The following is a list of links that may be useful to employers, career seekers and educators alike.
Human Resources and Social Development Canada's (HRSDC) National Occupational Classifications (NOC)
The NOC is a system for describing the occupations of Canadians. It gives statisticians, labour market analysts, career counsellors, employers and individual job seekers a standardized way of describing and understanding the nature of work. Classification exist for a number of occupations found in the retail industry, including retail sales associate, first level manager, retail and wholesale buyers, cashiers and retail trade managers, among others.
To access HRSDC's National Occupational Classification site, click here.
Human Resources and Social Development Canada's (HRSDC) Essential Skills Profiles
Essential skills profiles are occupational profiles that describe the essential skills people require in order to perform the tasks required in their occupations. Essential skills are not technical skills but rather the skills people use to carry out a wide variety of everyday life and occupational tasks.
For example, mathematical skills are required in a broad range of occupations. The complexity and frequency of mathematical tasks varies. Some workers carry out simple calculations every day, while others may need to calculate weekly or monthly sales reports.
Employees must have essential skills in order to do their work. For example, sales associates may have to read and understand product descriptions before they can effectively sell products to customers. Reading and comprehension are HRSDC's other essential skills profiles.
To access HRSDC's essential skills profiles, click here.
HR Management — Your On-Line HR Assistant
Whether you’re researching hiring subsidies and programs, looking for information about occupational health and safety, or seeking to advertise a job opportunity with your company, HR Management is an indispensable tool. The site also provides a wealth of information on topics such as hiring, pay and benefits, training and skills development, HR Management is a Web site designed to assist small to medium-sized business by providing information that supports a broad spectrum of human resource-related activities. The site offers convenient, one-stop access to an extensive range of pertinent information from national to local in scope — saving you time and money.
To access HRSDC's HR Management Web site, click here.
Industry Canada's Education and Training Database
Industry Canada has a database containing profiles of Canadian companies and institutions offering education and training products and services for the retail industry.
To access this database, click here. Companies wishing to be listed on the database may do so by registering online.
Association of Community Colleges (ACCC)
ACCC maintains a database of full-time programs, including retail specific programs, offered at its 150 member colleges and institutes.
To access this database, click here.