Institute of Retail Management

Phone: (323) 343-2800 - Fax: (323) 343-2813

The goals of this institute are to enhance the appeal of the field of retailing as a profession and to improve the quality of managerial expertise within the retail industry in California. To achieve these objectives, the institute participated in the development of the Retailing option in the B.S. degree in Business Administration and a credit certificate program in Retail Professional Development. The institute serves as a vehicle for publication of research findings in the area of retailing and assists qualified students in retail job placement.

The institute is an integral part of the Youth opportunities Unlimited (YOU) Retail Management Apprenticeship Program of Los Angeles and works closely with its participating students. Founded in 1991 with one high school, this program has grown to encompass five inner-city Los Angeles high schools and two alternative schools, and has become a national model. Support from the retail industry enables the institute to award scholarships to YOU participants as well as Cal State L.A. marketing and retailing students.

The institute was also responsible for launching a joint program with the City of Los Angels, the Los Angeles Unified School District, retail businesses, and the U.S. Department of Labor to train and place inner-city youth in jobs with major retailers. The focus of the program is to ensure employment for high school juniors and seniors and encourage them to enroll in two- or four-year colleges. It is considered one of the nation's leading job creating and training programs for inner-city youth.

The institute works closely with the University's Career Planning and Placement Center to significantly increase the number of retail recruiters who conduct on-campus employment interviews.