Continuing to Upskill

Last April, our industry-driven Retail Management Certificate was formally recognized at the White House, during an important convening on Upskilling America, a call to action to help low-wage workers train for better jobs with bigger paychecks.

One-year later, 100 employers employing 5 million workers have upskilled tens of thousands of frontline workers. This includes the amazing work of our participating companies and our community college partners.  Retail Management Certificate participating companies represent a significant “employer voice”, and our commitment is directly in line with the President’s call to action to equip front-line workers with the skills they need to advance in their careers.

Read the latest update or visit the Upskill America website for more information.

View original blog post recognizing the WAFC and Retail Management Certificate.

 

California Grocers Association makes enhancements to their Tuition Reimbursement Program

The California Grocers Association (CGA) has announced enhancements to their Tuition Reimbursement Program.

Retail Management Certificate tuition and textbooks are eligible for reimbursement for any company that is a member of CGA.

cga-tuitionBrianne Page may be reached at: 916-448-3545 / bpage@cagrocers.com.

Smith’s President to Retire

Jay Cummins, President Smith's

After 44 years with The Kroger Co.’s Smith’s President Jay Cummins plans to retire on April 29, 2016. His successor will be announced at a later date.

Cummins began his Kroger career as a clerk in 1972 in Huntington Beach, California. In the following years, he served in positions of increasing responsibility in store and district management and in grocery merchandising for the company’s Food 4 Less.  In 2004, he was named president of the Food 4 Less division. Cummins was named president of the Mid-Atlantic division in 2007 before assuming his current role in 2014.

Cummins currently  serves on the board of the Western Association of Food Chains and is a champion for the Retail Management Certificate.

“Working with Jay Cummins is an honor. He is a key supporter of the Retail Management Certificate and we will miss his energy and enthusiasm. I’ll never forget traveling with him to three states to promote the Retail Management Certificate Program to his employees. He is always encouraging his employees to pursue their certificate,” said Cherie Phipps, WAFC – Director, Retail Management Certificate.

Read the full story online.

Nominations Open for 2016 Top Women in Grocery

Nominations are now being accepted for Progressive Grocer’s 2016 Top Women in Grocery awards program, which recognizes the integral role women play across all segments of the retail food industry.

This year marks Top Women in Grocery’s 10th anniversary, for a special commemorative celebration is being planned in late 2016. Additional details will be forthcoming as the date of the gala draws closer.

Nominations are open to women across all sectors of the grocery industry – for above-and-beyond achievements logged between April 2015 and March 1, 2016 – from the retailer/wholesaler and supplier/vendor communities in three categories:

Senior-level Executives (title of Vice President or higher)
Rising Stars (titles lower than Vice President)
Store Managers (titles of Store Manager, Store Director, Area/Region Director)

Deadline for applications is March 18, 2016.

Progressive Grocer will notify all winners/companies by April 29, 2016.

For more information or to nominate a 2016 Top Women in Grocery

 

Giving People The Tools To Do The Job Is Smart Business at K-VA-T

K-VA-T’s Director of Training, Barbara Thomas believes that giving people all the tools necessary to do the best job possible is vitally important. Wanting to give their employees the tools for success, Ms. Thomas began researching Retail Management Certificate Programs and quickly discovered the Retail Management Certificate created by the Western Association of Food Chains (WAFC) and endorsed by leading organizations such as the Food Marketing Institute (FMI) and several state grocery associations. To get started, Ms. Thomas contacted Rob Ikard at the Tennessee Grocers & Convenience Stores Association and others in the industry to garner support for the WAFC’s Retail Management Certificate in Tennessee.

Currently, the program is awaiting final review and approval from Dr. Warren Nichols, vice chancellor of the Tennessee Board of Regents. The program is expected to launch in Tennessee later this year.

To learn more about the program in Tennessee, read the full article in the Shelby Report.

Congratulations to the 2015 Top Women in Grocery

In November 2015, a slate of 300 women hailing from some of the most admired organizations in the U.S. supermarket industry were named as 2015 Top Women in Grocery by Progressive Grocer. The Top Women in Grocery awards program recognizes the integral role women play across all areas of the dynamic retail food industry within the retailer and supplier communities in three sectors: Senior- Level Executives, Rising Stars and Store Managers.

See the full list of winners

 

Food Retail Myths

Food retailers are in business to serve their customers by providing safe, nutritious, affordable food and food safety is the number-one priority for supermarkets.  Unfortunately, sometimes myths and common misunderstandings about the way in which supermarkets do business occur. Thanks to our friends at FMI, they are busting those myths and telling the real story.

