Retail Degree Apprenticeships

What happens in a retail degree apprenticeship?

Typically lasting 3 to 5 years, a degree apprenticeship in retail is a full-time job with an employer alongside studying for a degree at a university. 

Your schedule might include four days at university during study periods or one day per week every week (with the other four at work) - it varies by program, so it’s worth applying for a programme that works for you.

Ultimately, you’ll be paid a salary like any other employee, and best of all, your tuition fees are £0. On completion of your retail degree apprenticeship, you’ll be awarded a degree qualification and up to 5 years' worth of work experience on your CV from a retail company. 

There are loads of different roles within retail, some include:

• Buying. A buyer’s role is to find new and inventive suppliers and negotiate the purchase of their products. Often, they will also be responsible for the delivery, whether that be to the store or warehouse.

• Merchandising. Merchandisers work behind the scenes and are responsible for what products and goods are on display on the shop floor at different times. Their purpose is to maximise the value and profits of stock.

• Retail Management. Retail managers are in a senior position, responsible for the day-to-day running of the store or specific departments. They will constantly have their eyes on the day’s sales targets, ensuring high levels of customer service are maintained.

• E-commerce. You would be involved in the process of buying and selling products and services online, mostly through the internet. This includes tasks like managing online stores, handling customer orders, processing payments, and providing customer support.

• Digital Marketing. Digital marketers create and manage digital content, running advertising campaigns, optimising websites for search engines and analysing data to improve marketing efforts.

As you can see, the opportunities available are so vast!

Is it better to do an apprenticeship or a degree in retail?

Unfortunately, a retail degree is quite uncommon, with very few universities offering purely retail or sales. So, not only would your options be limited if you choose to do a typical degree, but you wouldn’t necessarily get all the experience you need to pursue a career in this industry.

Arguably, by doing a degree apprenticeship in retail, you will have loads more options to choose from and you will get all the skills and experience you need to find a retail management role after graduation. 

If you prefer learning from taught material instead of being hands-on and want to get the full university experience, then maybe a normal degree is for you.  But a degree apprenticeship is your chance to get started on the job straight away.

Regardless of your choice, you’ll be able to get valuable insight into the retail industry. 

You can read more on the different options available to you below.

Here’s a review from a degree apprentice at Amazon:

Do you get paid for a retail degree apprenticeship?

YES! You don’t pay for your degree (so no debt there!) On top of this, you will get paid for your work and training!

On average, you will get over £30,000 a year*! Of course, it will depend on your employer and your location, but you can expect a solid salary for the duration of your scheme. 

* based on our reviews

How do you apply for a degree apprenticeship in retail?

Entry requirements will vary depending on the employer, but they’ll usually expect the following:

• To be 18 or older

• Five or more GCSEs (including maths and English)

• Two or more A-levels or equivalent, like:

  • BTEC qualification

  • Level 4 apprenticeship

Roles tend to go live from September, the year before the degree apprenticeship starts. However, an advantage of a degree apprenticeship is that you don’t have to work with the UCAS deadline, which is typically in January! A lot of retail degree apprenticeships continue popping up until March and sometimes even later, so there’s plenty of time to apply. 

Finding a degree apprenticeship in retail

First, you need to find a degree apprenticeship. Here on Higherin, we have 100s of degree apprenticeships every single year, so definitely check them out. 

Getting your applications ready

Unlike university, you don’t tend to write a personal statement. Instead, you are often required to write a CV and a cover letter. This is when you need to get the employer's attention.  Show off your skills, passion and experience to show them why you would be a great fit for their retail degree apprenticeship. 

You can also expect to do an interview and an assessment centre. Which sounds scary, but trust us, they don’t have to be bad! We have loads of advice on how to ace these applications, so you don’t have to worry.