EDUCATION FOR INDUSTRY GROUP WORKS IN PARTNERSHIP WITH YOU TO DELIVER EXPERT-LED EDUCATION AND TRAINING FOR FUTURE LEADERS IN FASHION, BEAUTY, RETAIL AND MORE.
EFI Group encompasses the Fashion Retail Academy, the London College of Beauty Therapy, EFI Training and EFI Awards. We specialise in creating programmes designed to meet the skills needs of industry, from full-time diplomas and accelerated degrees for learners aged 16 and up, to apprenticeships and bespoke workforce development solutions for businesses.
Through our industry-led, sector-specific education and training, we have produced thousands of jobready graduates and upskilled thousands more professionals who work across hundreds of leading UK fashion, beauty and retail brands.
Whatever your business goals, we can ensure your people are ready to achieve them: whether that’s through attracting and retaining the next generation of industry talent, or future-proofing your existing workforce with tailored skills development.
PROGRAMMES DESIGNED FOR SUCCESS BY INDUSTRY EXPERTS
A LEADING EDUCATION CHARITY, DEDICATED
TO SHAPING THE INDUSTRY LEADERS OF TOMORROW
APPRENTICESHIPS RATED OUTSTANDING BY OFSTED
CENTRAL LONDON LOCATIONS WITH DEDICATED BUSINESS TRAINING SUITES
UNRIVALLED ACCESS TO THE NEXT
GENERATION OF FASHION & BEAUTY TALENT
DELIVERING OPPORTUNITY FOR ALL, REGARDLESS OF BACKGROUND OR CIRCUMSTANCE
APPRENTICESHIPS
An apprenticeship is an opportunity for an individual to train on the job and can be used to give training support to existing team members as well as new hires. They give people that may not have achieved at school the opportunity to gain some formal qualifications. They also enable individuals to gain another skill different from the path that they originally chose. E.g. Degree in agriculture but now wants to train in commercial retail.
We offer over 22 different apprenticeship opportunities that can be utilised for retention, upskilling and succession planning. Funding for apprenticeships is available through your apprenticeship levy and there are also government funding available alongside other incentives.
of employers said apprenticeships helped them develop skills relevant to their organisation* of employers said apprenticeships helped them improve productivity* of employers said apprenticeships helped them improve the quality of their product* or service
*source: National Apprenticeships Service
CUSTOMER SERVICE & SALES
LEVEL 2
BEAUTY & MAKE-UP CONSULTANT
DEVELOP PRODUCT KNOWLEDGE, CUSTOMER ENGAGEMENT AND SALES SKILLS THAT INSPIRE LOYALTY
Grow staff into confident, trusted brand ambassadors capable of maximising beauty and make-up sales in fast-paced retail environments through expert consultation and tailored product knowledge across skincare, cosmetics, perfume and related categories.
COST
£3,000 per learner
12 months
LEVEL 2
CUSTOMER SERVICE PRACTITIONER
CULTIVATE CONFIDENT FRONT-LINE REPRESENTATIVES TO DELIVER POSITIVE CUSTOMER EXPERIENCES
Develop communication and problemsolving skills in staff responsible for front-line customer interaction across a range of channels. Build awareness of customer expectations, high-quality service provision and confidence in handling complaint to ensure satisfaction and loyalty.
COST DURATION
£3,500 per learner
DURATION
12 months
LEVEL 2
RETAIL ASSISTANT
BUILD RETAIL TEAMS THAT DELIVER ON SALES TARGETS AND REPRESENT YOUR BRAND WITH PRIDE
Support shop-floor sales teams to improve product knowledge, selling skills, and understanding of retail operations. Drive sales with staff confident in upselling and crossselling, customer engagement, and maintaining safety and presentation standards for exceptional experiences.
COST
£5,000 per learner
DURATION
12 months
LEVEL 3
CUSTOMER SERVICE SPECIALIST
DRIVE LOYALTY AND RETENTION WITH HIGH-PERFORMING CUSTOMER SUPPORT SPECIALISTS
Build confidence in navigating complex queries and complaint escalation, while improving service processes and standards through coaching junior team members. Embed data analysis and insight in front-line team leadership to support day-to-day excellence in customer service.
