FRANKFORT, KY (Nov. 21, 2024) — During National Apprenticeship Week (Nov. 17-23), the Kentucky Retail Institute (KRI) is spotlighting their innovative Retail Leaders Apprenticeship Program, designed to equip employees for success while helping businesses find and retain reliable, quality workers.
Launched in 2022, the Retail Leaders Apprenticeship Program provides on-the-job education and training for high school students and working adults wanting to expand their skill sets and advance their careers. As a certified U.S. Department of Labor apprenticeship, this program empowers participants to obtain a nationally recognized certificate upon completion — as a Retail Operations Specialist.
“The retail industry is America’s largest private-sector employer, supporting one in every four jobs nationwide,” said Cassie Grigsby, president of the Kentucky Retail Institute. “It is vital to cultivate and train the workforce that retailers need for success, both today and in the years to come; and the Retail Leaders Apprenticeship Program is a key part of the solution here in the Commonwealth.”
Through this 2,000-hour year-long program, apprentices work as paid employees — learning the entire scope of retail operations, including customer service, loss prevention, logistics, merchandising, accounting and more. KRI partnered with the MBA Research & Curriculum Center to develop a comprehensive, industry-driven curriculum through input by a diverse focus group of retailers.
“The Retail Leaders Apprenticeship Program offers workers a pathway to a successful career while helping employers build a more competitive, long-term talent pipeline,” added Grigsby. “Whether you are an employee wanting to learn more about the ins and outs of operating a retail business, or an employer seeking new apprentices and staff, we encourage you to reach out.”
Employers, educators, students and working adults interested in learning more and participating in the program can visit RetailLeadersProgram.com.
The Kentucky Education and Labor Cabinet announced this week that there were a record 6,639 total active apprentices across the Commonwealth in 2023 — a 15% increase from 2022 and a 200% increase from 2013. In Kentucky, the median starting wage for individuals completing a registered apprenticeship program is $55,366 in the first year of employment; and that figure increases to $71,295 by the 10th year of employment.
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About The Kentucky Retail Institute, Inc.
The Kentucky Retail Institute, Inc. (KRI) promotes the retail industry through education and workforce development. KRI created the Retail Leaders Apprenticeship Program to bridge the gap between industry and education and grow Kentucky’s retail workforce.
