Retail Skills (7384)

Last Updated: 06 Jun 2023
Important Update: All awarding organisations are required by external regulators and funding agencies to regularly review performance and take-up of their products and services. Following a review City & Guilds has come to the difficult decision to no longer offer qualifications in Retail and Warehousing. 
 
When we carry out reviews, there are a wide range of factors that are considered, including the number of learners taking the qualifications, assessment needs, funding, and government plans.  Some qualifications are being retired, which means the published last learner registration date will not be extended. Some qualifications are being withdrawn, which means we will be bringing forward the last registration date for learners. We will of course continue to fully support our customers and learners throughout the life of the qualifications and certification activities.

Please review the revised end registration dates on our website and catalogue.

Covering the skills and knowledge needed for working in a wide range of retail roles, this is available at three levels to help learners find their first job and progress in their careers.

You can download a free Smartcards App to support this qualification from iTunes.
These qualifications are ideal for anyone interested in a career in the retail sector - from job seeker or new entrant to supervisor or manager. At level 3, learners can specialise in areas such as sales, retail management and visual merchandising.

Available to deliver in the following:
  • England
  • Wales – please check QiW website for available funding
  • Scotland
  • Northern Ireland

Interested in delivering this qualification?

Find out more about how to become an approved City & Guilds centre or fill out our online customer application form. 

General Information

What Is Involved In Studying This Course?

You can choose the qualification that demonstrates the specialist knowledge and skills at the level you have developed, such as:

  • Sales
  • Customer support
  • Stock control
  • Processing fresh goods
  • Visual merchandising
  • Management.

You will learn on the job in the work environment and compile a portfolio of evidence for assessment.

Sales Professional - These qualifications allow you to learn, develop and practise the skills required for employment and/or career progression in retail as a sales professional.

Visual Merchandising - These qualifications allow you to learn, develop and practise the skills required for employment and/or career progression in visual merchandising for retail.

Which Level is right for me?

Level 1
These qualifications are for those just starting out in the industry, helping them to learn, develop and practise the skills required for employment and/or career progression in the retail industry.

Level 2
These qualifications allow you to further learn, develop and practise the skills required for employment and/or career progression in the retail industry. At level 2 you can take the certificate as part of the retail apprenticeship.

Level 3
Management - These qualifications allow you to learn, develop and practise the skills required for employment and/or career progression in retail management. They provide the skills element of the advanced retail apprenticeship at diploma size.

What Careers Can This Lead To?
These qualifications can help you to progress in a wide range of retails roles, including:
  • Sales Assistant
  • Supervisor
  • Retail Manager
  • Visual Merchandiser.
What Is Involved With Delivering This Course?

To deliver these qualifications you will need qualified assessors - you can train internal members of staff or recruit specially.

You will also need suitable facilities to carry out the required training to enable learners to achieve industry standards.

Centres currently offering the City & Guilds NVQs in Retail Skills (7536) can gain fast-track approval to offer these qualifications. Download the form for fast-track approval from the centre documents section. 

To find all the resource requirements, download the qualification handbook from the centre documents section.

Level 1

These qualifications are for those just starting out in the industry, helping them to learn, develop and practise the skills required for employment and/or career progression in the retail industry.

There are three qualifications available at this level, with a unit route also available so learners can mix and match or just take individual units for CPD.

Download the latest Smartphone App for Retail Skills Level 1 
Apple App store >>

For details about all units, download the course handbook from the centre documents section.

What Careers Can This Lead To?
These qualifications can help you to progress in a wide range of retails roles, including:
  • Sales Assistant
  • Supervisor
  • Retail Manager
  • Visual Merchandiser.
Level 1 Certificate in Retail Skills (7384-11)
Last Registration Date: 31 Dec 2023 Supportive services: SmartScreen Learning Assistant

Level 1 Certificate in Retail Skills

  • Accreditation No: 600/3948/6 This is a reference number related to UK accreditation framework
  • Type: Credit based qualification This is categorisation to help define qualification attributes e.g. type of assessment
  • Credits: 19 Credits are a measure of the size of the qualification
  • Guided Learning Hours: 63 - 129 This is the average contact time a centre would typically commit
  • Total Qualification Time: 190 The total time for the qualification
  • Key Stage: Data unavailable This shows the equivalent Key Stage level.
  • Last Certification: 31/12/2024 This is the last date that a certificate can be issued
  • Qualification fees in the UK: £60.70 Our typical price is the one that is most often paid by a centre for a completed learner. Some prices are made up of multiple charging points so action like taking difference units or specialisms to complete and resitting assessments may mean the cost for some learners differs.

Level 2

These qualifications allow you to further learn, develop and practise the skills required for employment and/or career progression in the retail industry. At level 2 you can take the certificate as part of the retail apprenticeship.

There are three qualifications available at this level. A unit route is also available so learners can mix and match or just take individual units for CPD.

