North East England

Employing 10% of the workforce in the North East, the Retail sector is seeing investment from major supermarkets and shopping centre expansions.

Tesco has announced plans to create 2,500 jobs in the North East while Eldon Square in Newcastle is building phase III of a £170m expansion on the back of increased footfall, which will include a new Debenhams store.

There are also plans for a new 300,000 sq ft retail hub in Darlington, Tees Valley called The Oval and town centre redevelopment schemes in both Durham City and Cramlington, Northumberland.

"The retail sector in North East England is seeing investment from major supermarkets and shopping centre expansions."

A major employer is the Metrocentre in Gateshead, one of the largest shopping centres in the European Union. Although it boasts many large flagship stores, most retail businesses here are small employing less than 10 people.

Those who prefer life in the countryside can benefit from the many rural retail businesses such as farm shops, or internet and mail order businesses.

The North East has many opportunities for those pursuing a career in retail whether you aim to be a fashion designer, a buyer for a large department store, a market researcher or perhaps a shop manager.  The Skills Shop run by National Skills Academy for retail and based in Eldon Square, Newcastle, offers career advice and training.

Skills that employers are looking for include: customer service and communication, team work and flexibility, e-commerce and ICT skills, managerial and supervisory skills.

Useful qualifications include: NVQ Levels 1 & 2 in retail skills and NVQ in sales, customer service & retail management.