COST
£4,000 per learner
DURATION
12 months
LEVEL 3
TRAVEL CONSULTANT
MAXIMISE REVENUE WITH CONFIDENT TRAVEL AGENTS PROVIDING FIRST-CLASS CUSTOMER EXPERIENCES
Support staff in designing and booking complex travel arrangements for leisure or corporate clients, ensuring a seamless and personalised experience. Develop skills in communication, sales consultation and use of technology to deliver tailored travel solutions that exceed customer expectations.
COST DURATION
£7,000 per learner
12 months
LEVEL 4
BUYING & MERCHANDISING ASSISTANT
DEVELOP JUNIOR TALENT TO DELIVER THE RIGHT PRODUCT AT THE RIGHT TIME FOR MAXIMUM SALES
Understand the selection, development and stock management process to meet customer demand and business objectives. Develop skills in trend analysis, supplier coordination and problem solving to deliver a product offer that keeps customers coming back.
£6,000 per learner
DURATION
15 months
LEVEL 6 COST
ASSISTANT BUYER/ MERCHANDISER
EMPOWER BUYING AND MERCHANDISING TEAMS TO SHAPE PRODUCT STRATEGY AND DRIVE PROFITABILITY
Develop forecasting, negotiation and commercial planning skills to deliver product ranges that align with brand strategy and customer expectations. Build an agile and high-performing buying and merchandising department who manage complex assortments and budgets with ease.
COST
£10,000 per learner
DURATION
18 months
LEVEL 2
ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT
STRENGTHEN DAY-TO-DAY OPERATIONS WITH PRACTICAL ADMINISTRATIVE SUPPORT
Supports the smooth operation of business functions by applying core organisational, communication, and digital skills to the routine administrative tasks that underpin effective office management. An ideal entry point to build a pipeline of capable administrative talent in your business.
£6,000 per learner
DURATION
12 months
BUSINESS ADMINISTRATOR
DEVELOP AGILE AND COMMERCIALLYAWARE ADMINISTRATORS TO SUPPORT EVERY BUSINESS AREA
Build transferrable skills in communication, IT, problem-solving, and project coordination that can be deployed in any part of your business. Strengthen understanding of collaborative working and efficient operations to boost productivity and create adaptable, solutions-focused teams.
LEVEL 3 COST COST
£5,000 per learner
DURATION
12 months
LEVEL 3
TEAM LEADER
EMPOWER CONFIDENT, CAPABLE LEADERS TO INSPIRE TEAMS AND DRIVE PERFORMANCE
Develop junior staff into Team Leaders or Supervisors with this apprenticeship covering fundamental skills in managing people and projects to drive productivity. Learners will take a first step into management and gain knowledge of resource planning, objective setting and progress monitoring to improve retention and motivation.
£5,000 per learner
DURATION
12 months
LEVEL 3 COST
TEAM
LEADER FOR BEAUTY RETAIL
DRIVE STANDARDS IN BEAUTY RETAIL WITH CONFIDENT, CAPABLE TEAM LEADERS
Develop junior staff into effective Team Leaders, combining fundamental skills in people management with product expertise to drive sales and customer loyalty. Improve team coordination and decision-making, as well as deepening knowledge of beauty consultation and best practice in presentation and hygiene.
COST
£5,000 per learner
DURATION
12 months
LEADERSHIP & MANAGEMENT
TEAM LEADER FOR LUXURY RETAIL
CULTIVATE TEAM LEADERS WITH THE SKILL TO DELIVER EXCELLENCE FOR LUXURY CONSUMERS
Develop junior staff into commerciallyaware people managers to deliver exceptional service in high-end retail environments. Learners will gain confidence in coaching to drive sales performance, and a deep understanding of brand standards to elevate every transaction to an experience.
£5,000 per learner
12 months
TEAM LEADER FOR RETAIL
BUILD OPERATIONAL, LEADERSHIP AND CUSTOMER SERVICE SKILLS FOR SHOP-FLOOR TEAMS
Blend core skills in leadership, communication and performance management with expertise in retail operations to develop motivational supervisors for in-store sales teams. Improve understanding of merchandising, stock and standards help to drive customer engagement and sakes.
