Subsequent to the establishment of the W&RSETA Retail Chair and the allocation of bursaries to Masters and Doctoral students, the demand for bursaries for these high level programmes has increased dramatically. This has resulted in the W&RSETA allocating funds to assist employees from wholesale and retail companies to pursue post graduate studies in research. The project will provide financial assistance to 105 qualifying individuals to further their studies to achieve a Masters or Doctoral degree.

The W&RSETA has partnered with its stakeholder companies, the Durban University of Technology, and four Technical, Vocational Education and Training Colleges in KwaZulu Natal to establish Retail Schools of Excellence. The objective of the project, inter alia, is to ensure that institutions of learning produce suitably qualified and experienced students to meet the demands of business for the growth and prosperity of the Sector and the Country.

The W&RSETA established the Wholesale and Retail Leadership Chair at the Cape Peninsula University of Technology (CPUT) 2012. The objective of the Retail Leadership Chair is to contribute towards research and the development of W&R qualifications from NQF 5 -10 through collaboration between the Sector, labour and institutions of higher learning. The collaboration between the key role players will ensure a pool with suitably qualified and experienced entrants for the Sector and that the skills levels of the current workforce are improved.

The objective of the Gauteng Schools of Excellence project is to support and equip four TVET colleges within the Gauteng region that will address the needs of the Wholesale and Retail Sector through education, training and skills development initiatives. The Project will address challenges identified by TVET colleges through building the necessary capacity to offer retail programmes. Additionally, the project will assist the TVET Colleges to position themselves as preferred training providers for the Wholesale and Retail Sector.

The inaugural Wholesale and Retail SETA Retail Management Development Programme (RMDP) was launched in 2012 as a response to addressing skills gaps within the current middle management complement within the Sector and create a pool of skilled middle managers. The Programme equips delegates with prerequisite skills to become effective managers. RMDP graduates will also be able to further their learning with a career path into the ILDP.

The objective of this flagship project which is in its ninth year (2017) of successful implementation is to increase the talent pipeline of highly promotable, historically disadvantaged leaders within the Wholesale and Retail Sector who have been earmarked for senior or executive positions in their companies.