The deadline for applications for three scholarships to the prestigious 2007 Oxford Retail Masters Forum from Skillsmart, the sector skills council for retail, and Retail Trust, will be on January 12.

The three £1950 scholarships, aimed at senior retail managers looking to bring a competitive advantage to their business, will fund a four-day residential development programme run by the British Shops and Stores Association (BSSA) at the University of Oxford on March 20-23.

The funds are open to anyone who has worked in the industry for at least seven years.

The course will feature guest speakers, working groups and assignments including pitching innovative business plans to a Dragons’ Den-style panel of industry experts.

Sarah Deene, operations manager for John Lewis, who has completed the course, said: “I got a great deal out of last year’s forum. The themes of employee engagement and customer focus were very relevant and I can’t wait to implement the ideas I picked up back at work.”

Skillsmart Retail is interested in receiving applications for the scholarships from those working in senior management for a small or medium-sized business with fewer than 250 employees. But all applications will be given equal weighting during the decision process and judged on their individual merits.

An application form can be downloaded from www.skillsmartretail.com.

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