EMPOWER SUPERVISORS TO DRIVE EXCEPTIONAL STANDARDS IN VISUAL MERCHANDISING AND DISPLAY
Designed for those in visual merchandising and store presentation roles, this apprenticeship builds confident leaders who can coach and inspire junior team members. Maintain high standards that drive sales and brand engagement through the development of creative visual communication skills and resultsdriven leadership.
£5,000 per learner
DURATION
12 months
LEVEL 3 COST
TEAM LEADER FOR JEWELLERY RETAIL
DEVELOP CONFIDENT RETAIL TEAM LEADERS WITH JET1-CERTIFIED JEWELLERY EXPERTISE
Our exclusive Team Leader for Jewellery Retail apprenticeship, created in partnership with the National Association of Jewellers, embeds the industry standard JET1 certificate within a programme encompassing leadership, sales and operational skills to cultivate jewellery specialists able to inspire and motivate teams.
COST
£5,000 per learner
DURATION
12 months
& MANAGEMENT
RETAIL MANAGER
CREATE A PIPELINE OF COMMERCIALLY-FOCUSED AND MOTIVATIONAL STORE LEADERSHIP
Support the development of confident and capable store managers who deliver sales targets, outstanding customer service and operational excellence through leading by example. Foster a coaching mentality that inspires high-performing sales teams, champions brand standards and drives maximum profit.
£5,000 per learner
LEVEL 4 COST DURATION
12 months
COACHING PROFESSIONAL
DEVELOP AN ORGANISATIONAL COACHING CULTURE TO DRIVE PRODUCTIVITY AND RETENTION
Upskill individuals to enhance professional performance across teams and departments through structured, non-directive approaches. By building advanced interpersonal skills and emotional intelligence, learners will understand how to drive behavioural change to unlock potential and lead transformation.
£5,000 per learner
LEVEL 5 COST DURATION
15 months
COACHING PROFESSIONAL FOR RETAIL
EMBED COACHING SKILLS ACROSS THE RETAIL STRUCTURE TO ENHANCE PERFORMANCE AND IMPROVEMENT
Grow skills to improve productivity and retention for individuals and teams through advanced change and performance management methods. Develop coaches who lead by example for motivated, high-performing teams in retail contexts including shop floor, head office and supply chain.
LEVEL 5 COST
£5,000 per learner
DURATION
15 months
OPERATIONS MANAGER
STRENGTHEN YOUR MANAGEMENT PIPELINE WITH CONFIDENT, CAPABLE LEADERS WHO DELIVER RESULTS
Equip departmental leaders and project managers with the strategic thinking and resource planning skills to achieve business objectives and continuous improvement. Create future-ready leaders capable of driving efficiency and an inclusive, highperformance culture across multiple teams and locations.
LEVEL 5 COST
£9,000 per learner
DURATION
15 months
SUPPLY CHAIN & INVENTORY MANAGEMENT
SUPPLY CHAIN PRACTITIONER
STRENGTHEN SUPPLY CHAINS WITH HIGH-PERFORMING PROCUREMENT, PLANNING AND LOGISTICS TEAMS
Build skills in recording, coordinating and optimising the movement of goods and services to increase efficiency and reduce waste. Support the development of data-driven, riskaware supply chain professionals with practical operational expertise in fastpaced environments.
£10,000 per learner
15 months
PROCUREMENT & SUPPLY CHAIN PRACTITIONER
SUPPORT SUPPLY CHAIN TEAMS WITH STRATEGIC, FORWARDTHINKING LEADERS
Build on core knowledge of supply chain functions with the advanced commercial awareness, negotiation skills and strategic thinking to lead teams. Enable compliant and costefficient decision-making based on market analysis, spend evaluation and risk forecasting.
LEVEL 4 COST COST DURATION DURATION
18 months LEVEL 3
£10,000 per learner
LEVEL 3
CONTENT
CREATOR
BOOST BRAND ENGAGEMENT WITH TEAMS WHO DELIVER THE RIGHT MESSAGE AT THE RIGHT TIME
Cultivate skills in creative storytelling, digital production and audience engagement for staff working in marketing, communications and social media. Empower teams to create powerful, on-brand written and audio-visual content that resonates with customers across traditional and digital platforms.
