Sales assistant

You could do a college course in retail skills or retail knowledge, to help prepare you for work as a sales assistant.

Entry requirements

Entry requirements for these courses vary.

You could apply to do a Retail Service, Supply and Administration Level 2 Foundation Apprenticeship, or a Retailer Level 2 Intermediate Apprenticeship, with a shop or supermarket.

Foundation apprenticeship

You can apply for a foundation apprenticeship if you're aged 16 to 21.

If you're aged 22 to 24, you can apply if you:

• have an education, health and care (EHC) plan
• are in care or have been in care
• are in prison or have been in prison

Entry requirements

You'll usually need:

• no specific qualifications or experience to apply for a foundation apprenticeship

• some GCSEs, usually including English and maths, or equivalent, for an intermediate apprenticeship

More Information

• equivalent entry requirements|https://www.gov.uk/what-different-qualification-levels-mean/list-of-qualification-levels
• guide to apprenticeships|https://www.gov.uk/apprenticeships-guide

You could start as a temporary sales assistant and work at the weekend or during a busy season like Christmas.

You could then apply for a permanent role after getting some experience.

Volunteering in a charity shop is a great way to pick up customer service and retail skills. To do this, contact charities about vacancies or simply drop in to your local shop and speak to the staff. Experience gained here could help you to find paid work.

You can apply directly for sales assistant jobs. It will be helpful if you have retail or customer service experience though this is not essential.

Some employers may want you to have GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C), such as English and maths.

Career Tips

When applying for sales assistant jobs, it can help if you:

• are confident about selling
• have a positive and helpful attitude
• get on well with a range of different people

You'll find opportunities in all types of retail, including clothing and footwear, electronic and household items, garden and pet supplies, and food and drink.

As a sales assistant you would:

• answer customer questions about products
• serve customers at tills and handle returned good and refunds
• unpack deliveries, stock shelves and arrange displays
• price up and rotate stock
• take part in promotional events in store
• keep the store clean and tidy

You could work at a store, in a stock room or at a garden centre.

Your working environment may be physically demanding.

You may need to wear a uniform.