Young retailers looking to make their mark in the industry are running out of time to enter The National Retailers Association (NRA) Young Retailer of the Year awards.
The competition, which aims to promote retailing as a career of choice for young people, is open to retailers under the age of 25, but will close the application deadline on June 8, 2012.
The winner and runner-up will be awarded a trophy and $1,000 for their success in front of their peers and close to 200 retail executives, with the winner to also win a place on the 2013 Westfield World Retail Study Tour.
The Westfield World Retail Study Tour aims to educate and inspire retailers and includes travel across five of the world’s major retail capitals, including Tokyo, New York, Paris, London and Milan.
Members of the tour have the opportunity to attend over 50 retail-related presentations and workshops, plus behind-the-scenes sessions at retailers’ head offices, and meet some of the world’s best retailers and learn their strategies and secrets first-hand.
Interested applicants must be born on or after October 1, 1987 to be eligible to enter and should include information about their history of employment, training, achievements, future ambitions and a business improvement plan in the submission.
There are no restrictions on the number of entries that can be submitted per store or per state, and all entrants into the competition will receive a complimentary ticket to the retail workshop, with finalists also to receive a complimentary ticket to the Gala Dinner and Awards Ceremony in Melbourne on August 1.
As reported previously on ragtrader.com.au, last year, the 2011 Young Retailer of the Year, Kmart Tamworth's general merchandise manager Jennifer Skeahan-Heugh, won a place on the 2011 Westfield World Retail Study Tour, which began on May 9 this year, visiting Tokyo, New York, London, Paris and Milan.
ragtrader.com.au will publish an article by Skeahan-Heugh next week, detailing her learnings on the trip and inside information on the top fashion retailers visited.
For more information on the NRA Young Retailer of the Year awards and how to enter, click here.