    Download the latest Smartphone App for Retail Skills Level 2
    Apple App store >>

    For details about all units, download the course handbook from the centre documents section.
What Careers Can This Lead To?
These qualifications can help you to progress in a wide range of retails roles, including:
  • Sales Assistant
  • Supervisor
  • Retail Manager
  • Visual Merchandiser.
Level 2 Certificate in Retail Skills (7384-21)
Last Registration Date: 31 Aug 2024 Supportive services: Learning Assistant

Level 2 Certificate in Retail Skills

  • Accreditation No: 600/4065/8 This is a reference number related to UK accreditation framework
  • Type: Credit based qualification This is categorisation to help define qualification attributes e.g. type of assessment
  • Credits: 24 Credits are a measure of the size of the qualification
  • Guided Learning Hours: 73 - 167 This is the average contact time a centre would typically commit
  • Total Qualification Time: 240 The total time for the qualification
  • Key Stage: Data unavailable This shows the equivalent Key Stage level.
  • Last Certification: 31/08/2026 This is the last date that a certificate can be issued
  • Qualification fees in the UK: £74.20 Our typical price is the one that is most often paid by a centre for a completed learner. Some prices are made up of multiple charging points so action like taking difference units or specialisms to complete and resitting assessments may mean the cost for some learners differs.
Level 2 Diploma in Retail Skills (7384-22)
Last Registration Date: 31 Aug 2024 Supportive services: Learning Assistant

Level 2 Diploma in Retail Skills

  • Accreditation No: 600/3960/7 This is a reference number related to UK accreditation framework
  • Type: Credit based qualification This is categorisation to help define qualification attributes e.g. type of assessment
  • Credits: 37 Credits are a measure of the size of the qualification
  • Guided Learning Hours: 115 - 261 This is the average contact time a centre would typically commit
  • Total Qualification Time: 370 The total time for the qualification
  • Key Stage: Data unavailable This shows the equivalent Key Stage level.
  • Last Certification: 31/08/2026 This is the last date that a certificate can be issued
  • Qualification fees in the UK: £110.70 Our typical price is the one that is most often paid by a centre for a completed learner. Some prices are made up of multiple charging points so action like taking difference units or specialisms to complete and resitting assessments may mean the cost for some learners differs.

Level 3

These qualifications allow candidates to learn, develop and practise the skills required for employment and/or career progression in retail management, or in retail as a sales professional or visual merchandising specialist.

There are six qualifications available at this level. A unit route is also available so learners can mix and match or just take individual units for CPD.

For details about all units, download the course handbook from the centre documents section.

What Careers Can This Lead To?
These qualifications can help you to progress in a wide range of retails roles, including:
  • Sales Assistant
  • Supervisor
  • Retail Manager
  • Visual Merchandiser.
Level 3 Diploma in Retail Skills (Management) (7384-33)
Last Registration Date: 31 Aug 2024 Supportive services: Learning Assistant

Level 3 Diploma in Retail Skills (Management)

  • Accreditation No: 600/4064/6 This is a reference number related to UK accreditation framework
  • Type: Credit based qualification This is categorisation to help define qualification attributes e.g. type of assessment
  • Credits: 43 Credits are a measure of the size of the qualification
  • Guided Learning Hours: 199 - 246 This is the average contact time a centre would typically commit
  • Total Qualification Time: 430 The total time for the qualification
  • Key Stage: Data unavailable This shows the equivalent Key Stage level.
  • Last Certification: 31/08/2027 This is the last date that a certificate can be issued
  • Qualification fees in the UK: £121.70 Our typical price is the one that is most often paid by a centre for a completed learner. Some prices are made up of multiple charging points so action like taking difference units or specialisms to complete and resitting assessments may mean the cost for some learners differs.

Additional information for centres

Smart Screen

SMARTSCREEN IS AVAILABLE FOR THIS QUALIFICATION

SmartScreen is our online portal for tutor, assessors and learners that provides unit-specific support materials and tutor forums to complement the delivery and learning experience

Visit Smartscreen.co.uk >

Learning Assistant

LEARNING ASSISTANT IS AVAILABLE FOR THIS QUALIFICATION

Learning Assistant is an innovative and cost effective e-portfolio solution that allows colleges and training providers to dramatically improve the delivery of their vocational qualifications.

Learn more about Learning Assistant >

Here you can find all documents related to this suite of qualifications.

By clicking on the section headings below, you can access a variety of documents such as the qualification handbooks and assessment materials, Statements of Purpose, and recognition letters from industry and employers.

Some documents may be password protected. Passwords can be retrieved by logging in to Walled Garden and visiting the Administration section of the relevant qualification catalogue page.

Interested in delivering this qualification?

Find out more about how to become an approved City & Guilds centre or fill out our online customer application form. 

7384 Level 1

Centre documents

7384 Level 2

Centre documents

7384 Level 3

Centre documents

Assessment materials

Centre documents

Purpose and Recognition

19 Plus

Purpose

Explore our wider maths & English offer

Our maths & English qualifications underpin our apprenticeships and technical qualifications. They build learners’ confidence with the core skills required for employment, including the capacity to problem solve and use technology effectively. They are also key to triggering conditions of funding.

Find out more

For Learners

Related Qualifications

Browse some of our related qualifications:

> (7519) Retail

> (1013) Retail Knowledge