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Certificate III · national qualification

Certificate III in Retail

This certificate suits people working in retail who are ready to take on more than serving customers.

Compare 11 providers
Illustration of a person working as retail Assistant
How long it takes
4 to 6 months
full time at TAFE NSW
What it costs
From $1,450
Subsidised at TAFE NSW, full fee up to $6,910
How you can study
Online or on campus
Main job
Retail Assistant
$64,500 median pay
Taught by
11 providers
Every state and territory

Is this course right for you?

What the Certificate III in Retail asks of you, and what you might want to check first.

It helps to have

  • an interest in helping customers find what they need
  • patience for handling difficult customer situations
  • good communication skills for working with customers and teammates
  • a careful attitude to safety and security on the shop floor

Before you start

There are no entry requirements for this qualification.

Where this course can take you

Jobs this qualification is a recognised route into, and the study that can follow it.

Jobs you can do with it

  • Retail Assistant

    Retail assistants serve customers on the shop floor, work the register and keep stock moving in stores from supermarkets to boutiques.

    What else you need

    Retail service training; meet any employer-specific product and workplace requirements.

    Median pay$64,500

Pay is the median for everyone in the job, and “In demand” means the job is on the national shortage list.

What it costs

Subsidised place

From $1,450

at TAFE NSW. Whether you get a subsidised place depends on your state, residency, age and earlier study.

Paying the full fee

$6,910

across the TAFEs listed below. Private providers set their own fees.

  • TAFE NSWNSW

    Subsidised
    $1,450
    Concession
    $240
    Full fee
    $6,910
    How long
    4 to 6 months

Fees as each TAFE shows them on its website, read 20 September 2026. Private providers set their own fees.

Where you can study this course

There are 11 places you can study this course. When you compare them, check they teach it the way you want to study, how far you'd be from a campus, what it will cost you and what past students say about the teaching and support. They're listed by how often people search for them, and none of them pays to be here or to move up.

What you’ll learn

13 units: 8 that everyone takes and 5 you choose.

  • Serving and selling to customers
  • Handling customer complaints
  • Building customer loyalty
  • Working in a retail team
  • Store security and risk
  • Workplace health and safety
See all 8 core units

Core units

Everyone completes these. Select a unit to see what it covers.

  • Loading the details for SIRXCEG001…

Questions to ask before you enrol

Providers run this course differently, so the answers change from one to the next.

  1. When is the next intake, and how many are there each year?
  2. What is the total cost, including materials, checks and any placement costs?
  3. Can I study part time or online, and how does that change the length?
  4. Do the units count towards a higher qualification if I go on to study further?

Questions people ask

Who is this qualification for?

It suits people working in retail who want to do more than serve customers, such as handling difficult situations, building repeat business and managing security and safety. You would work with some independence under limited supervision, and may supervise other team members or monitor daily operations.

Do I need experience or other qualifications first?

The qualification itself has no entry requirements, but individual providers can set their own conditions. Check with the provider you choose before you enrol.

Related courses

The national training register, training.gov.au. TAFE course pages, read 20 September 2026. Google reviews. Pay and shortage status from Jobs and Skills Australia.