Program

Local Industry Skills Training - Retail and Business Services (Certificate)

Domestic applications

Local Industry Skills Training - Retail and Business Services - Fall 2026: Applications open October 1 at 9:00 am

Note: Students who have not completed any prior post secondary program such as the Fit & Ready Skills courses or another Vocational Education and Skills program should apply on Education Planner BC for the Fit and Ready Skills Training program before applying for this program.

Fit & Ready Skills Training - Winter 2026: Applications open October 1 at 9:00 am

Fit & Ready Skills Training - Fall 2026: Applications open October 1 at 9:00 am

Faculty
Applied Community Studies
Department
Vocational Education and Skills Training
Credits
24.00
Length of program
Two semesters
Credential type
Certificate
Campus
New Westminster
Coquitlam

Overview

The Local Industry Training Program for Retail and Business Services is designed for students who have a barrier to learning and/or employment. The program is self-paced, with classroom, lab and two four-week work experience components.

Students train for retail, wholesale, and office positions by learning duties such as data entry, filing, photocopying, sorting mail and basic retail functions, including shipping and receiving, stocking merchandise, and customer service.

NOTE: International students are not currently eligible for this program. For more information, contact Douglas College International.

Admissions Requirements

Applicants must meet the admission requirements listed below:

Cost

Calculate your tuition and see the approximate cost of taking your program at Douglas College with the tuition & fee estimator. See costs broken down into categories including tuition fees, textbooks, student activity fees, U-Pass and more. 

For more information, refer to the tuition fee charts. 

Program Requirements

Curriculum framework

Graduation Requirements:

  • In good academic standing
  • A minimum of 50% (12 credits) of all coursework must be completed at Douglas College
  • Time limit to complete the program graduation requirements: 4 years. Any courses completed outside of that time limit will not be usable. Students may seek the permission of the Department/Program to complete a credential outside the approved time limits.

Course Requirements:

Course Number Course Description Credits
LIST 0100 Workplace and Communication Skills 3.00
LIST 0110 Introduction to Merchandizing 3.00
LIST 0120 Customer Service Fundamentals 3.00
LIST 0130 Business Development for Self-Employment 3.00
LIST 0140 Work Experience Practicum 1 6.00
LIST 0150 Work Experience Practicum 2 6.00
Total Credits  24.00

Program Guidelines

Program Guidelines for previous years are viewable by selecting the version desired. If you took this program and do not see a listing for the starting semester / year of the program, consider the previous version as the applicable version.

(Current)

Career Pathways

Successful graduates will develop skills in data entry, filing, photocopying, sorting mail, shipping and receiving, stocking merchandise, and customer service for the following entry-level positions in retail, wholesale and office settings:

  • Administrative assistant
  • Customer service representative
  • Data entry clerk
  • Filing clerk
  • Mail clerk
  • Office assistant
  • Retail sales associate