£10,000 per learner
DURATION
15 months
MULTI-CHANNEL MARKETER
DEVELOP ADAPTABLE, CUSTOMERFOCUSED MARKETING TEAMS TO CREATE RESULTS-DRIVEN CAMPAIGNS
Progress skills in campaign planning, content creation, and data-driven marketing across a range of platforms to support brand awareness, engagement and growth. Embed understanding of customer needs, ROI and brand reputation and empower your team to deliver measurable impact.
LEVEL 3 COST COST
£11,000 per learner
DURATION
15 months
ANALYTICS, DATA & TECHNOLOGY
LEVEL 4
MARKETING EXECUTIVE
OPTIMISE YOUR MARKETING FUNCTION WITH STRATEGIC, IMPACTFUL AND GROWTH-DRIVEN MARKETERS
Build a broad range of skills in campaign management, stakeholder engagement and market analysis to deliver tactical marketing plans that align with business and customer needs. Increase brand awareness and revenue by growing confidence in multi-channel campaign strategy.
COST DURATION
£6,000 per learner
15 months
FOUNDATION
SOFTWARE
& DATA USER
BUILD CORE DIGITAL AND DATA SKILLS FOR ENTRY-LEVEL TALENT ACROSS A VARIETY OF ROLES
Supports young people to learn fundamental skills in collecting, formatting and validating data, and assisting with basic software development and testing tasks. Develops core digital knowledge and workplace readiness at entry level in data, IT or digital teams. MARKETING &
COST
£4,000 per learner
DURATION
8 months
EMBED DATA LITERACY ACROSS YOUR BUSINESS TO TURN INFORMATION INTO INSIGHT
Build confidence in sourcing, reporting and handling data securely to support business decision-making. Empower junior analysts in a variety of different teams to take raw data from spreadsheets, databases and performance metrics to deliver clear, contextual insights and identify trends.
£12,000 per learner
LEVEL 3 COST DURATION DATA CHAMPION
18 months
LEVEL 4 COST
GAIN BUSINESS-CRITICAL INSIGHT WITH DATA ANALYSIS THAT DRIVES SMARTER DECISION-MAKING
Help those already working in a data-based role to develop analytical thinking, data modelling and storytelling with data. Uncover trends and intelligence to support sales targets, stock management and customer satisfaction with actionable insight from strategic and secure datasets.
EMPOWER ESG ADVOCATES TO CREATE PURPOSEFUL IMPACT FOR PEOPLE AND THE PLANET
Create a culture of positive change within organisations by embedding responsible business practices across all aspects of operations. Cultivate skills in sustainability strategy, stakeholder engagement and ethical governance.
£14,000 per learner
LEVEL 4 COST DURATION
18 months
FASHION & TEXTILES PRODUCT TECHNOLOGIST
EMBED TECHNICAL EXPERTISE THROUGHOUT THE DEVELOPMENT OF TEXTILE PRODUCTS
Builds understanding of the full product lifecycle, including advanced knowledge of materials, production, development and testing to ensure quality, functionality and value. Grow technical proficiency in teams developing apparel, accessories or homeware products.
£9,000 per learner
LEVEL 4 COST DURATION
18 months
APPRENTICESHIPS ARE ONLY FOR SCHOOL LEAVERS OR YOUNG PEOPLE
Apprenticeships are open to anyone aged 16 and over, with no upper age limit. In fact, for some of our higher level apprenticeships, we rarely see those in their teens or early 20s enrol as the seniority required for the apprenticeship is typically more indicative of those in their 30s and beyond!
APPRENTICESHIPS ARE ONLY FOR NEW HIRES
You don’t need to recruit new staff to engage with an apprenticeship. Most of our apprentices to date have been existing employees upskilling in order to add increased value to their organisation and be better lined up for promotions in the future.
APPRENTICES HAVE TO BE PAID LESS
There’s no requirement for staff to take a pay cut when starting an apprenticeship, and we definitely discourage it as this is likely to have a negative impact on talent attraction and retention.
YOUR SITES ARE BASED IN LONDON, SO IT’S NOT SUITABLE FOR US
While our FRA and LCBT campuses are in London, our apprenticeship delivery has operated nationally for many years. We offer many remote and blended learning programmes, meaning staff from all across England can access the same high-quality training without needing to travel. Even for those based in London, this has proven to be an attractive option for those with busy schedules!
