Skillsmart are the sector skills council for retail. Each Sector Skills Council has a remit to develop demand-led intelligence for its sector. This is grounded in a need for a thorough understanding of retailing in order to identify its particular skills issues and to highlight possible future challenges. We are led by the Skillsmart retail agenda in continuing to raise standards for the retail sector.

Foundation Degree Forward is a national body that supports the development and validation of high quality Foundation degrees and is supported by the Higher Education Funding Council for England.
FDf works in partnership with all relevant agencies, institutions, organisations and interest groups to ensure that the development of Foundation degrees is driven by the needs of employers and students. We are supporting the Foundation Degree in Retailing, piloted by Tesco.

ABC Awards, a National Awarding Body is an established vocational awarding body who offer nationally recognised qualifications for the 14 to 19 and 19+ year old learners. They were chosen to accredit the ground breaking Level 2 and Level 3 Diploma in Fashion Retail.
All ABC awards are moderated by industry specialists who provide advice and guidance as well as setting and maintaining the highest standards. As moderators for the Diplomas in fashion Retail we are part of the retail revolution, as retail is now seen as a career of opportunity. Within the sector careers can be forged in HR, Marketing, Finance and Commercial Management. These Fashion Retail Diplomas set a new generation up with the commercial skills knowledge to take up a store management career and can also set them on a path that could lead to any of the professions above.