Learning Activities
The NRF Foundation, in conjunction with industry partners, will conduct and share learning activities and challenges to highlight the knowledge and skills needed to succeed in retail. The learning activities will also help build awareness around the diversity of careers available in the world's most exciting industry.
NRF Foundation Activities
Question of the Week: Use the Question of the Week, in the right-hand column, to test your knowledge about the latest news affecting the retail industry.
Knowledge Areas: Retail News
Intercollegiate Retail Challenge: The mission of the aspire2retail Intercollegiate Retail Challenge is to build awareness of diverse career paths in retail by engaging university students in a competitive, collaborative role-play with support from retail executive mentors to implement a multi-tiered business strategy. The Challenge scenarios, activities and judge criteria can be easily transferred to a classroom project.
- 2007-2008 Challenge Scenario involves implementing green technology, concepts, products and transitioning a company that is committed to sustainability.
Knowledge Areas: Marketing/Branding, IT, eCommerce, Customer Relations, Store Catalog Operations, Project Manager (Community)
- 2008-2009 Challenge Scenario involves
implementing Web 2.0 and social networking tools and technologies
Knowledge Areas: Marketing/Branding, Advertising & Sales, Merchandising, Store Operations/Management, Store Design, Facilities Management
If your school, class, or training program incorporates any of the NRFF learning activities in your educational programs, please share your experiences on the Retail Careers Blog.
Other Activities
From Student Organizations:
DECA, the high school organization for
students studying marketing, management and entrepreneurship in business, finance, hospitality and marketing sales and service,
offers a comprehensive program of competitive events based on the occupational goals of its student membership and on the activities of chapters in high schools and postsecondary institutions. DECA's competitive events are replicated at the state or provincial association level as well as at the chapter level. Types of events include individual series, management team decision making, research, and more.
Knowledge Areas: Apparel & Accessories, Buying & Merchandising, Fashion Merchandising, Food Marketing, Internet Marketing, Retail Marketing, Retail Merchandising, Technical Sales, Virtual Business Retail Challenge
Delta Epsilon Chi, the college division of DECA, has a Competitive Events Program that includes a selection of events for more than 20 career areas and gives students the chance to compete against their peers for top international honors. Types of events include business simulations, case studies and prepared business presentations.
Knowledge Areas: Advertising Campaign, Design, Fashion Marketing & Merchandising, Internet Marketing, Retail Management, Sales Representative & Management
From Business Partners:
DemandTec sponsors a Retail Challenge for high school students to give exposure to real-world business issues and decisions involving merchandising, marketing and retail economics.
Knowledge Areas: Merchandising, Marketing, Retail Economics
