DFWC Academy ‘Return to Work’ course gains industry support

INTERNATIONAL. The Duty Free World Council Academy (DFWCA) ‘Return to Work’ training course – which equips frontline travel retail staff with the practical skills and techniques to operate safely in the COVID-19 environment – has received positive feedback from industry stakeholders.

MSC Cruises Head of Retail Adrian Pittaway: “We have ensured every member of our team has successfully completed the training.”

The course, which takes around 15 minutes to complete, has been developed based on the Duty Free World Council Retail Operations Recovery Protocols.

Launched at the end of July, the online training is offered free of charge and DFWCA has urged all travel retail industry businesses who have not yet done so to ask staff to complete the training.

Retailers and suppliers can obtain a company specific registration which permits enables them to monitor the extent of participation by their employees.

DFWCA said that the response to the course has been “overwhelmingly favourable”, with 99% of students having rated the training as highly beneficial in facilitating a safe return to work as stores reopen.

Meanwhile, executives from two major companies that have encouraged staff to complete the Return to Work course have given their views on its merits.

Brown-Forman VP Managing Director Global Travel Retail Aude Bourdier described it as “an invaluable resource at this time”. He added: “We at Brown-Forman highly recommend the DFWC Academy Return to Work best practice course to any individual or retailer seeking to gain in-depth knowledge on the practical skills and techniques that are now recommended to operate in the new duty free and travel retail environment.”

MSC Cruises Head of Retail Adrian Pittaway said that his company has recently used the course as a key component in the training plan for all of its onboard and shoreside retail colleagues.

He added: “We have ensured every member of our team has successfully completed the training, and found it easy to use, the content is relevant and method of learning is very effective with all colleagues showing a clear understanding of the processes they needed to deliver as part of their own responsibilities in the resumption of onboard operations. The issuing of a certificate of achievement at the end is also a great touch.”

You can find more details about the course here.

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