ONCE STAFF FINISH THEIR APPRENTICESHIP, THEY WILL JUST LEAVE MY BUSINESS AND ANOTHER EMPLOYER WILL BENEFIT INSTEAD WILL GAIN THE SKILLS I INVESTED IN DEVELOPING
Our apprenticeship outcomes show that the majority of apprentices are very loyal to their employer, with many obtaining promotions upon completion and becoming mentors of future apprentices brands sign up. For retail, where turnover is very high, an apprenticeship can also be a reason for staff to remain with their employer as they have a personal ambition to stay to complete their programme.
IT’S HARD TO MEASURE THE IMPACT OF APPRENTICESHIPS ON OUR BUSINESS
Our apprenticeships include structured progress reviews, clear milestones, and measured skills outcomes. We have a dedicated team to provide employers with regular updates and contextualise learning in the workplace. In our Ofsted inspection in March 2025, it was stated that: “Most apprentices gain promotions and permanent positions in the fashion retail sector.”
APPRENTICESHIPS ARE VERY COMPLICATED TO SET UP
We have a dedicated team to support you through every stage of apprenticeship setup, meaning the majority of the administrative burden is taken care of - all you need to do is click a few buttons and sign a few documents.
APPRENTICESHIPS WILL BE TOO TIME-CONSUMING AND DISRUPTIVE TO OUR BUSINESS
All our apprenticeships are designed to be flexible. Direct training is often delivered via a blended method of online and in-person sessions, but these are timetabled to accomodate your business needs (for example, many retailers request no training in December to account for the busy Christmas period). The training also incorporates lots of work-based, self-led learning, meaning that the application of new skills at work both meets business needs and counts towards the apprenticeship.
APPRENTICESHIPS ARE EXPENSIVE AND NOT WORTH THE INVESTMENT
For levy-paying employers, apprenticeship costs are already fully funded through your levy ‘pot’. Non-levy payers can take advantage of 95% government funding for apprenticeships, making them a much cheaper option than privatelyfunded CPD. Think of it like having a mandatory Netflix subscription: you could choose to buy a DVD tonight, but you could have watched an amazing film you’ve already paid for!
BESPOKE PROGRAMMES
Our sector-leading Bespoke Programmes are designed to meet business needs with agile, specific solutions tailored to your budget, timeline and team size. If you want to enhance staff performance, boost employee wellbeing and improve retention rates, Bespoke Programmes are for you.
We partner with your learning and development teams to identify skills gaps so we can create programmes aligned to strategic business objectives and individual KPIs. Tapping into our pool of industry experts with sector-specific experience, we create and deliver practical, actionable learning that quickly and effectively drives measurable impact.
Every programme is supported by a dedicated project manager to oversee logistics and minimise disruption to your day-to-day operations, ensuring a smooth, positive journey for all involved. You can choose from a range of flexible delivery options to suit your needs, including at your own site, our central London campus, a third-party venue, hybrid or fully remote.
We have experience delivering bespoke programmes across a range of topics, including (but not limited to):
LEADERSHIP & MANAGEMENT
People leadership, strategic thinking, performance management.
Using software, data management, process digitisation
• Microsoft Excel for retail
• Data analytics
• Data visualisation and Presentation
• AI for retail
BESPOKE PROGRAMMES
All our bespoke programmes follow the EFI Training 4D Design Model:
DISCOVER
We get to know your bespoke needs and walk through the most suitable training options to address them.
DESIGN
We engage with our pool of industry experts to take our off-the-shelf programmes and tailor them to meet your specific brand needs.
DELIVER
We deliver training for your teams, with wraparound project management support.
DEMONSTRATE
We measure and report on the impact of the programme to guarantee ROI for your brand.
OUR BESPOKE PROGRAMMES FOLLOW ONE OF THREE MODELS:
WORKSHOPS ACADEMIES PROJECTS
One session (full-day or part-day) focusing on a specific topic.
Multi-session programmes that cover a range of topics.
Learning and development initiatives which do not require delivery of training (e.g. development of learning materials).
BESPOKE PROGRAMME
Leadership & Management
ACADEMY
The Paul Smith Way
The iconic British luxury brand has around 900 UK employees and has worked with Fashion Retail Academy since 2022 to enhance its personal and professional development offer post-pandemic, contextualised to its core brand values.
