal certificate of proficiency or a vocational certificate from the retail trade as basic training and have the required professional experience. It is also possible to gain access via corresponding retail trade experience of at least 10 years. This also qualifies interested persons to start the retail trade specialist course.

Gruppenarbeit bei der Detailhandelsspezialist-Ausbildung

What career opportunities do graduates have after completing the course?

The retail specialist course enables you to work in a higher-qualified position. Personally, I am always pleased when I hear from former participants who are able to take over a branch or manage an important department in a larger company.

What do students learn in continuing education

Retail trade specialist?

The Retail Trade Specialist course covers the following five module topics:

  • Company and environment
  • Personnel management and leadership
  • Finance and accounting
  • Procurement and logistics
  • Sales and marketing

The 5 modules of the retail trade specialist program are used for overall development - because it opens up the focus. The aim is to use the existing basis to expand expertise across these five modules.

Teamarbeit bei der Ausbildung Detailhandelsspezialist

How is the retail specialist course structured?

At bsd. Bern, we make our lessons interactive. We believe that interaction is one of the success factors in learning. This teaching method is supplemented in the retail trade specialist course with individual work, pair work and group work. However, self-organized learning time is just as fundamental for processing the learning material.

In addition to class attendance, what is expected in terms of preparation and follow-up?

Reviewing the lessons afterwards and preparing for the new module before the start is very important for the retail trade specialist course. It requires very active participation in the lessons and also independent repetition and processing of the learning material.

An der Schule bsd. Bern zum Detailhandelsspezialist ausbilden

What support do participants receive and are learning assessments carried out?

Our students receive support from me at all times. I am available for them 24 hours a day, even outside of work or school hours. I then try to answer them as best I can. If there is not enough time, they will definitely receive an answer in my next lesson. The level of education of the students in the retail trade specialist course is determined by two learning assessments.

What makes the training location bsd. Bern particularly interesting for those interested in training?

At the bsd. Bern offers two variants of the retail trade specialist course - an intensive course lasting two semesters and the normal course lasting three semesters. Students also come to us from further afield, such as Aarau, Biel, Thun or Valais, to complete the desired course variant. In addition, Bern is easily accessible by both public and private transport.

Sekretariat im Bildungsinstitut bsd. Bern

Why should students choose bsd. Bern?

The bsd. Bern is located in a historic building that I really like. The school has also acquired a good reputation over the years. This is also reflected in the very good examination results of our graduates of the retail trade specialist course. These facts certainly speak in favor of choosing the educational institute bsd. Bern educational institute.

How do you experience the participants in class?

I find the participants very motivated. It's really these people who decide to do the retail specialist course, who really want to do it. They want to take a step forward professionally and develop within the company. I've hardly ever had anyone on such a course who didn't have a certain amount of self-motivation. Adult education is usually attended on a voluntary basis.

Schule bsd. Bern von innen

How do you find the organization of the retail trade specialist course?

I find the organization of the retail trade specialist course to be extremely professional. There is good communication with the school management and the secretariat. There is a great dialog. For me as a lecturer, the cooperation is absolutely great.

How do the internal module examinations work?

The internal module examinations for retail trade specialists consist of five partial examinations that conclude each module. Passing all of these modules qualifies students to take the federal professional examination.

What is the procedure for the federal professional examination?

The federal vocational examination for retail trade specialists includes a case study, which is sent to the students. This is worked on, solved and submitted independently at home. There is also a group assignment. The case study is presented at the federal examination and questions are then asked by the examination expert.

Overview of retail trade specialist providers