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Skills Centers
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Skills Centers (SCs) recruit, train, and place individuals in long-term retail careers and flexible job opportunities. The Centers are supported by partnerships between the NRF Foundation, mall developers, employers, local, state and federal government agencies, schools and colleges, and community-based organizations. A Skills Center is a one stop career center, giving employers and potential employees a central contact point for meeting their employment needs.

Skills Centers Help


  • Workers build employability and retail skills and knowledge to enter and advance in retail and service sector careers.
  • Students align their professional and academic goals and complete training.
  • Educators team with industry to develop programs that help students gain real-life job training and prepare them for career success.

Programs and Services

Existing Skills Centers represent a variety of workforce development models and offer a diverse range of programs and services to the distinct populations served. The affiliation between Centers is the integration of standards-based assessment, curriculum and training tools, and the link to the NRF Foundation.

All Centers integrate standards-based assessments, curricula, and training tools, and linkages to the NRF Foundation, in conjunction with the Workforce Investment System.

Typical programs and services include:

  • Retail Readiness Assessment
  • Assessments for National Professional Certification in Customer Service, Sales and Retail Management
  • Literacy-based customer service training
  • Computer-based learning programs
  • Career counseling
  • ESL training
  • Moderate to intensive classroom training (one day to six weeks)
  • Job placement assistance
  • Retention and follow-up programs
  • Job fairs
  • Internships
  • Youth programming
  • NRF University Wired

Industry Skills Standards


Current Skills Center and Related Program Locations


I got the training I needed to excel in the retail field, made new friends, and received job placement assistance. The staff were great mentors to me.
-Mike, Skills Center training participant

Skills Centers use curriculum and training based on National Skill Standards, approved by the National Skills Standards Board, which identify the skills, knowledge, and abilities needed by professional retail and service employees to perform their work successfully. Standards provide the framework for training programs that address the key elements of retail and other sales and service related industries. Centers also provide access to curricula and training developed with support from the U.S. Department of Labor in partnership with the NRF Foundation, Toys "R" Us, Saks, Inc., The Home Depot, and CVS/pharmacy. These curricula provide blended learning in entry-level sales and service through retail management training for use by the public workforce system, community colleges, employers and others. More info on the Skill Standards and National professional Certification in Customer Service.

Retail Skills Centers Contact: Debra Fieldhouse at fieldhoused@nrf.com

Education and Training in Retail

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