Leroy Merlin Retail Academy to open in Centurion to boost SA's workforce skills
Retail remains one of South Africa’s largest sources of employment, while employers continue to face shortages in practical technical and operational skills.
“The Academy doesn’t solve a new problem – it responds to a long-standing one,” says Nthabiseng Thaba, HR director at Leroy Merlin South Africa.
“Retail has often been underestimated and not viewed as an aspirational career path, despite being a highly skilled environment that requires strong product knowledge, technical understanding, safety awareness and leadership.”
The Retail Academy addresses this mismatch by bridging the gap between employment demand and workplace readiness through structured, work-integrated training. Learning interventions include short, practical modules for immediate on-the-job application, as well as longer pathways delivered over several months that integrate leadership development with deeper technical, product and service expertise.
The academy functions as a hybrid learning hub, combining a digital learning experience platform with hands-on practical application in simulated environments.
Unlike standard retail induction, the curriculum creates conditions that mirror real customer projects and operational scenarios, enabling employees to build capability while remaining active in their roles.
Skilled trade specialists – including plumbers, electricians and builders – contribute as facilitators to ensure employees can apply technical knowledge confidently and accurately in-store.
While Leroy Merlin is part of a global group, the academy has been developed specifically for the South African context. Training content is aligned to local laws, safety standards and labour realities, ensuring relevance for the local workforce rather than relying on adapted global programmes.
“We recognise that access to formal education in South Africa is limited for many people,” says Thaba. “The academy creates opportunities for employees to gain recognised learning and workplace-ready skills while remaining employed.”
The programmes are fully funded by the business and focus on developing practical, transferable capability that remains relevant beyond a single employer.
The model is already showing results. More than 50% of graduates from previous learnership and graduate programmes have been absorbed into permanent roles, supported through the Wholesale & Retail Sector discretionary funding model.
With the upcoming opening of its Alberton store – the sixth in Gauteng – and plans for coastal expansion within the next year, the Retail Academy is positioned to support skills development across an expanding workforce, giving approximately 600–800 employees access to this opportunity as Leroy Merlin grows its national footprint.