The retail sector is still strong, one company has said, following fears over job cuts.
Skillsmart Retail, the sector skills council, has countered comments from managing director of Verdict Consulting Richard Hyman, who stated recently that 100,000 jobs in the sector will be axed in two years.
Karen Charlesworth, head of research at Skillsmart Retail, stated that the industry is the UK's largest private sector employer, with three million workers employed by retailers.
"The retail industry continues to boom in a number of areas with huge new developments around the country. It is the fast growing employer in Northern Ireland and there are a number of large new retail developments planned in both Scotland and England," she said.
Although she admitted employee numbers will fall over the coming months, she noted that the industry is diversifying and providing a number of different opportunities.
Skillsmart Retail is run by retailers for retailers and partly government funded.
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