City College’s Marcus gets a step closer to top retail awards

An outstanding retail trainer from Brighton has been shortlisted for a prize at the industry’s top awards ceremony, the Skillsmart Retail Rising Stars Awards, run by Retail Week.

Marcus Pescod, who a retail trainer for City College Brighton and Hove’s City Business Skills team specialising in staff training for local businesses, is one of three nominees in the National Skills Academy for Retail Trainer of the Year category, which hopes to find the finest retail trainer from the 49 National Skills Academy for Retail skills shops around the country.

Marcus, whose work sees him deliver training to retail managers and their employees, as well as helping people get into retail, has now been invited to the black tie ceremony at the five-star luxury Grosvenor House Hotel in London’s Mayfair.

This year’s event will be attended by top names in retail, including Dragons’ Den star and Chairman of Ryman, Theo Paphitis, who will present the awards to the winners. Theo said: “This is the fourth year I will have attended this awards ceremony to meet the up-and-coming retailers of the future and the high standard continues to impress me.”

The Skillsmart Retail Rising Stars Awards are designed to recognise the best talent in all areas of retail, from star apprentices to top-notch marketeers and buyers, all demonstrating outstanding talent, aptitude and initiative in their roles – singling them out as the ones to watch.

Almost 80 individuals and teams from a range of businesses and retail skills shops across the country will have to wait until the ceremony on Thursday, 8th September to find out which of them will walk away with one of the 17 prestigious Rising Stars trophies.

If Marcus wins his category, he will then be in with a chance of being named the overall Rising Star of the Year.

Marcus said: “I am really happy to be shortlisted for the award. Its great being part of City College’s City Business Skills team and I’ve a genuine passion for raising the profile of retail as a dedicated career path. I love the satisfaction from helping learners and seeing them develop and gain confidence in themselves and their skills. With retailers, it is great to know the advice I have given has helped a business develop, grow and become more successful.”

Anne Seaman, Chief Executive of Skillsmart Retail said: “It is a great honour for Skillsmart Retail to be sponsoring the Rising Stars Awards. There is wonderful breadth of talent throughout the retail sector and everyone nominated across the categories is living proof that retail is a rewarding career and not just about stacking shelves.

“Skills competitions are a fantastic way to unearth and reward the best talent – talent which may otherwise go unnoticed, especially in the fast-paced world of retail.”

For more information on retail training through City Business Skills, email citybusiness@ccb.ac.uk, call on 01273 667756 and choose Option 2  (short courses for employers) or see www.ccb.ac.uk/cbs

For City College media enquiries, please call Brian Bell, Marketing Communications Officer, on 01273 667788 Ext. 488 or email bb1@ccb.ac.uk