New sales division launched at Napier

Edinburgh Napier University has opened Scotland’s first ever university sales division, in a bid to boost the economy and make the country more competitive in the global sales market.

The project has gathered much support in the business community, most significantly from the Institute of Directors in Scotland and The Edinburgh Chamber of Commerce.

Tony Douglas, Director of the new Sales Division of the University’s Edinburgh Institute, believes that “it will give our students a head start.”

Speaking to The Journal, Douglas said: “Recruiters struggle to meet the demand by businesses for students with the requisite skill set needed to hit the ground running.

“Students participating in programmes with the new Sales Division will benefit from the practice-based learning approach we take.”

“They will gain in self-confidence and improved communication skills, and learn the importance of building business relationships. All of this matters to employers.”

In addition to opportunities for practical experience, Edinburgh Napier students studying a business-related course will now also be able to gain academic credits in sales as part of their degree.

Derrick McCourt, Regional Director, Scotland & Wales at Microsoft Corporation has already been working with the University to provide sales training for Microsoft’s business partners.

He said: “Sales is a profession that should be taken seriously. In the very short period of time we’ve been working with the University we’ve already had some great individual success stories from our partners.

“Our hope is that this new sales division of the Institute will expand the talent pool for sales training in Scotland.”

Shaf Rasul, Scottish entrepreneur and star of the BBC’s online Dragon’s Den, has forecasted that: “This new division at Edinburgh Napier University will certainly play a major role in delivering Scotland’s next generation of wealth creators.”