OIA launches outdoor industry apprenticeship training

The Outdoor Industries Association – OIA – has announced the launch and endorsement of skills training apprenticeship courses, tailored to the specific needs of the outdoor market and delivered by experts in the field, Skern Training & Skills (STS).

This new partnership will see the development of a bespoke Level 2 Customer Service Practitioner Apprenticeship especially for the outdoor industry.  Aimed at the retail and manufacturing sectors, this course, which is due to be launched in the Autumn, is designed to develop staff members’ customer service skills and product awareness through hands-on, experiential learning in an outdoor education environment. Click here for full details on the apprentice training course.

Promising to elevate the standard of customer service across the outdoor sector, qualified customer service practitioners who have completed the skills training course will bring a benefit to both businesses and their clientele.

Commenting on the new collaboration with Skern, OIA CEO, Andrew Denton said: “Our aim is to support quality standards within the outdoor industry and we are pleased to launch this training scheme with Skern as our partner.  This scheme provides an official industry and government approved program and will help to develop skills and knowledge with tangible benefits to both employee and employer.  It also provides recognition for the employee and an incentive for personal development with a nationally accredited qualification within the outdoor industry.”

Apprentices will hone their skills and build their knowledge with hands-on training delivered in-house or in an outdoor environment and trained candidates will be able to offer a multitude of benefits to an organisation such as:

• Excellent customer service skills and behaviours, as well as product and/or service knowledge when handling customers.
• Providing customer service standards in line with an organisation’s strategy and within appropriate regulatory requirements.
• Use of a range of questioning and communication skills, including listening and responding in a way that builds rapport, determines customer needs and expectations and achieves positive engagement and delivery.
• Experiential learning for candidates in an outdoor environment, and the opportunity to get hands-on experience with many outdoor products, clothing and equipment. This will enhance an apprentice’s knowledge of suitability for different activities in order improve the customer experience through information transfer.

To provide further information about the apprenticeship courses, the OIA and STS have announced a webinar for interested parties which will cover all the details of the program, followed by a Q&A session. The webinar will take place on Monday 30^th September @1pm (BST). Attendees, who can sign up here, will also have the opportunity to receive a free consultation from STS, offering personalised advice and support for businesses considering the apprenticeship courses for their staff.

Don’t miss this exciting opportunity to participate in the training scheme, enhance your team’s skills and improve your business’s customer service quality.