Our team worked closely with various departments across Paul Smith to understand their business culture future direction, which was then mapped to skills competencies that drive strategic culture and future.
From this exercise, eight guiding principles and five areas for development were identified and built into a framework to support ongoing development at three levels of management. Implementation of the new development framework was strongly supported at all levels of the business, with feedback from Paul Smith’s People team noting improvements in employee satisfaction, engagement and retention in a changing and increasingly competitive environment.
CAMELLIA SPACZYNSKA HEAD OF RETAIL OPERATIONS
THERE SEEMS TO BE A LOT OF OPENNESS AND WILLINGNESS TO CHANGE AND PROGRESS, NOT JUST WITHIN THE COMPANY, BUT THE INDUSTRY IS CHANGING AND DEVELOPING IN SO MANY WAYS: IT’S THE RIGHT TIME TO MAKE SURE MANAGERS ARE EQUIPPED TO DEAL WITH THAT CHANGE”
SHORT COURSES
Short courses are the ideal bitesize solution for fast results in specific focus areas. Offered at highly competitive rates, our short courses can be run at any time throughout the year, and range from half-day sessions to five-day intensive learning programmes.
We can offer short courses in subjects including:
• Garment Technology
• Buying & Merchandising
• Retail User Experience
• Visual Merchandising
• Maths & Data Analytics
• Sales & Stock Management
• Marketing & Communication
• Leadership for People Leaders
• Coaching for Sales Managers
Our short courses are delivered on-site at our central London campus and start from as little as £180 per delegate. There are a number of ways employers can use short courses to augment staff development, such as:
INDIVIDUAL STAFF LEARNING & DEVELOPMENT:
Staff can use their employersponsored personal L&D allowance benefit to study a role-relevant short course.
SUPPLEMENT INTERNAL L&D:
Integrate short courses into inhouse CPD schemes to support staff skills development and productivity.
ONBOARDING/NEW STARTERS:
Introductory courses are a great alternative to internal inductions for graduate talent starting in your business.
INTEGRATED CAREER PROGRESSION:
Nominate high-potential staff to attend short courses as part of succession planning or leadership development.
APPRENTICESHIP BOLT-ON:
Short courses can be used for extra credit or skills development to maximise the value of their apprenticeship learning.
CROSS-FUNCTIONAL EXPOSURE:
Introduce staff to different areas of your business to broaden their understanding and career options.
INDUSTRY COLLABORATION
YOUR OPPORTUNITY TO ENGAGE FUTURE TALENT, INCREASE SOCIAL IMPACT AND ACCESS GEN Z INSIGHTS
Our close links with industry are what sets EFI Group apart. Alongside courses developed in collaboration with industry experts, we work with hundred of fashion, retail and beauty brands to offer our students a broad range of hands-on opportunities to ensure they start their future careers with the experience they need to succeed.
By partnering with us, you can not only benefit from early access to future talent, you can position your brand as an employer of choice to job-ready graduates whilst helping meet your ESG targets.
Opportunities to engage with our students include work placements, mentoring, projects and masterclasses across all our fashion and beauty specialisms. We welcome those with experience in areas such as:
• Marketing & PR
• Buying & Merchandising
• Beauty Therapy
• Garment Technology
• Hairdressing
• Sustainability
• Make-up
• Business & more.
WHY WORK WITH OUR STUDENTS?
CONNECT LEARN
with 1,000+ work-ready students before they graduate each year
INSPIRE
the next generation while improving your coaching and presenting skills
from invaluable Gen Z perspectives and ideas for your business
PROJECTS & CHALLENGES
Throughout the academic year, brands can set both short-term and long-term challenges for our FE and undergraduate students. This gives students the chance to work on real industry briefs, while brands gain fresh perspectives and insights into the mindset of future retail talent—your current or future consumers. Some of the most successful student project ideas have even been implemented by our brand partners.
INDUSTRY CHALLENGES
Quick turnaround challenges, set by our industry partners, provide FE students with a chance to sharpen their creative thinking, teamwork, time management, and problem-solving skills. We collaborate with your brand to create a brief based on a real industry scenario that aligns with current student learning. Working in groups, students devise solutions and present their ideas to your team for feedback, with the retailer selecting the winning team.
