The retail industry is shedding its image as a dead-end job and is increasingly offering career development opportunities, according to those working in the sector.

New research released today from Retailchoice.com - a leading retail recruitment website - reveals that workers now believe the industry offers them long-term career prospects. Around 48% feel they have great opportunities to climb the ladder. Less than one in ten (9%) of those in retail believe there’s no opportunity to progress.

This ambitious approach is borne out by the calibre of candidates now working within the industry. A total of 30% of retail workers hold a first degree or postgraduate qualification, whilst 77% of the industry has completed further education with A levels, diplomas and professional qualifications. Just 2% hold no qualifications at all.

Yet despite this, 38% believe that the best retailers are those who have climbed the ladder from the shop floor up.

Mike Convey, website director for RetailChoice.com, comments: “It’s great to see that on the whole, the retail workforce is happier, more motivated and feels that the sector has something to offer them long term, and we see this as an excellent start. The challenge for the industry in the longer term is to communicate these benefits to a wider audience, championing retail through contact with schools and universities and removing the stigma and poor perceptions of life in retail.”