As a Retail and Enterprise Pathway student you will learn relevant, industry standard, vocational retail skills.
Retail and enterprise skills you will learn at Derwen College include areas such as Communication and Customer Care, Handling ICT and Sales, Printing and Advertising, and Employability Skills.You will learn in classroom settings and also in work-based areas on the Retail and Enterprise pathway. For example, the Garden Centre and Gift Shop and Stock Room, Karten Print Shop and Stock Room, and The Vintage Advantage, our on-site charity shop all provide real work based sessions.
Watch The Vintage Advantage’s recent feature on ITV Central News.
We invite you to find out more about Retail and Enterprise Pathway. Join us for our Summer Virtual Open Day event on Saturday 26th June.The event for residential and day students wanting to attend our Gobowen site will take place 10-11am. Please register via GoToWebinar here. If you have any questions about this or any other virtual events we are attending, or for more information about applying to Derwen College, please visit the Admissions page. You can also contact the Admissions team on: 01691 779225 |
You can gain relevant Retail and Enterprise accreditation with the following qualifications.
Qualifications are appropriate to your learning needs:
- BTEC Award in Vocational Studies Entry 3 / Level 1.
- City & Guilds Skills for Working Life Entry 1 / Entry 2.
- Agored Cymru Extended Award in Retail and Admin Entry 1 / Entry 2.
Your communication, social, independence, reading, writing and numeracy skills will expand and grow through your time on the retail pathway. In addition, you will have access to discrete maths and English sessions if appropriate.
Derwen continuously recognises students’ progress and achievements. Recognition includes regular awards, such as ‘Student of the Term’ – which, in Spring 2021, has been awarded to Mary (right) for her excellent work.
Read about Charlotte, one of our former students, and her journey at Derwen.
Work placements
As your retail skills progress, subsequently you will be able to undertake internal work placements. Work placements give you the opportunity to do vocational jobs in a familiar environment before moving on to an external placement.
Initially you will be offered external work placement activities to boost your confidence at work. During these activities, like bag packing, training days and tours, you will broaden your work and social skills. Consequently the strong links we have with these local teams and national businesses allows us to provide you with a quality external work placement, including at:
- Gobowen Library
- British Heart Foundation
- Oswestry Market
- Nightingales
- Co-op
- Spar
- Premier Inn Reception
Other opportunities on the Retail and Enterprise pathway
Other opportunities as a retail and enterprise pathway student include taking part in Inclusive Skills, in competitions such as Visual Merchandising and IT. Similarly you can also get involved in charity and community events. Students enjoy bag packing at Tesco, Sainsbury’s and Morrisons which also raises money for Derwen Charity. In addition, retail and enterprise students also attend Oswestry Accessibility Meetings. Here they voice their opinions relating to accessibility in and around the local area.
How to Apply
Further information can be provided by the Admissions Team on:
Tel: 01691 779225 or Email: admissions@derwen.ac.uk
Keep up to date with the Retail and Enterprise Pathway on Twitter and Instagram.
