A national markets qualification could be in the making now that the markets department at Leicester City Council has teamed up with South Leicester College to raise standards on its markets.
The venture could form a blueprint for other markets across the UK.
An NVQ Level 2 in customer services was found to be the qualification most suited to Leicester market, which has more than 100 fruit and vegetable stalls ever day.
The course, which has no tests or exams, covers good customer service, first impressions and image, diversity, handling problems and development and improvement. It is monitored through a portfolio, which can include minutes of meetings, correspondence and photos.
Five members of staff were identified to take the qualification as a trial. Those eligible were funded through Train to Gain, a government initiative aimed at raising the skill level of the workforce.
To build on its standards, Leicester market has introduced a star-rating scheme to push traders into aiming higher and achieve four stars.
A committee, made up of six traders and two market officers, marks the stalls on a on a series of criteria including how rules and regulations are followed, presentation, product quality and customer care.
Rob Manley, markets officer at Leicester City Council, said: “We encourage the traders to up their game and we knew that everything, including appearance, needed to be better.
“We take time out with them and where and how they can do this, and they are given two months to improve. We then put the star rating out to the public to build up their confidence and trust.
“The benefits are that, in the long term, this should result in higher customer satisfaction and better-quality traders.”
Fiona Baker, employer programmes manager at South Leicester College, added: “There was a need to recognise competence and raise the performance of the market…
“But we need to tailor this more to the market sector, because we know that one size will not necessarily fit all.”
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