Common myths include:

MYTH: Grocery industry revenue is slowing.

MYTH: Nearly identical items may have different prices.

MYTH: Many grocery store jobs are low-paying and employment options at grocery stores are drying up in the U.S.

MYTH: Most Grocery Shoppers are Women.

READ THE FULL STORY

Getting Ahead in Food Retail

The Retail Management Certificate was recently featured in a blog post on the Food Marketing Institute website as a program that supports career growth and aligns with the growing need for education beyond High School. Some key takeaways from the story:

According to the U.S. Department of Labor:

  • 68 percent of U.S. jobs by 2018—including the grocery industry—will require a credential, if not a degree.
  • In 2010, only 30 percent of adults ages 25 or older had a bachelor’s degree or higher and for those working in the grocery industry that number drops to only 14 to 20 percent.
  • Education is going to be key for those working in the food retail industry to progress their careers and for employers to retain quality talent.

Read the full story on FMI’s website.

Retail Management Certificate Presentations

IMG_7614Cherie Phipps, WAFC – Director, Retail Management Certificate, joined Smith’s Senior executive team over a 3-day period Salt Lake City, Albuquerque, and Las Vegas.  The sessions, sponsored by the resource group called “Women’s Edge”, reached over 500 people with the message about how the Retail Management Certificate Program can help associates achieve their personal and professional goals.

As part of the event in Las Vegas, Angel Sherman was awarded her WAFC/Smith’s Retail Management Certificate. She was honored in front of 150 fellow Smith’s employees during a session where the Retail Management Certificate program was introduced.  Colleen Juergensen, a Senior Executive for Smiths presented the certificate.

 

El Centro offers ‘super’ Retail Management Certificate

El Centro College has partnered with the Western Association of Food Chains (WAFC) to provide a new Retail Management Certificate as part of this industry organization’s ongoing mission to provide quality education and career opportunities for their employees.

The White House recently lauded the Retail Management Certificate as part of President Barack Obama’s Upskill Initiative that focuses on realizing the full potential of America’s workforce by empowering Americans with the education and training needed to develop new skills and earn higher wages. The El Centro College certificate consists of nine separate classes ranging from “Principles of Management” to “Business Technology.” The academic credits received from these classes may be used toward eventually earning an associate or bachelor’s degree, if a student desires to continue learning beyond the certificate program.

“We are elated to bring this wonderful certificate program to El Centro College,” said Bryan Kaltenbach, WAFC president and chairman and president of Food4Less/Foods Co., a division of Kroger. “It’s important that we provide American workers with the skills and education to remain competitive in the world market. Dallas has long been a city that thrives on good management and entrepreneurial spirit, and we are honored to continue with that legacy.”

Beginning this fall, all of the retail management certificate classes will be available for both full-time and part-time students and will be offered in a 16-week or 8-week format, as well as a 5-week accelerated format during the summer. Courses will be taught both online and in traditional classroom formats. El Centro faculty have already agreed to teach some of these classes directly on-site of employers and other convenient locations.

Only two other colleges in Texas – Tyler Junior College and Tarrant County College – currently offer the WAFC certificate program. Nationwide, more than 15.6 million people currently work in the retail trade sector, including those employed by food and beverage stores, including supermarkets and membership warehouse clubs, gasoline stations and convenience stores, and other various subsectors of retail, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

“We understand the busy schedule of these new students, who are already working their way up in the retail sector,” said Lea Davis, El Centro business administration and management faculty chair. “We want to provide an opportunity for these employees to enhance their skills and have a better chance at getting a promotion in their respective companies and throughout this industry.” Davis added that although the certificate program was initially created at the bequest of the food chain sector, the integrated curriculum is applicable to all aspects of management throughout the retail industry.

William Whitsett, a student from the state of Washington, recently completed the WAFC program and subsequently saw his salary almost double. “It’s an excellent educational program that has helped catapult me ahead in a successful retail career,” Whitsett said. “What you folks are doing at the WAFC is something special, and if continued, it will change the retail industry for the better, for many generations to come.”

Whitsett’s personal experience mirrors President Obama’s strong desire for businesses to help workers of all ages earn an opportunity at better, higher-paying jobs, even if they do not have a higher education.

The Western Association of Food Chains is the recognized leader in identifying and facilitating food industry-related educational programming that helps food industry associates become leaders within the industry. While not entirely constrained geographically, the focus for these efforts remains rooted in the 14 western states of the United States, including Texas.

The Business Administration and Management programs at El Centro College provide training in a wide range of business-related topics including accounting, marketing, economics, human resources, management, and technology, all combined to help students develop skills in teamwork and leadership, motivation, and communications.