UNDERGRADUATE PROJECTS
In their first and second years, all our degree students work on a live project set by a brand, lasting around 10 weeks. These projects are aligned with specific course modules, with briefs developed in collaboration with our industry partners. At the end of the module, students present their solutions to your team and peers for valuable feedback.
CASE STUDY: PROJECTS & CHALLENGES
COURSE
Level 4 Visual Merchandising for Fashion (Fashion Retail Academy)
TASKS
• 3D renders of the pop-up space
• Concept board
• Product dispay mock up
• Event planning
With over 150 years of advanced skincare technology, Shiseido is widely regarded as a leading innovator in the skincare industry. The team asked our Level 4 Visual Merchandising students to design an innovative pop-up space at Selfridges, for the relaunch of the brands best selling product, Ultimune Power Infusing Serum.
After receiving the brief from the Shiseido team, the students began their primary research with a visit to Selfridges, where they conducted a SWOT analysis of competitor brands. They applied classroom knowledge to develop 3D renders and mock displays, and developed a creative event concept aimed at promoting the product and engaging consumers.
The outcome was a valuable experience for everyone. The students built confidence in selfdirected research, presented their ideas to the VM team and received tailored feedback from industry experts. Meanwhile, Shiseido gained Valuable insight into the the Gen Z perspective. This offered a fresh lens to help the brand connect with younger consumers and expand its target audience.
ANH VONG SENIOR VM MANAGER & CHARLOTTE EARNSHAW HEAD OF STORE DESIGN UK & IRELAND
WE FOUND THIS A VERY EXHILARATING AND EYE-OPENING EXPERIENCE. THE STUDENTS WERE ENGAGING AND SEEMED INTERESTED IN NOT ONLY VM BUT THE WIDER ROLL OUT OF A CAMPAIGN. IT WAS FASCINATING TO SEE THE DIVERSE WAYS THEY INTERPRETED THE BRIEF. WE’RE EXCITED TO COLLABORATE AGAIN IN THE FUTURE”
MENTORSHIP & MASTERCLASSES
MENTORSHIP
Mentoring offers a valuable opportunity for mentors to gain improved coaching skills and first-hand access to the next-gen mindset, while our student mentees can learn directly from their industry peers.
Undergraduates
Since 2017, the undergraduate Mentoring Programme has supported our degree students by offering insight into the industry, advice on portfolios and career paths and helping expand their professional network.
Minimum commitment: 1 x 1 hour session per term, across 2 years (inperson or remote)
Level 3 Creative Practice
We offer group mentorship to our Level 3 Fashion Design and Visual Communications & Styling students. Meet the group to support the students’ onward progression in the industry.
Minimum commitment: 3 x group sessions per year.
MASTERCLASSES
Brand representatives lead insightful talks on a range of essential topics, from an overview of your brand and its operations to more focused discussions on areas like buying strategies or sustainability practices.
C-suite executives or brand owners are also able to share their career journeys, discuss their current roles, and offer their perspectives on the retail industry.
Masterclasses bring real-world industry insights into the classroom. Hosting masterclasses can elevate your company’s profile as a leading employer. In conjunction with our Careers Fairs, they offer a platform to showcase your brand’s career opportunities and workplace culture, helping you attract top talent in retail.
Masterclasses are usually an hour in length.
Many of EFI Group’s students are offered the opportunity to take a relevant work placement during their course. Not only do students gain valuable hands-on experience, but brands can also take advantage of early access to our talent pre-graduation – many partners go on to offer permanent roles to placement students as soon as they graduate.
WHAT PLACEMENTS DO WE OFFER?
Qualifying students are offered a 3 week, full-time work placement during their course. We also offer our degree students an extended part-time placement over 3 months, which sees the students spend 2 days per week on their placement alongside their attendance at the FRA.
CAN I CHOOSE WHICH STUDENTS I TAKE?
We work with our industry partners to ensure that we allocate those students best suited to the available opportunity, taking into account the nature of the placement, the location and the student’s attendance and work completion.
CAN I OFFER A VIRTUAL OR HYBRID PLACEMENT?
We recognise that it may sometimes be difficult to offer a physical placement due to the location of the student or the brand, so we are supporting our students to complete blended placements in some cases. Contact us to find out more about what kind of placements you can offer.
