INDUSTRY EXPERT
WorldSkills UK Visual Merchandising Competition Visual merchandising, encapsulates the best skills and attributes of the creative industries and commercial retail. The art of visual merchandising creates eye-catching retail displays in windows and in store to attract and engage consumers, helping to increase sales. A visual merchandiser is also responsible for ensuring that the interior of the store is laid out accurately, so that the customer can navigate the store easily. A visual merchandiser employs a skill set from design to practical display implementation; styling to prop-making, all with particular attention to detail. Understanding the brand, customer and current market trends is also of paramount importance.. The UK and global retail markets have seen many changes and shifts in recent years; brands need to adapt this everchanging climate. Visual merchandising and its huge range of design and technical skills, are inherently adaptable and offer problem-solving solutions to the changing retail landscape. Whether through bricks and mortar retail, online stores, or new phygital retail strategies, visual merchandisers will always adapt and importantly, innovate. WorldSkills UK is an independent charity and a partnership between employers, education and governments. One of its activities is running skills competitions across 64 skills including visual merchandising. Designed by industry experts, the competitions assess an individual’s knowledge, practical skills and employability attributes against set criteria in a competitive, timed-environment. They are a means of driving up standards in teaching and learning, helping young people to achieve excellence rather than competence, as the norm. Students, apprentices and employees successful at the WorldSkills UK National Qualifiers in visual merchandising can go on to compete at the National Finals, pitching their skills against their peers for coveted Gold, Silver and Bronze Medals and the chance to be selected for team UK with the prospect of representing their country on the international stage.
