BENTONVILLE -- A program that has propelled hundreds into jobs with Wal-Mart and its suppliers celebrated a 15-year anniversary Thursday.
Northwest Arkansas Community College's certified retail analyst program started in 1999, a response to a growing need for talent in the supplier community.
At A Glance
Job Placement
Eighty-seven percent of those who complete Northwest Arkansas Community College’s certified retail analyst program find a job in the supplier community within one year of graduating.
Source: NorthWest Arkansas Community College
"There were just not enough trained people to go around, so everybody just hired from everybody else," said Wayne Callahan, addressing a crowd of more than 100 people at the college's Shewmaker Center for Workforce Technologies.
Callahan said Lee Scott, Wal-Mart's former chief executive officer, called on him to lead a supplier steering committee to address the talent shortage.
"For a second, I remember thinking, this is pretty cool," Callahan said. "Then the next second I'm thinking, I better not screw this up."
The certified retail analyst program was developed in collaboration with the college. It has produced about 630 graduates during its 15-year run.
It gives students experience using Retail Link, Wal-Mart's proprietary database tracking sales of every item. The program also aims to teach students the kind of problem-solving skills they will need for a successful data analysis career in the retail community.
Dan Hollingsworth moved to the area from Nebraska to participate in the program. He graduated in 2006. He spoke as part of a panel discussion at Thursday's event.
"I had (consumer packaged goods) experience, but not Wal-Mart headquarters experience," Hollingsworth said.
He learned what he needed to know about Retail Link, but said he also developed a valuable network of fellow students with whom he has stayed in contact through the years. He's now a business development manager for Big Heart Pet Brands.
Charles Halliburton, who works for Wal-Mart, was involved in the program as an instructor. All of the instructors have experience either with Wal-Mart or a supplier.
Even people with scant or no experience in retail can use the program as a springboard to a new career, Halliburton said.
"It's amazing what they can do," he said.
Many who sign up for the program are seeking a career change. More than 80 percent of the students already have at least a bachelor's degree, said Teresa Warren, program director. The program can be completed in four semesters if a student takes two classes at a time.
There are between 75 and 100 students enrolled in the program now, Warren said. The college limits enrollment because it doesn't want to flood the job market, she said.
Warren became program director three months ago after 33 years working for Wal-Mart.
"One thing that's so cool about all of these instructors is that they all have separate full-time jobs," Warren said. "They don't need to be doing this. They're doing this because they have a passion for it."
Dave Perozek can be reached by email at [email protected] or on Twitter @NWADaveP.
NW News on 01/16/2015