ARE you being served? That's the vital question being asked by Bury College bosses as the town prepares for a multi-million pound shopping boom.

For the further education establishment is now offering people employed in the retail sector the chance to improve their skills with training courses in retail and management. The courses will be provided free to those who meet the required criteria.

Extensive forthcoming shopping developments in Bury, led by the planned £150 million Rock Triangle project, has fuelled demand for such training. Nationally, the Institute of Employment Research (IER) estimates that by 2009, 492,000 vacancies will need to be filled in retail by job creation. The majority of these vacancies will be for sales and customer service employees.

Supported by the European Social fund, Bury College's new retail project, Forward Thinking, can offer nationally recognised qualifications in ILM Team Leading (NVQ Level 2), a new retail skills NVQ Level 2 and the popular "bite size" Target Awards for Retailers (Level 2).

A qualified retailer can earn competitive salaries and research from the Association of Graduate Recruiters has shown the average salary in 2004/2005 for graduates in retail to be £19,500.

Flexibility is one of the key aims of the project and training has been designed to fit in with the working day. Assessment is undertaken in the workplace, arranged at a time to suit the business.

Jane Houghton-Fenning, project manager, commented: "Training is tailored to meet the skill demands and priorities of each business following discussion with the owner/manager and employee. It is delivered in the workplace by occupational experts so time away from the job is kept to a minimum and assessment is based on the work tasks the employee does in their everyday job."

The qualifications are delivered at a pace that suits the employee.With limited places available, anyone wishing to take advantage of the retail and management training should call the Guidance Centre at Bury College on 0800 0925 900.