Why Running a School Store Gives Students Career Experience

Employers are apt to complain that students fresh out of school don’t have enough “real world experience.” Helping to bridge the gap between the educational ivory tower and the need for skills that are applicable in the workforce, school stores can help introduce students to the responsibilities of a job. Starting at a young age, school stores give students the opportunity to learn a variety of different duties assigned to a myriad of different positions. Here are a just a few of the possible roles you can assign to students working in a school store:

- General Manager: Reporting to the adult supervisor – usually a teacher or PTA parent – the general manager is expected to help oversee the administration and organization of the entire store.

- Shift Managers: These students keep the store in operation on a rotational basis, taking over for one another on scheduled shifts.

- Sales Clerks: In charge of all sales transactions, these students make change for items bought and keep records of what is sold.

- Order Clerks: Keeping the school store fully stocked, the order clerk coordinates inventory checks and keeps a running list of items that need to be ordered to replenish the store.

- Receiving Clerks: Ensuring that the correct supplies are delivered when they need to be, the receiving clerk tracks all incoming orders.

- Accountant: Putting math skills to good use, the accountant should tally and keep track of daily sales in the school store.

With many types of positions, a job at the school store can satisfy many types of students – while giving them important real world skills that can be transferred to a job later on in life.

For more helpful tips on launching and managing a school store, please refer to the Raymond Geddes and Company, Inc. “School Store: An Operating Manual” here!