ARE THERE SET DATES FOR PLACEMENTS?
There are certain times of the year that we offer placements to students depending on the type of course. Please contact us for further information on timings.
WHAT HAPPENS AFTER THE PLACEMENT?
Following completion of the work placement, both the student and the brand representative are asked to complete a short feedback form which helps us to ensure that future placements continue to offer value to both the brand and the student.
DO I HAVE TO PAY THE STUDENT?
No, our students have placements built into the course so payment is not required. Brands may consider supporting students with a contribution to travel or lunch.
There are many ways to tap into the bright young minds of our student cohort: with thousands of fashion enthusiasts passing through our doors each year, we can offer unparalleled insight into the attitudes and values of Gen Z as consumers.
FOCUS GROUPS
Brands can gather direct Gen-Z insights by conducting a focus group, this can be at one of our campuses or your head office.
Students love engaging in these sessions, offering honest and valuable consumer perspectives before a product launch or marketing campaign.
PANEL DISCUSSIONS
A panel discussion features 3–4 industry experts in conversation with one of our teachers, exploring a key industry topic relevant to students’ learning.
EXTERNAL EVENTS
Need an extra pair of hands for events? Our students are happy to help at fashion shows , press days, launches etc.
CAREERS
Amongst EFI Group’s vast network of students, recent graduates and alumni, there’s a good chance that we can help you find the perfect candidate to fill your fashion, retail or beauty vacancy.
Brands can get early access to meet our students before they graduate at our Careers Fairs – these are extremely popular with recruiters and places go quickly! Whether you are advertising part-time positions suitable for students to work alongside their studies, or entry-level roles for newly-qualified graduates, you’ll find an eager audience.
In addition, job vacancies are promoted to both current and former students, giving you access to the best pool of talent to fill your in-store, salon and head office vacancies at all levels. Our Careers team can work with you to make sure your vacancy gets in front of the right people at the right time.
JOB VACANCIES
Advertise your vacancy through the Fashion Retail Academy and London College of Beauty Therapy Careers team to reach both our current students and alumni network of thousands of fashion, retail and beauty professionals.
From entry-level and part-time roles to management positions, we can help you reach a highly relevant audience and enhance your team with top talent.
CAREERS FAIRS
Careers fairs are held on campus several times a year, offering an excellent opportunity to put your brand in front of our students and talk to them first-hand about careers within your business. Some fairs focus on specific functions such as Buying & Merchandising or In-Store Retail, and events are always well attended by our students.
TESTIMONIALS
We were really impressed by the questions they were asking and how clear they were about their chosen career path and what they wanted to get out of the event.”
OLIVER BONAS
A wonderful day spent meeting with the future innovators amongst the buying, merchandising and marketing landscape.”
SIGNET JEWELERS
Your students were so professional, presented themselves really well, and showed a lot of genuine interest.”
BESTSELLER
A fantastic experience, met some really great students who would have great potential in our business.”
M&CO
It was amazing to meet the talent of today. Everyone was so confident.”
PANDORA
Great event! Wonderful to meet emerging talent from the FRA.”
TFG LONDON
MEETING & EVENT SPACE
In 2024, the Fashion Retail Academy moved into its new campus, the Grade II-listed Electra House, conveniently located close to Liverpool Street in the heart of central London. Benefitting from a £50m state-of-the-art fitout, Electra House boasts a stunning period setting complete with modern AV setup, concierge service and more to host your event, conference or meeting.
We offer a number of flexible event spaces and meeting rooms to hire in Central London, ranging from our beautiful domed Boardroom for up to 14 people, to the library for receptions and launch events which can host up to 200 people.
All of our spaces are available for off-peak and weekend hire for a minimum of half a day, and we can offer favourable rates for long contract periods.
WHAT’S INCLUDED?
• Concierge sign-in service
• Technical support
• First aid support
• Security
• On-site café (subject to minimum spend of £500)
HOW TO GET HERE
Electra House is well-located in Central London, opposite Moorgate underground station and a fiveminute walk from Liverpool Street underground and mainline station. It is also close to Bank underground station and easily accessible from other mainline rail stations including Kings Cross, St. Pancras, Euston, Charing Cross, London Bridge and Waterloo.
Parking facilities are available nearby for both delegates and deliveries.
