As part of an added value component to the Empowered Africans for Retail Needs (EARN) program, OICI has created a Retail Advisory Council (RAC) to set the customer service standards for the retail industry and ensure the placement of the EARN graduates.
The council will unite top tier CEOs representatives across Africa’s leading retail market spectrum including food stores, hospitality and tourism, banking, large retail stores and the small business retail sector.
A second tier within the council the “Technical Committee” will consist of Human Resource Directors who will have direct input on the EARN training curriculum to meet industry best practices and standards.
Objective
- To support the development of an integrated, demand-driven, and competence-based customer service training program.
- To ensure training curriculum is aligned with market needs.
- To help link EARN graduates to placement opportunities.
- To serve as convening body of industry expertise.
OICI has strong convening power among the retail industry through private sector involvement within the EARN program that serves as a leverage to benefit both community wellness and economic growth .
Objective
RAC will have the unique opportunity through the EARN program to connect directly with talent pool graduates that meet the growing labor demands by building the capacity of a new generation of young professionals who understand the importance of the customer experience.
In addition the EARN program has a particular focus on women empowerment. The EARN program will equip women with the necessary customer service skills to be competitive in the formal retail labor market and will help narrow the gender gap and economically empower women so that they can successfully contribute to improving their lives, their families and ultimately their communities.
Current partners:
Over the next two years, EARN will train 12,000 students across Nigeria, Ghana, and Kenya – helping them to EARN a place in Africa’s 21st century economy.